The Effects of Foreign Language Anxiety on Heritage Students of Spanish:
A Preliminary Investigation
Michael Tallon
University of the Incarnate Word
The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate whether (a) heritage students of Spanish
experience foreign language anxiety in a second-semester Spanish class, (b) scores of
heritage Spanish students on the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale correlate with
their scores on three other anxiety scales (listening, reading, and writing), and (c) there are
any differences in the quantity and quality of language output produced by anxious students
and nonanxious students. Participants for the study filled out a background questionnaire,
completed four anxiety scales, and answered several open-ended questions. The findings
revealed that (a) heritage students of Spanish can experience foreign language anxiety in a
second-semester Spanish class, (b) they can also experience anxiety in the other language
skills (listening, reading, and writing), and (c) the anxiety can lead to less language output,
both orally and in writing and in terms of quantity and quality of language.
M
any studies have been conducted on the effects of foreign language anxiety (FLA) on
second language learners. However, to date little research has been conducted on the
effects of FLA on heritage students of Spanish. One study, Tallon (2011), found that there was a
significant difference between the anxiety scores of heritage students of Spanish and the anxiety
scores of non-heritage students. The purpose of this pilot study is to look more closely at the
effects of foreign language anxiety on heritage students of Spanish. Specifically, this study
attempts to correlate the anxiety scores with actual language production (both oral output and
written output). The data will be analyzed to see if there are any differences in the quantity and
quality of output produced by students who score higher on four anxiety scales versus students
who score lower on the anxiety scales.
Review of the Literature
Heritage Languages and Heritage Language Students
Definitions. A heritage language can be defined as the language associated with one’s
cultural background, and it may or may not be spoken by the person (Cho, Cho, & Tse, 1997).
Krashen (2000) points out that heritage languages are usually not maintained and are rarely
developed (i.e., “language shift” occurs) and provides some reasons for why “shift happens,”
including a lack of input in the heritage language as well as affective factors (e.g., reluctance to
use the language because of the negative reactions of other heritage language speakers).
A heritage language student refers to “a language student who is raised in a home where
a non-English language is spoken, who speaks or at least understands the language, and who is to
some degree bilingual in that language and in English” (Valdés, 2001, p. 31). Thus, Spanish
heritage students are students who have grown up in Spanish-speaking or bilingual homes but
who have done most or all of their schooling in the dominant language, English in this case
(Roca, 2000).
Contact: Michael Tallon, [email protected]
Texas Papers in Foreign Language Education Vol. 16, No. 1, Summer 2014
7
Other terms that have been put forth in the literature include home background speaker,
native speaker, quasi-native speaker, bilingual speaker, semi-lingual speaker, residual speaker,
and false beginners. Van Deusen-Scholl (2003) notes that despite the fact that the term “heritage
language speaker” is gaining currency, “the concept remains ill-defined and is sensitive to a
variety of interpretations within social, political, regional, and national contexts” (p. 212).
Valdés (2001) concludes that “the field of foreign language education will continue to search for
a term that more precisely describes learners who arrive in the classroom with strongly
developed proficiencies in their ancestral languages” (p. 39).
Characteristics. Over the past two decades, researchers have come to realize that
heritage language students are different from “traditional” foreign language students. For
example, Webb and Miller (2000) point out that heritage language students are proficient in their
language in ways that foreign language learners, and sometimes even their foreign language
teachers, are not (and, in fact, may never be). At the same time, they may have gaps in their
knowledge of their heritage languages that foreign language learners do not have, and these gaps
prevent them from performing certain kinds of communicative tasks (especially reading and
writing). As a result, when teachers attempt to apply standard foreign language teaching
strategies to the teaching of a heritage language, it can lead to discomfort, frustration, and even
failure, for both students and teachers alike.
Campbell and Rosenthal (2000) provide several characteristics of a “typical” heritage
language student: (a) they have acquired nearly 90% of the phonological system of their heritage
language; (b) they have acquired 80% to 90% of the grammatical rules; (c) they have acquired
extensive vocabularies, although the semantic range is limited to a few sociocultural domains;
(d) they have typically acquired appropriate sociolinguistic rules; (e) they have learned and
adopted many of the customs, values, and traditions (i.e., the culture) of their community; (f)
they rarely have opportunities to gain literacy (i.e., reading and writing) skills in their heritage
language; and (g) they present a wide range of reasons for wanting to study their ancestral
languages. It should be noted that these proposed hypotheses should be validated by empirical
evidence in future research.
Why Focus on Heritage Students? According to Tesser (2000), respondents to the
American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese’s 1999 Survey of the Membership
cited “heritage learners in our classroom” as a concern second only to the “graying of the
profession” (p. 14). Their enrollment is picking up all over the country in high school and
university Spanish classes (Roca, 2000; Rodríguez Pino, 1997). Many researchers have
concluded that heritage languages and heritage language students should be seen as a national
resource (Campbell & Peyton, 1998; Campbell & Rosenthal, 2000; Latoja, 1996; Peyton, Ranard,
& McGinnis, 2001). Brecht and Ingold (2002) state: “To meet the demand for professionals
skilled in languages, a strategy is needed for developing the untapped reservoir of linguistic
competence that exists in heritage language speakers” (p. 2). Van Deusen-Scholl (2003)
declares: “The events of September 11, 2001, underscored the critical need for language
competence in strategic languages… Given the nation’s expressed need for strategic linguistic
competence, rethinking the role that heritage learners can play is advisable” (p. 215).
Krashen (2000) notes that there are clear advantages to continuing heritage language
development, both to the individual and to society. On the individual level, he states, research
indicates that those who continue to develop their primary language have certain cognitive
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advantages over their English-only counterparts (cf. Hakuta, 1986). In addition, better heritage
language development means better communication with family members and with other
members of that language community. Finally, heritage language development may also help
promote a healthy sense of multiculturalism, an acceptance of both the majority and minority
cultures, and a resolution of identity conflicts. Krashen also concludes that society benefits from
bilingualism in terms of business, diplomacy, and national security.
Foreign Language Anxiety
An interesting question in second language acquisition is why some people can learn a
foreign language while others fail at this task. Researchers have looked at many different
possible causes, such as language aptitude, learning styles, social contexts, and affective factors,
including motivation, attitudes, and anxiety.
Anxiety can be defined as “the subjective feeling of tension, apprehension, nervousness,
and worry associated with an arousal of the autonomic nervous system” (Horwitz, Horwitz, &
Cope, 1986, p. 125; from Spielberger, 1983). “Foreign Language Anxiety,” first proposed by
Horwitz, Horwitz, and Cope (1986), can be defined as “a distinct complex of self-perceptions,
beliefs, feelings, and behaviors related to classroom language learning arising from the
uniqueness of the language learning process” (p. 128) and is made up of communication
apprehension (the fear of communicating with other people), test anxiety (the fear of being
evaluated by quizzes, tests, and other work), and fear of negative evaluation (the fear of how
others view the speaker). Most researchers accept the idea that foreign language anxiety is a
situation-specific anxiety related to the language learning context and that it can play a
significant causal role in creating individual differences in language learning. Horwitz (2001)
notes that several studies have found foreign language anxiety to be largely independent of other
types of anxiety.
Levine (2003) looked at student and instructor beliefs and attitudes about target language
use, first language use, and anxiety. He states that the findings in his study suggest that “students
who come from bi- or multilingual backgrounds may tend to feel less anxious about the TL
[target language] use than students from monolingual backgrounds” (p. 354). However, to date
little research has been done on foreign language anxiety in heritage students of Spanish. Tallon
(2011) found that the mean anxiety score on the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale
(FLCAS; Horwitz, Horwitz, & Cope, 1986) was significantly higher for non-heritage students (cf.
104.6) than for heritage students (cf. 87.1) See Table 1, which compares the results of that study
with the results of two other studies on foreign language anxiety—Horwitz, Horwitz, & Cope,
1986, and Aida, 1994). However, it was also noted that the anxiety score for the heritage
students was somewhat high (considering that no anxiety is represented by a score of 33). It was
suggested that further research should be conducted to study in more detail the type of anxiety
experienced by heritage students of Spanish and how it affects the students. This current study
seeks to fill that void.
Research Questions
The following research questions will be addressed in this study:
1. Do heritage students of Spanish experience foreign language anxiety in a secondsemester Spanish class?
EFFECTS OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANXIETY ON HERITAGE STUDENTS OF SPANISH
9
2. How do their scores on the FLCAS correlate with their scores on other anxiety scales
(listening, reading, and writing)?
3. Are there differences in the quantity and quality of language output (both oral and
written) produced by students who score higher on the anxiety scales versus those
students who score lower on the anxiety scales?
Table 1. Foreign Language Anxiety: Comparison of Previous Studies
Horwitz, Horwitz,
& Cope (1986)
Aida (1994)
Tallon (2011
108
96
101 (heritage = 44;
non-heritage = 57)
First year
First year
First Semester
Spanish
Japanese
Spanish
Cronbach’s Alpha
.93
.94
.96
Mean
94.5
96.7
96.3 (heritage = 87.1;
non-heritage = 104.6)
SD
21.4
22.1
26.8
Sample size
Level
Language
Methodology
Participants for this pilot study were six heritage students of Spanish from two sections of
second-semester Spanish (Elementary Spanish II) at a small, private university in the Southwest
United States. All students (heritage and non-heritage) in the two classes completed four anxiety
scales (see Appendix A): (a) the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS; possible
range, 33 to 165; Horwitz, Horwitz, & Cope, 1986); (b) a Reading Anxiety Scale (possible range,
20 to 100; Saito, Horwitz, & Garza, 1999); (c) a Writing Anxiety Scale (possible range, 29 to
145; Cheng, Horwitz, & Schallert, 1999); and (d) a Listening Comprehension Anxiety Scale
(possible range, 33 to 165; Kim, 2000). On all the scales, the higher the score, the more anxious
the student is.
The 15 heritage students who completed all four anxiety scales were then ranked
according to their score on the FLCAS and divided into three groups: not anxious (less than 90
on the FLCAS); mildly anxious (90–110); and anxious (more than 110).
Two students from each group were then selected for participation in this study: the two
students who scored the lowest on the FLCAS (Rene and Chris), two students in the middle
range (Loretta and Ken), and the two students who scored the highest on the FLCAS (Jackie and
Juan). These students are highlighted in Table 2 with asterisks and bold face type. The ranking
of each of these students is indicated in parentheses following the anxiety scores for the reading,
writing, and listening anxiety scales,.
The language output from each participant came from (a) the composition from the first
written exam and (b) an oral interview. In addition, on each written exam there was a listening
comprehension section in which the students heard a dialogue read twice by the instructor and
then answered five multiple-choice questions. Another section consisted of a reading passage
followed by five multiple-choice questions. Data from these two sections were analyzed by
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counting the total number of correct responses (out of 10 in each section). A third section on
each exam consisted of a written composition. Only the composition from the first exam was
analyzed in detail for this study, while only the score for the second composition was included in
the study. The topic for this composition was the following: When was the last time you
attended a party? Describe in detail everything you did. The focus of the essay was the preterit
(past tense), and the directions requested that the students write approximately 65 words. The
compositions were worth 10 points on each test. The average score on the two compositions was
calculated for each participant.
Table 2. Scores and Rankings on Anxiety Scales
Student
Not anxious
*1. Rene
*2. Chris
3. Vanessa
4. Raquel
5. Vincent
6. J.P.
Average
Mildly anxious
7. Stephanie
*8. Loretta
*9. Ken
10. Naomi
Average
Anxious
11. Jesse
12. Jennifer
13. Missy
*14. Jackie
*15. Juan
Average
Total average
FCLAS Reading Writing Listening
(33–165) (20–100) (29–145 (33–165)
54
56
56
69
74
89
66
33 (2)
30 (1)
36
46
49
49
41
70 (1)
113 (3)
79
89
91
99
90
46 (1)
85 (2)
44
76
73
90
69
101
103
104
106
104
58
47 (3)
62 (4)
64
58
92
110 (2)
113 (4)
128
110
75
88 (3)
115 (4)
111
97
113
121
129
131
154
129
97
61
47
77
72 (5)
75 (6)
66
54
104
112
115
126 (5)
137 (6)
119
105
118
100
130
115 (5)
133 (6)
119
93
The compositions from the first written exam were further analyzed for the following
information: (a) total number of words, (b) percentage of words used in English, (c) number of
T-units, (d) number of grammatical errors, (e) type-token ratio (TTR), (f) number of independent
clauses (e.g., I went to the store yesterday), (g) number of coordinate clauses (e.g., I’m going to
study, but I don’t have time right now), and (h) number of subordinate clauses (e.g., I went to the
library when my friends called). A T-unit is “one main clause plus whatever subordinate clauses
happen to be attached or embedded within it” (Crookes, 1990, p. 185). For example, the
EFFECTS OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANXIETY ON HERITAGE STUDENTS OF SPANISH
11
sentence Mary hit John consists of one T-unit, while the sentence Mary hit John, but she is still
my best friend consists of two T-units. A T-unit, therefore, is basically an utterance with a
subject and a verb. A TTR is a measure of language complexity computed by dividing the total
number of different words by the total number of words (Crookes, 1990; Warschauer, 1996).
For example, the sentence The boy likes the girl has a TTR of .80 (four different words divided
by five total words). A higher TTR is considered to indicate greater language complexity
(Warschauer, 1996).
Each student also participated in a five-minute interview with the instructor. Two weeks
prior to the oral exam, students were given a study guide consisting of topics (see Appendix B
for the Oral Exam II handout). Based on these topics, the instructor asked specific questions,
many of which came directly from interview activities in the chapters covered during the
semester. Each interview was transcribed by the researcher and analyzed for the following
information: (a) total number of words; (b) percentage of words used in English; (c) number of cunits, (d) number of grammatical errors; (e) type-token ratio (TTR); (f) number of independent
clauses; (g) number of coordinate clauses; (h) number of subordinate clauses; and (i) number of
incomplete sentences. C-units are “isolated phrases not [necessarily] accompanied by a verb, but
they have communicative value” (Crookes, 1990, p. 184). A c-unit is basically an idea unit, and
it may or may not have a verb. For example, in response to the question Where’s my book? the
answer On the table would be a c-unit (but not a T-unit due to the absence of a verb. Because in
natural conversations we frequently answer in incomplete sentences—i.e., without verbs—it was
decided to use c-units to analyze the interviews rather than T-units.
Results and Discussion
Foreign Language Anxiety
As can be seen in Table 2, the average score on the FLCAS for the six heritage students
in this study was 100. This score is actually higher than the score found in Tallon (2011), but it
does confirm that heritage students of Spanish can indeed experience foreign language anxiety in
a language classroom. It may be that, even though many heritage students already have some
background with the Spanish language and culture, being in a classroom setting causes some
anxiety for them. Further research should be conducted to determine if there is a difference in
the anxiety experienced by heritage students versus the anxiety experienced by non-heritage
students.
In addition, it can also be seen in Table 2 that the students’ scores on the FLCAS
generally correlate with their scores on the other three anxiety scales. The rankings for the
FLCAS and the Listening Comprehension Anxiety Scale are in fact the same. The rankings for
the Reading Anxiety Scale and the Writing Anxiety Scale do show some variability, but not
much. For example, for the Reading Anxiety Scale the rankings 3–6 remain the same as those
for the FLCAS. Rene and Chris switched places with these two scales. Notice, however, that
their scores for both scales are similar (cf. 54 for Rene and 56 for Chris on the FLCAS, and 30
for Chris and 33 for Rene on the Reading Anxiety Scale). In terms of the Writing Anxiety Scale,
Chris and Loretta switched places, with Chris coming in third place for writing and Loretta
coming in second place. Once again, however, their two scores are similar (cf. 110 for Loretta
and 113 for Chris).
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Listening Comprehension, Reading, and Composition Scores
As can be seen in Table 3 and Figure 1, the number of correct responses on the listening
comprehension sections on the two written exams generally decreased as the level of anxiety
increased. The two students with the least anxiety averaged 90%, the two students with mild
anxiety averaged 85%, and the two students with the most anxiety averaged 80%. These results
are as expected, as we would think that the more anxious a student is the less able s/he is to
concentrate during a listening comprehension task.
Table 3. Listening Comprehension Results (Range: 33–165)
Student
1. Rene
2. Chris
3. Loretta
4. Ken
5. Jackie
6. Juan
Listening
% Correct on Listening
Anxiety Score Comprehension Sections
46
90%
85
90%
88
80%
115
90%
115
90%
133
70%
Listening Comprehension
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
R ene
C hris
Loretta
Ken
J ackie
J uan
S t ud e nt s
Figure 1. Percent correct on listening comprehension sections for each student
In terms of the reading passages, Table 4 and Figure 2 show that the two least anxious
students averaged 90% correct, the two mildly anxious students averaged 95%, and the two most
anxious students averaged 65%. There was, therefore, a jump in the score for the mildly anxious
students, followed by a large drop. However, this jump between the least anxious students and
EFFECTS OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANXIETY ON HERITAGE STUDENTS OF SPANISH
13
the mildly anxious students was not a large increase (only 5%). In addition, the percentage of
correct responses on the reading section for the two most anxious students is partially skewed by
the fact that the most anxious student, Juan, got only 30% correct, while the other anxious
student, Jackie, actually got all of the reading questions correct.
Table 4. Reading Results (Range: 20–100)
Student
1. Rene
2. Chris
3. Loretta
4. Ken
5. Jackie
6. Juan
Reading
% Correct on
Anxiety Score Reading Sections
33
100%
30
80%
47
90%
62
100%
72
100%
75
30%
Reading
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
C hris
R ene
Loretta
Ken
J ackie
J uan
S t ud e nt s
Figure 2. Percent correct on reading sections for each student
Finally, the average score (out of 10) on the two compositions from each exam was
computed for each participant. As can be seen in Table 5 and Figure 3, once again there was a
jump in the scores for the mildly anxious students. That is, the least anxious students averaged
6.5, the mildly anxious students averaged 8.5, and the most anxious students averaged 5.5.
These results, once again, are skewed due to one student. In this instance, Rene, the student who
scored the lowest on the FLCAS, only produced 28 words on the composition on the first exam.
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Table 5. Writing Results (Range: 29–145)
Student
1. Rene
2. Chris
3. Loretta
4. Ken
5. Jackie
6. Juan
Average Score on
Writing
Two Compositions
Anxiety Score
(Out of 10)
70
5,5
113
9.25
110
7.5
113
8.0
126
9.0
137
2.5
Figure 3. Average scores on two compositions for each student
Further Analysis of the Compositions
The results based on the additional analysis of the compositions for each student are
shown in Table 6. In terms of the number of total words produced, the two least anxious
students averaged 58 words, the two mildly anxious students averaged 64 words, and the two
most anxious students averaged 65 words (see Figure 4). Once again, it should be pointed out
that Rene’s composition skewed the results here due to his writing only 28 words. This may be
an anomaly for Rene, however, as he wrote 95 words on the second composition (the directions
requested 85 words). It may be that he felt he was running out of time on the first exam and
therefore was unable to complete the composition.
EFFECTS OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANXIETY ON HERITAGE STUDENTS OF SPANISH
15
Table 6. Composition Data Results
Student
FLCAS
Score
Total
Words
% of words
in English
T-units
Grammatical
Errors
TTR
Independent Coordinate Subordinate
Clauses
Clauses
Clauses
Rene
54
28
14
4
5
.86
3
0
1
Chris
56
88
0
9
12
.79
1
4
5
Loretta
103
54
0
9
14
.82
7
1
0
Ken
104
73
1
9
13
.82
2
3
1
Jackie
131
81
0
13
17
.79
2
4
2
Juan
154
48
2
8
26
.71
6
1
0
97
62
3
9
15
.80
4
2
2
Average
Com positions - Total Words
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
R ene
C hris
Loretta
Ken
J ackie
J uan
S t ud e nt s
Figure 4. Total number of words in compositions for each student
As far as the percentage of words in English used in the compositions, the two least
anxious students used 7%, the two mildly anxious students used 0.5%, and the two most anxious
students used 1% (see Figure 5). The large percentage for the least anxious students was due to
the fact that Rene had 4 words in English in his composition; with only 28 words total, that
accounted for 14% of his composition being in English. The other least anxious student, Chris,
did not have any words in English. While the percentage of English used did in fact increase
from the mildly anxious students to the most anxious students, it was a very small percentage.
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Compositions - % in English
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
R ene
C hris
Loretta
Ken
J ackie
J uan
S t ud e nt s
Figure 5. Percentage of English words used in compositions for each student
In terms of T-units in the compositions, the two least anxious students averaged 6.5, the
two mildly anxious students averaged 9, and the two most anxious students averaged 10.5 (see
Figure 6). This result is very surprising, as it indicates that as anxiety increased so did the
number of T-units in the composition – the exact opposite of what was expected. Because he
used so few words, Rene only had 4 T-units and thus caused the average for the two least
anxious students to be very low. By comparison, Chris, the other least anxious student, had 9 Tunits in his composition. On the other hand, Jackie, one of the most anxious students, had 13 Tunits in her composition! Even Rene, the most anxious student of all, managed to have 8 T-units
in his composition. Thus, it may be that anxious students may still be able to produce language
in its written form.
For the next two items analyzed, number of grammatical errors and TTR, the results were
as expected. That is, as anxiety increased, the number of errors also increased and the TTR
decreased. As shown in Figure 7, the two least anxious students averaged 8.5 grammatical errors
in their compositions, the two mildly anxious students averaged 13.5, and the two most anxious
students averaged 21.5 errors. As shown in Figure 8, the two least anxious students had a TTR
average of .83, the two mildly anxious students had a TTR average of .82, and the two most
anxious students had a TTR average of .75. Although these numbers are probably not
statistically significant, they do suggest a trend of the TTR decreasing as anxiety increases. That
is, the more anxious a student is, the less complex their written language tends to become, and
the more grammatical errors they tend to produce.
EFFECTS OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANXIETY ON HERITAGE STUDENTS OF SPANISH
17
Compositions - T-units
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
R ene
C hris
Loretta
Ken
J ackie
J uan
S t ud ent s
Figure 6. Number of T-Units in compositions for each student
Compositions - Grammatical Errors
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
R ene
C hris
Loretta
Ken
J ackie
J uan
S t ud e nt s
Figure 7. Number of grammatical errors in compositions for each student
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Texas Papers in Foreign Language Education
Compositions - TTR
1
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
R ene
C hris
Loretta
Ken
J ackie
J uan
S t ud ent s
Figure 8. TTR averages in compositions for each student
The results for the number of different types of independent clauses and coordinate
clauses used by the students in the compositions showed great variability. As can be seen in
Figure 9, the least anxious students averaged 2 independent clauses, the mildly anxious students
averaged 4.5, and the most anxious students averaged 4. Although the results are clearly
influenced by the small number of words produced by Rene in his composition, it is still
surprising to see that the most anxious students produced almost as many independent clauses as
the mildly anxious students. As shown in Figure 10, the least anxious students averaged 2
coordinate clauses, the mildly anxious students averaged 2 as well, and the most anxious students
averaged 2.5. What is interesting here is that in each group there was one student who used
several coordinate clauses and one student who used very few (e.g., 3 for Rene and only 1 for
Chris, 7 for Loretta and only 2 for Ken, and 6 for Juan and only 2 for Jackie).
Finally, Figure 11 shows the average number of subordinate clauses used in the
compositions: 3 for the least anxious students, .5 for the mildly anxious students, and 1 for the
most anxious students. Here, although there is some variability (with Chris using 5 subordinate
clauses and Loretta and Juan using none), there appears to be a general trend of using fewer
subordinate clauses as anxiety increases.
EFFECTS OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANXIETY ON HERITAGE STUDENTS OF SPANISH
19
Compositions - Independent Clauses
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
R ene
C hris
Loretta
Ken
J ackie
J uan
S t ud e nt s
Figure 9. Number of independent clauses in compositions for each student
Compositions - Coordinate Clauses
4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
R ene
C hris
Loretta
Ken
J ackie
J uan
S t ud e nt s
Figure 10. Number of coordinate clauses in compositions for each student
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Compositions - Subordinate Clauses
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
R ene
C hris
Loretta
Ken
J ackie
J uan
S t ud e nt s
Figure 11. Number of subordinate clauses in compositions for each student
Analysis of the Oral Interviews
The results based on the analysis of the interviews for each student are shown in Table 7.
In terms of the number of total words produced, the two least anxious students averaged 306
words, the two mildly anxious students averaged 291 words, and the two most anxious students
averaged 270 words (see Figure 12). Thus, as anxiety increased, the amount of language
produced in the oral interview decreased. This is what we would expect, as much research on
FLA has shown that more anxious students tend to speak less.
The results for the percentage of words used in English were also as expected. As
anxiety increased, so did the number of words used in English. As shown in Figure 13, the two
least anxious students averaged 2% in English, the two mildly anxious students averaged 8%,
and the two most anxious students averaged 36%. It should be noted that the huge increase to
36% was due to Juan, who spoke in English 60% of the time during his oral interview.
Figure 14 shows the number of c-units used during the oral interview: the least anxious
students averaged 47, the mildly anxious students averaged 66, and the most anxious students
averaged 40. The jump in the number of c-units from the least anxious students to the mildly
anxious students is a bit surprising. Both students in this category, Loretta and Ken, used more
than 60 c-units, while no other student, including the two least anxious students, used more than
50 c-units.
EFFECTS OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANXIETY ON HERITAGE STUDENTS OF SPANISH
21
Table 7. Interview Data Results
FLCAS
Score
Total
Words
% of words
in English
c-units
Rene
54
189
4
44
17
.80
22
Chris
56
423
.10
50
50
.80
Loretta
103
277
13
62
23
Ken
104
304
3
69
Jackie
131
190
11
Juan
154
349
97
289
Student
Average
Grammatical
Errors
TTR
Independent Coordinate
Clauses
Clauses
Subordinate
Clauses
Incomplete
Sentences
3
1
16
14
4
16
8
.76
31
4
0
20
22
.72
31
3
2
24
45
19
.76
22
3
1
18
60
36
12
.72
11
3
0
22
15
51
24
.76
22
3
3
18
Interview s - Total Words
450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
R ene
C hris
Loretta
Ken
J ackie
J uan
S t ud e nt s
Figure 12. Total number of words produced in oral interview for each student
22
Texas Papers in Foreign Language Education
Interview s - % in English
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
R ene
C hris
Loretta
Ken
J ackie
J uan
S t ud e nt s
Figure 13. Percent of oral interview in English for each student
Interview s - c-units
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
R ene
C hris
Loretta
Ken
J ackie
J uan
S t ud e nt s
Figure 14. Number of c-units used during oral interview for each student
EFFECTS OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANXIETY ON HERITAGE STUDENTS OF SPANISH
23
Figure 15 shows the number of grammatical errors each student made during the oral
interview. The two least anxious students averaged 33.5 errors, the two mildly anxious students
averaged 22.5 errors, and the two most anxious students averaged 15.5 errors. It seems odd that
the less anxious students would have more errors than the most anxious students, but this can
probably be explained by the fact that the less anxious students produced more output than the
most anxious students during the interview. That is, since the less anxious students spoke a lot
more during the interview, they had more chances to make more errors. The more anxious
students said fewer words in Spanish during the interview (and more words in English, which
would not affect their number of errors in Spanish) and thus had fewer errors.
Interview s - Grammatical Errors
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
R ene
C hris
Loretta
Ken
J ackie
J uan
S t ud e nt s
Figure 15. Number of grammatical errors in oral interview for each student
In terms of the TTR for the interviews, the least anxious students averaged .80, while
both the mildly anxious students and the most anxious students averaged .74 (see Graph 16).
There was a drop in the language complexity from the least anxious students to the mildly
anxious students, as expected, but it is somewhat surprising that the TTR for the most anxious
students did not get any lower.
There was great variability in the interviews in terms of the number of independent
clauses used. The least anxious students averaged 18, the mildly anxious students averaged 31,
and the most anxious students averaged 17 (see Graph 17). Both the least anxious students and
the most anxious students had a similar average, while the mildly anxious students produced
almost twice as many independent clauses. In terms of the number of coordinate clauses
produced, there was not a lot of variability: both the least anxious students and the mildly
anxious students averaged 3.5, while the most anxious students averaged 3 (see Graph 18).
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Texas Papers in Foreign Language Education
The number of subordinate clauses used in the interviews was as expected, with the least
anxious students producing the most (an average of 8.5), the most anxious students producing the
least (an average of .5), and the mildly anxious students in the middle (an average of 2) (see
Graph 19). Thus, it can be seen that as anxiety increased the number of subordinate clauses used
decreased. However, it should be pointed out that only one student, Chris, produced a large
number of subordinate clauses (16). The average number of subordinate clauses used would
drop to 0.8 without his being counted.
Finally, in terms of the number of incomplete sentences used, the least anxious students
averaged 12, the mildly anxious students averaged 22, and the most anxious students averaged
19 (see Graph 20). There was a trend, therefore, that as anxiety increased, so did the number of
incomplete sentences. However, the mildly anxious students produced the greatest number of
incomplete sentences out of all the students.
Interview s - TTR
0.82
0.8
0.78
0.76
0.74
0.72
0.7
0.68
R ene
C hris
Loretta
Ken
J ackie
J uan
S t ud e nt s
Figure 16. TTR during oral interview for each student
EFFECTS OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANXIETY ON HERITAGE STUDENTS OF SPANISH
25
Interview s - Independent Clauses
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
R ene
C hris
Loretta
Ken
J ackie
J uan
S t ud e nt s
Figure 17. Number of independent clauses in oral interview for each student
Interview s - Coordinate Clauses
4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
R ene
C hris
Loretta
Ken
J ackie
J uan
S t ud e nt s
Figure 18. Number of independent clauses in oral interview for each student
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Texas Papers in Foreign Language Education
Interview s - Subordinate Clauses
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
R ene
C hris
Loretta
Ken
J ackie
J uan
S t ud e nt s
Figure 19. Number of subordinate clauses in oral interview for each student
Interview s - Incomplete Sentences
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
R ene
C hris
Loretta
Ken
J ackie
J uan
S t ud e nt s
Figure 20. Number of incomplete sentences in oral interview for each student
EFFECTS OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANXIETY ON HERITAGE STUDENTS OF SPANISH
27
Conclusions
Regarding the research questions investigated for this study, the data indicate the
following conclusions.
1. Do heritage students of Spanish experience foreign language anxiety in a secondsemester Spanish class?
With an average score of 97 on the FLCAS, the study confirms that heritage students of
Spanish can experience foreign language anxiety in a second-semester Spanish class. This
average is considered “mildly anxious” in terms of anxiety. It is somewhat surprising due to the
fact that the FLCAS is usually considered to measure anxiety about speaking in the foreign
language classroom, and many heritage students can speak Spanish fairly fluently. There is, of
course, great variation in terms of the amount of Spanish these students are able to produce.
Furthermore, this study shows that heritage students of Spanish can also experience other
types of anxiety, including listening comprehension anxiety, reading anxiety, and writing anxiety.
The high average score for listening comprehension is, again, a bit surprising since many
heritage students have grown up hearing Spanish spoken in the home. However, the high
average score for reading and, in particular, writing are not surprising as most heritage students
have not had any formal training in the Spanish language. Although many of them have grown
up hearing and, sometimes, speaking the Spanish language, most of them have received all of
their formal education in English. Their literacy skills in Spanish, therefore, are usually minimal,
and so a high anxiety score for reading and writing is not unexpected.
2. How do their scores on the FLCAS correlate with their scores on other anxiety scales
(listening, reading, and writing)?
The results of this study indicate that there is a close correlation between the FLCAS and
other anxiety scales. In general, the students who scored lowest on the FLCAS also scored
lowest on the other three anxiety scales, while the students who scored highest on the FLCAS
also scored highest on the other three anxiety scales. Although researchers have argued that
these scales do in fact measure different types of anxiety (Cheng, Horwitz, & Schallert, 1999;
Saito, Horwitz, & Garza, 1999), this study shows that—at least for these six heritage students of
Spanish—there is a close correlation between general foreign language anxiety and listening,
reading, and writing anxiety.
As far as listening comprehension is concerned, the percentage of correct answers on the
listening comprehension section on the two written exams decreased (from 90 to 85 to 80) as
anxiety increased. This is what was expected, as we would assume that anxious students would
not be able to concentrate as well when listening to Spanish and would, consequently, miss more
questions on the exam. On the other hand, as far as reading and writing on the two written
exams are concerned, the percentage of correct answers actually increased for the mildly anxious
students and then decreased for the most anxious students (reading: from 90 to 95 to 65; writing:
from 6.5 to 8.5 to 5.5). However, it should be noted again that Rene’s composition, which
contained only 28 words, greatly affected the average score on the compositions for the least
anxious group.
3. Are there differences in the quantity and quality of language output (both oral and
written) produced by students who score higher on the anxiety scales versus those
students who score lower on the anxiety scales?
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Texas Papers in Foreign Language Education
The results of this study suggest that, in general, there is a trend toward less quantity and
quality in language output for more anxious students for some measurements, but not others. In
terms of the compositions, as anxiety increased there was an increase in the percentage of
English used, an increase in the number of grammatical errors, and a decrease in the TTR. The
case was not as clear for total number of words, T-units, and number of clauses (independent,
coordinate, and subordinate). In terms of the oral interviews, as anxiety increased there was a
decrease in the total number of words, an increase in the percentage of English used, a decrease
in grammatical errors, and a decrease in the number of subordinate clauses. The case was not as
clear for the number of c-units, the number of grammatical errors, the TTR, the number of
independent clauses, the number of coordinate clauses, and the number of incomplete sentences.
In conclusion, this study confirms previous research that foreign language anxiety can
have detrimental effects on language students, even with students who already have some
familiarity with the target language. That is, heritage students of Spanish, many of whom have
grown up hearing and/or speaking the Spanish language, can still experience anxiety in the
Spanish language classroom. This study also shows that not only can heritage students
experience general foreign language anxiety, they can also experience listening comprehension
anxiety, reading anxiety, and writing anxiety. Furthermore, this study suggests that the anxiety
can lead to less language output, both orally and in writing, and both in terms of quantity of
language and quality of language. Therefore, even in heritage students of Spanish, foreign
language anxiety can affect all four language skills and, consequently, affect the amount and
quality of language produced.
It is important to note the limitations of this preliminary investigation. First of all, the
sample size was small and therefore did not allow for tests of statistical significance. The results
are suggestive, but a larger sample size needs to be examined for statistical significance. Second,
the bulk of the data analysis focused on only two language samples (one written composition and
one oral interview). Combining that fact with the small sample size led to the problem of one
student greatly affecting the averages (i.e., Rene’s 28 words on the composition). In addition,
the results for the listening comprehension and reading sections are based on the results of
multiple choice answers, which allow students to guess. Third, this study looked only at one
level of instruction (second semester). Finally, the results are based on self-reports by the
students, and some researchers question the validity of such reports. However, because anxiety
is a construct that cannot directly be observed, self-reports are necessary for this type of research.
In addition, several studies support the reliability of the FLCAS (see Aida, 1994; Horwitz, 1986;
Horwitz, Horwitz, & Cope, 1986).
The results of this study provide several implications for teaching. First of all, this study
confirms that heritage students of Spanish can indeed experience FLA. Therefore, as pointed out
in Horwitz, Horwitz, and Cope (1986), teachers need to help all students—even those with some
background in the language (i.e., heritage students)—learn to cope with FLA, and they also need
to try to make the learning context less stressful. In order for this to take place, the first step for
teachers is to be aware that foreign language anxiety exists and can manifest itself in different
ways (i.e., general FLA, reading anxiety, writing anxiety, and listening comprehension anxiety).
The data from this study also suggest that writing anxiety, in particular, may be a troublesome
area for heritage students of Spanish, as five out of the six participants scored in the anxious
range on the Writing Anxiety Scale. Teachers may want to consider giving heritage students
some specific writing strategies to use when writing in Spanish.
EFFECTS OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANXIETY ON HERITAGE STUDENTS OF SPANISH
29
This study also provides several areas for future research. First, it is necessary to
replicate this study with a larger sample size and with more language output produced (e.g., five
compositions and five interviews throughout a 15-week semester). Second, anxiety should be
investigated in heritage students at different levels of instruction (e.g., beginning students vs.
intermediate students vs. advanced learners). It may be that their level of anxiety, in general and
in specific skill areas, may change as they progress in their language studies. Finally, including a
qualitative approach (e.g., informal interviews with students) would probably provide rich data
input as to what students actually think about foreign language anxiety.
About the Author
Michael Tallon (PhD, University of Texas at Austin) is an Associate Professor of Spanish
and Chair of the Department of Modern Languages at the University of the Incarnate Word in
San Antonio, Texas. His research interests include foreign language anxiety, heritage students of
Spanish, and the Spanish of San Antonio.
References
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anxiety: The case of students of Japanese. Modern Language Journal, 78, 155–168.
Brecht, R., & Ingold, C. (2002). Tapping a national resource: Heritage languages in the United
States. ERIC Digest, May 2002. Retrieved from http://www.cal.org/ERICCLL
/digest/0202brecht.html
Campbell, R., & Peyton, J. K. (1998). Heritage language students: A valuable language
resource. The ERIC Review, 5, 38.
Campbell, R., & Rosenthal, J. (2000). Heritage languages. In Handbook of undergraduate
second language education (pp. 165–184). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates,
Inc.
Cheng, Y. S., Horwitz, E. K., & Schallert, D. L. (1999). Language writing anxiety:
Differentiating writing and speaking components. Language Learning, 49, 417–446.
Cho, G., Cho, K., & Tse, L. (1997). Why ethnic minorities want to develop their heritage
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Applied Linguistics, 11, 183–199.
Hakuta, K. (1986). Mirror of Language. New York, NY: Basic Books.
Horwitz, E. K. (1986). Preliminary evidence for the reliability and validity of a foreign
language anxiety scale. TESOL Quarterly, 20, 559–562.
Horwitz, E. K. (2001). Language anxiety and achievement. Annual Review of Applied
Linguistics, 21, 112–126.
Horwitz, E. K., Horwitz, M. B., & Cope, J. (1986). Foreign language classroom anxiety.
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Kim, J-H. (2000). Foreign language listening anxiety: A study of Korean students learning
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MA: Cascadilla Press.
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Latoja, L. (1996). Un programa de español para colegio universitario: esfuerzos por lograr una
mejor articulación (A Spanish program for colleges and universities: Efforts to improve
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Heritage languages in America: Preserving a national resource (pp. 3–26). Washington,
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EFFECTS OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANXIETY ON HERITAGE STUDENTS OF SPANISH
31
Appendix A. Anxiety Scales Used in this Study
NAME: _________________________________________________________
SECTION I:
Please provide some demographic information about yourself.
1. Sex: ____ Male ____ Female 2. Age: _____ 3. Major:
________________________
4. When did you first start learning Spanish?
_____ Home
_____ Preschool
_____ High School
_____ Elementary School
_____ University
_____ Middle School
_____ Other (Please specify):___________
5. Do you consider yourself a heritage student of Spanish or a non-heritage student?
NOTE: For this study, a heritage student is defined as someone who grew up in a home where
the Spanish language was spoken; you may not even speak Spanish, but you might understand it.
A non-heritage student is defined as someone who did not grow up in a home where the Spanish
language was spoken; you may have studied Spanish before in school, but you were not around
the language while growing up.
_____ Heritage Student
_____ Non-Heritage Student
6. _____ If Spanish is your native/first language please check here.
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Texas Papers in Foreign Language Education
SECTION II:
Directions: Below is a list of statements that refer to how you feel about learning Spanish. Be
sure to read them carefully and check the response that best describes your attitudes and feelings.
For each statement, indicate whether you (1) strongly agree - SA, (2) agree - A, (3) neither
agree nor disagree - N, (4) disagree - D, or (5) strongly disagree - SD by circling the
appropriate number on the line following each statement. Please give your first reaction to each
statement and mark an answer for every statement. Answer with “Neither” if you have no
opinion or if a statement does not apply to your situation.
SA
A
N
D
SD
1
2
3
4
5
____________________________________________________________________________
1. I never feel quite sure about myself when I am speaking in my foreign language class.
1
2
3
4
5
2. I don’t worry about making mistakes in language class.
1
2
3
4
5
3. I tremble when I know that I’m going to be called on in language class.
1
2
3
4
5
4. It frightens me when I don’t understand what the teacher is saying in the foreign language.
1
2
3
4
5
5. It wouldn’t bother me at all to take more foreign language classes.
1
2
3
4
5
6. During language class, I find myself thinking about things that have nothing to do with the
course.
1
2
3
4
5
7. I keep thinking that the other students are better at languages than I am.
1
2
3
4
5
8. I am usually at ease during tests in my language class.
1
2
3
4
5
9. I start to panic when I have to speak without preparation in language class.
1
2
3
4
5
10. I worry about the consequences of failing my foreign language class.
1
2
3
4
5
11. I don’t understand why some people get so upset over foreign language classes.
1
2
3
4
5
12. In language class, I can get so nervous I forget things I know.
1
2
3
4
5
13. It embarrasses me to volunteer answers in my language class.
1
2
3
4
5
14. I would not be nervous speaking the foreign language with native speakers.
1
2
3
4
5
15. I get upset when I don’t understand what the teacher is correcting.
1
2
3
4
5
16. Even if I am well prepared for language class, I feel anxious about it.
1
2
3
4
5
EFFECTS OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANXIETY ON HERITAGE STUDENTS OF SPANISH
33
SA
A
N
D
SD
1
2
3
4
5
____________________________________________________________________________
17. I often feel like not going to my language class.
1
2
3
4
5
18. I feel confident when I speak in foreign language class.
1
2
3
4
5
19. I am afraid that my language teacher is ready to correct every mistake I make.
1
2
3
4
5
20. I can feel my heart pounding when I’m going to be called on in language class.
1
2
3
4
5
21. The more I study for a language test, the more confused I get.
1
2
3
4
5
22. I don’t feel pressure to prepare very well for language class.
1
2
3
4
5
23. I always feel that the other students speak the foreign language better than I do.
1
2
3
4
5
24. I feel very self-conscious about speaking the foreign language in front of other students.
1
2
3
4
5
25. Language class moves so quickly I worry about getting left behind.
1
2
3
4
5
26. I feel more tense and nervous in my language class than in my other classes.
1
2
3
4
5
27. I get nervous and confused when I am speaking in my language class.
1
2
3
4
5
28. When I’m on my way to language class, I feel very sure and relaxed.
1
2
3
4
5
29. I get nervous when I don’t understand every word the language teacher says.
1
2
3
4
5
30. I feel overwhelmed by the number of rules you have to learn to speak a foreign language.
1
2
3
4
5
31. I am afraid that the other students will laugh at me when I speak the foreign language.
1
2
3
4
5
32. I would probably feel comfortable around native speakers of the foreign language.
1
2
3
4
5
33. I get nervous when the language teacher asks questions which I haven’t prepared in advance.
1
2
3
4
5
Do you have any other feelings about learning Spanish which are not included above? If so,
please write down your feelings.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
34
Texas Papers in Foreign Language Education
SECTION III:
Directions: Below is a list of statements that refer to how you feel about reading Spanish. Be
sure to read them carefully and check the response that best describes your attitudes and feelings.
For each statement, indicate whether you (1) strongly agree - SA, (2) agree - A, (3) neither
agree nor disagree - N, (4) disagree - D, or (5) strongly disagree - SD by circling the
appropriate number on the line following each statement. Please give your first reaction to each
statement and mark an answer for every statement. Answer with “Neither” if you have no
opinion or if a statement does not apply to your situation.
SA
A
N
D
SD
1
2
3
4
5
____________________________________________________________________________
1. I get upset when I’m not sure whether I understand what I am reading in Spanish.
1
2
3
4
5
2. When reading Spanish, I often understand the words but still can’t quite understand what the
author is saying.
1
2
3
4
5
3. When I’m reading Spanish, I get so confused I can’t remember what I’m reading.
1
2
3
4
5
4. I feel intimidated whenever I see a whole page of Spanish in front of me.
1
2
3
4
5
5. I am nervous when I am reading a passage in Spanish when I am not familiar with the topic.
1
2
3
4
5
6. I get upset whenever I encounter unknown grammar when reading Spanish.
1
2
3
4
5
7. When reading Spanish, I get nervous and confused when I don’t understand every word.
1
2
3
4
5
8. It bothers me to encounter words I can’t pronounce while reading Spanish.
1
2
3
4
5
9. I usually end up translating word by word when I’m reading Spanish.
1
2
3
4
5
10. By the time you get past the funny letters and symbols in Spanish, it’s hard to remember
what you’re reading about.
1
2
3
4
5
11. I am worried about all the new symbols you have to learn in order to read Spanish.
1
2
3
4
5
12. I enjoy reading Spanish.
1
2
3
4
5
13. I feel confident when I am reading in Spanish.
1
2
3
4
5
14. Once you get used to it, reading Spanish is not so difficult.
1
2
3
4
5
15. The hardest part of learning Spanish is learning to read.
1
2
3
4
5
EFFECTS OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANXIETY ON HERITAGE STUDENTS OF SPANISH
35
SA
A
N
D
SD
1
2
3
4
5
____________________________________________________________________________
16. I would be happy just to learn to speak Spanish rather than having to learn to read as well.
1
2
3
4
5
17. I don’t mind reading to myself, but I feel very uncomfortable when I have to read Spanish
aloud.
1
2
3
4
5
18. I am satisfied with the level of reading ability in Spanish that I have achieved so far.
1
2
3
4
5
19. Spanish culture and ideas seem very foreign to me.
1
2
3
4
5
20. You have to know so much about Spanish history and culture in order to read Spanish.
1
2
3
4
5
Do you have any other feelings about reading Spanish which are not included above? If so,
please write down your feelings.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
SECTION IV:
Directions: Below is a list of statements that refer to how you feel about writing in Spanish.
Be sure to read them carefully and check the response that best describes your attitudes and
feelings. For each statement, indicate whether you (1) strongly agree - SA, (2) agree - A, (3)
neither agree nor disagree - N, (4) disagree - D, or (5) strongly disagree - SD by circling the
appropriate number on the line following each statement. Please give your first reaction to each
statement and mark an answer for every statement. Answer with “Neither” if you have no
opinion or if a statement does not apply to your situation.
SA
A
N
D
SD
1
2
3
4
5
____________________________________________________________________________
1. I avoid writing in Spanish.
1
2
3
4
5
2. I have no fear of my Spanish writing being evaluated by the teacher.
1
2
3
4
5
3. I have no fear of my Spanish writing being evaluated by people other than the teacher.
1
2
3
4
5
4. I look forward to writing down my ideas in Spanish.
1
2
3
4
5
5. I am afraid of writing essays in Spanish when I know they will be evaluated.
1
2
3
4
5
36
Texas Papers in Foreign Language Education
SA
A
N
D
SD
1
2
3
4
5
___________________________________________________________________________
6. Taking a Spanish composition course is a very frightening experience.
1
2
3
4
5
7. Handing in a Spanish composition makes me feel good.
1
2
3
4
5
8. My mind seems to go blank when I start to work on a Spanish composition.
1
2
3
4
5
9. Expressing ideas through writing in Spanish seems to be a waste of time.
1
2
3
4
5
10. I would enjoy submitting my Spanish writing to magazines for evaluation and publication.
1
2
3
4
5
11. I like to write my ideas down in Spanish.
1
2
3
4
5
12. I feel confident in my ability to clearly express my ideas when writing in Spanish.
1
2
3
4
5
13. I like to have my friends read what I have written in Spanish.
1
2
3
4
5
14. I am nervous about writing in Spanish.
1
2
3
4
5
15. People seem to enjoy what I write in Spanish.
1
2
3
4
5
16. I enjoy writing in Spanish.
1
2
3
4
5
17. I never seem to be able to clearly write down my ideas in Spanish.
1
2
3
4
5
18. Writing in Spanish is a lot of fun.
1
2
3
4
5
19. I expect to do poorly in Spanish composition classes even before I enter them.
1
2
3
4
5
20. I like seeing my thoughts on paper in Spanish.
1
2
3
4
5
21. Discussing my Spanish writing with others is an enjoyable experience.
1
2
3
4
5
22. I have a terrible time organizing my ideas in a Spanish composition course.
1
2
3
4
5
23. When I hand in a Spanish composition, I know I’m going to do poorly.
1
2
3
4
5
24. It’s easy for me to write good Spanish compositions.
1
2
3
4
5
25. I don’t think I write in Spanish as well as most other people.
1
2
3
4
5
26. I don’t like my Spanish compositions to be evaluated.
1
2
3
4
5
EFFECTS OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANXIETY ON HERITAGE STUDENTS OF SPANISH
37
SA
A
N
D
SD
1
2
3
4
5
____________________________________________________________________________
27. I’m not good at writing in Spanish.
1
2
3
4
5
28. When writing in Spanish, I often worry about making grammatical mistakes.
1
2
3
4
5
29. When writing in Spanish, I feel anxious if I cannot come up with anything to write about.
1
2
3
4
5
Do you have any other feelings about writing in Spanish which are not included above? If so,
please write down your feelings.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
SECTION V:
Directions: Please answer the following questions as specifically as possible.
1. Do you experience anxiety when you are participating in a listening comprehension activity in
Spanish?
Yes ______
No ______
2. What makes you anxious when you are participating in a listening comprehension activity in
Spanish?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3. What types of exercises, settings, or activities help to lower your anxiety level during
listening comprehension activities in Spanish?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
38
Texas Papers in Foreign Language Education
SECTION VI:
Directions: Below is a list of statements that refer to how you feel about listening to Spanish.
Be sure to read them carefully and check the response that best describes your attitudes and
feelings. For each statement, indicate whether you (1) strongly agree - SA, (2) agree - A, (3)
neither agree nor disagree - N, (4) disagree - D, or (5) strongly disagree - SD by circling the
appropriate number on the line following each statement. Please give your first reaction to each
statement and mark an answer for every statement. Answer with “Neither” if you have no
opinion or if a statement does not apply to your situation.
SA
A
N
D
SD
1
2
3
4
5
____________________________________________________________________________
1. When listening to Spanish, I tend to get stuck on one or two unknown words.
1
2
3
4
5
2. I get nervous if a listening passage is read only once during Spanish listening tests.
1
2
3
4
5
3. When someone pronounces words differently from the way I pronounce them, I find it
difficult to understand.
1
2
3
4
5
4. When a person speaks Spanish very fast, I worry that I might not understand all of it.
1
2
3
4
5
5. I am nervous when I am listening to Spanish if I am not familiar with the topic.
1
2
3
4
5
6. It’s easy to guess about the parts that I miss while listening to Spanish.
1
2
3
4
5
7. If I let my mind drift even a little bit while listening to Spanish, I worry that I will miss
important ideas.
1
2
3
4
5
8. When I’m listening to Spanish, I am worried when I can’t watch the lips or facial expression
of a person who is speaking.
1
2
3
4
5
9. During Spanish listening tests, I get nervous and confused when I don’t understand every
word.
1
2
3
4
5
10. When listening to Spanish, it is difficult to differentiate the words from one another.
1
2
3
4
5
11. I feel uncomfortable in class when listening to Spanish without the written text.
1
2
3
4
5
12. I have difficulty understanding oral instruction given to me in Spanish.
1
2
3
4
5
13. It is hard to concentrate on what Spanish speakers are saying unless I know them well.
1
2
3
4
5
14. I feel confident when I am listening in Spanish.
1
2
3
4
5
EFFECTS OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANXIETY ON HERITAGE STUDENTS OF SPANISH
39
SA
A
N
D
SD
1
2
3
4
5
____________________________________________________________________________
15. When I’m listening to Spanish, I often get so confused I can’t remember what I have heard.
1
2
3
4
5
16. I fear I have inadequate background knowledge of some topics when listening in Spanish.
1
2
3
4
5
17. My thoughts become jumbled and confused when listening to important information in
Spanish.
1
2
3
4
5
18. I get worried when I have little time to think about what I hear in Spanish.
1
2
3
4
5
19. When listening to Spanish, I usually end up translating word by word without understanding
the contents.
1
2
3
4
5
20. I would rather not have to listen to people speak Spanish at all.
1
2
3
4
5
21. I get worried when I can’t listen to Spanish at my own pace.
1
2
3
4
5
22. I keep thinking that everyone else except me understands very well what a Spanish speaker
is saying.
1
2
3
4
5
23. I get upset when I’m not sure whether I understand what I am listening to in Spanish.
1
2
3
4
5
24. If a person speaks Spanish very quietly, I am worried about understanding.
1
2
3
4
5
25. I have no fear of listening to Spanish as a member of an audience.
1
2
3
4
5
26. I am nervous when listening to a Spanish speaker on the phone or when imagining a
situation where I listen to a Spanish speaker on the phone.
1
2
3
4
5
27. I feel tense when listening to Spanish as a member of a social gathering or when imagining
a situation where I listen to Spanish as a member of a social gathering.
1
2
3
4
5
28. It’s difficult for me to listen to Spanish when there is even a little bit of background noise.
1
2
3
4
5
29. Listening to new information in Spanish makes me uneasy.
1
2
3
4
5
30. I get annoyed when I come across words that I don’t understand while listening to Spanish.
1
2
3
4
5
31. Spanish stress and intonation seem familiar to me.
1
2
3
4
5
32. When listening to Spanish, I often understand the words but still can’t quite understand
what the speaker means.
1
2
3
4
5
40
Texas Papers in Foreign Language Education
SA
A
N
D
SD
1
2
3
4
5
____________________________________________________________________________
33. It frightens me when I cannot catch a key word of a Spanish listening passage.
1
2
3
4
5
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION!
EFFECTS OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANXIETY ON HERITAGE STUDENTS OF SPANISH
41
Appendix B
EXAMEN ORAL II
Su professor va a hacerle unas preguntas. Aquí tiene unos temas posibles. Una estrategia muy
importante es la elaboración de sus respuestas. En otras palabras, una respuesta de una palabra
no funciona; es decir, no tiene ningún valor.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
42
La casa y las actividades en casa
Las experiencias en el pasado
La comida
La familia
La niñez y la juventud
Los viajes y el transporte
Texas Papers in Foreign Language Education