Teacher Factor on Anxiety Level of University Preparatory School Learners' Speaking

Abstract

Anxiety has been seen by many teachers and researchers as a barrier in language learning process as it prevents the learners from learning effectively. Also, determining the impacts of negative feelings on language learning process is quite important for teachers since these feelings may be a mental block for the learners by preventing them from using comprehensible input they get. Although there are numerous studies on the impact of anxiety level in language classrooms and on the reasons that might cause anxiety, there are relatively fewer studies on teachers’ impact on anxiety level of learners’ speaking. With this in mind, this study aims to explore the role of the teachers on anxiety level of university prepapartory school learners’ speaking skill. For this study, a quantitative research design with the help of an online questionnaire, which was administered to the university preparatory learners studying at a state university based in Ankara, was used. Based on the data analysis, the research presented here showed how teachers can increase or decrease the anxiety level of foreign language learners especially while they are speaking the target language. The findings can contribute to a better learning environment with lower affective filter by revealing the relationship between teacher and learners’ anxiety level.