A Study on Reducing Foreign Language Anxiety While Speaking English with Foreigners

This study explores the use of language activities that can reduce foreign language anxiety (FLA). FLA has been of interest to language scholars and teachers because it is wide spread and has a significant impact on the learner and the quality of language learning experience. The level of FLA is a good indicator of how successful a learner's language learning experience will be. Therefore it is important for the instructor to help reduce learners' level of FLA as it will improve the learning experience and performance. An effective method used in behavioral therapy to reduce situation-specific anxiety is to help the person face the situation with preparation. One-hundred-and-nineteen Korean college students participated in street interviews with foreigners and completed surveys using a scale that merges the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) (Horwitz, 1986) and the Subjective Units of Distress Scale (SUDS) (Wolpe, 1973). In addition, open-ended questions and interviews were conducted. The results of this study confirmed that it is possible to reduce specific foreign language anxiety through language activities, preferably designed in a natural setting. This study has further implications for the designing of foreign language activities in EFL environments.