In this study, the relationship between anxiety and the speaking performance of Iranian EFL （English as a Foreign Language） learners is investigated. The effects of gender and anxiety on the students＇ speaking perf...In this study, the relationship between anxiety and the speaking performance of Iranian EFL （English as a Foreign Language） learners is investigated. The effects of gender and anxiety on the students＇ speaking performance are also examined. Through Oxford Placement Test, 43 students （10 male and 33 female students） of English in Shiraz University were selected out of 63 initial participants. In order to measure the students＇ anxiety level, the FLCAS （Foreign Language Class Anxiety Scale） was administered. The means of the students＇ scores on the two courses of Conversations 1 ＆ 2 taken in the first year were used to represent their speaking skill. The results of Pearson product-moment correlation revealed a moderate negative correlation between the anxiety and the speaking scores （r=-0.54）. The 2-way ANOVA （Analysis of Variance） analysis showed that the anxiety had a significant effect on the speaking grades, but the gender and the interaction of the gender and anxiety did not. This study suggests some pedagogical implications that EFL teachers and advisers could use it to help their students overcome the anxiety of speaking oerformance.展开更多
文摘In this study, the relationship between anxiety and the speaking performance of Iranian EFL （English as a Foreign Language） learners is investigated. The effects of gender and anxiety on the students＇ speaking performance are also examined. Through Oxford Placement Test, 43 students （10 male and 33 female students） of English in Shiraz University were selected out of 63 initial participants. In order to measure the students＇ anxiety level, the FLCAS （Foreign Language Class Anxiety Scale） was administered. The means of the students＇ scores on the two courses of Conversations 1 ＆ 2 taken in the first year were used to represent their speaking skill. The results of Pearson product-moment correlation revealed a moderate negative correlation between the anxiety and the speaking scores （r=-0.54）. The 2-way ANOVA （Analysis of Variance） analysis showed that the anxiety had a significant effect on the speaking grades, but the gender and the interaction of the gender and anxiety did not. This study suggests some pedagogical implications that EFL teachers and advisers could use it to help their students overcome the anxiety of speaking oerformance.
