English Communication Anxiety of Local University Students

The purpose of this study is to examine English communication anxieties of Korean students attending a local university. A survey of communication anxieties consisting of 15 items was administered to students who were enrolled in the English classes at a local university in the Gyeongsangbuk-do region in the spring semester of the 2014 academic year. Three hundred and seventy questionnaires were collected and their level of English communication anxieties were computed. Then a comparison was made among subgroups in terms of the respondents’ gender, school year, and the proficiency level. The results of the survey showed that students enrolled at the local university did not have a high level of English communication anxiety. It was also found that male students showed less anxiety than female students while the students’ year of school was not related to their level of anxiety. Finally, it was found that the higher the level of English proficiency, the lower the exhibited level of English communication anxiety, which implies that the students’ scholastic aptitude affects their communication anxiety.