Language Anxiety. A study on communication apprehension and willingness to communicate in the older adult EFL learners' context.

Abstract

This study investigates older adult learners’ language anxiety. The central belief that a persistent anxiety permeates language learning underpins the theoretical background for the subsequent analysis, which aims at discovering whether—and to what extent—communication apprehension and language anxiety affect adult language learning. Part I encompasses a literature review and will lead to the Part II, which will provide the reader with an empirical study I conducted on a set group of adult and senior EFL learners.

Chapter 1 reviews the main theories on language anxiety, willingness to communicate (WTC) in a foreign language, and adragongy as the best teaching model to approach adult learning. Chapter 2 offers a brief insight into the major studies on the connection among adult language learning, language anxiety, and adult willingness to communicate in the target language. Chapter 3 sets the ground of the study on adult language anxiety. By administering two questionnaires (the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale—FLCAS—and the Personal Report of Communication Anxiety—PRCA) on two English classes at the Università della Terza Età di Venezia, the study aims at investigating if a predisposition towards language anxiety and communication apprehension exists within the target, and provides useful data to discuss. Chapter 4 illustrates data results, providing a clear understanding of those variables which may affect communication apprehension. Lastly, a final discussion will present teaching methods which may improve adult language learning while lowering their anxiety towards the target language and communication.