Speaker
Description
Foreign language anxiety remains a barrier to effective language learning, particularly in EFL contexts where English is often taught as a compulsory subject. This study amied to examine the level of English language anxiety among Vietnamese university students and identify its perceived causes, while also exploring whether years of English learning influence anxiety levels. A total of 172 students participated in a survey using an adapted version of Horwitz’s (1986) Foreign Language Anxiety Scale. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively and through correlation analysis, while open-ended responses were examined thematically. The findings indicated that students experienced a moderate level of language anxiety. However, no significant relationship was found between anxiety levels and the number of years spent learning English. Six major sources of anxiety emerged including fear of making mistakes, fear of peer evaluation, limited vocabulary, fear of teacher correction, pressure to respond on the spot, and low-self-esteem. These results highlight the affective challenges in EFL learning and point to the need for anxiety-aware pedagogy that prioritizes emotional safety and learner confidence along with linguistic instruction.
Biography
Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Hạnh is a PhD candidate in English Language Teaching at Can Tho University, Vietnam. Her research focuses on metacognitive listening instruction, language anxiety, teacher cognition, and the integration of AI in EFL classrooms, particularly for non-English major students. With over fifteen years of experience as a university lecturer, she developed a strong interest in learner-centered pedagogy and classroom-based listening instruction.
