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| The Journal of Asia TEFL |
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  Past Issues |
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Go List
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| Volume 21 Number 3, Autumn 2024, Pages 520-759 |
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Navigating the Maze: Re-evaluating the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) in the Saudi EFL Context
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Mohammad N. Khreisat
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One of the overlooked reasons behind the low performance in English for Saudi learners has been linked to feelings of anxiety that are often prevalent in English classes. This study delves into the complexities of Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety (FLCA) among Saudi university students which includes assessing its prevalence, underlying components, and the influence of gender and year level within the Saudi educational context. The research investigates FLCA using a widely utilized tool, providing a revisit to the components' structure using EFA and CFA approaches to better capture underlying structure of FLCA experienced by Saudi EFL students. The investigation involved male and female university students, unveiling a moderate overall FLCA level, as indicated by an average mean of μ = 3.07. The primary component eliciting Foreign Language (FL) anxiety among Saudi students appears to be ‘performance anxiety.' The research also highlights gender differences, indicating higher anxiety levels among females. Despite these differences, no significant differences in overall anxiety between genders is observed. The results, however, showed statistically significant differences in overall FLCA scores among the four levels where second-year students exhibit the highest anxiety levels. An analysis of FLCA sub-dimensions reveals a significant difference in Speech Anxiety factor between second-year students and other year levels. This study contributes to the understanding of FLCA among Saudi university students, shedding light on key anxiety components and highlighting the influence of gender and year level on FLCA. It offers insights into cultural and educational implications within Saudi Arabia's academic landscape such as incorporating activities like peer reviews, collaborative group work, scaffolding and peer mentoring program and anonymous feedback sessions to help alleviate students' anxiety.
Keywords: FLCAS, language anxiety, FL anxiety, Saudi EFL, anxiety components |
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The Journal of Asia TEFL
