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Anxiety in L2 Chinese from different angles

  • Jing Zhou

    Jing Zhou is an Associate Professor at Zhejiang International Studies University, Hangzhou, China. Her areas of interest include second language reading, teaching Chinese and English as foreign languages, extensive reading, and research methodology.

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Published/Copyright: September 19, 2023
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Chinese as a Second Language Research
From the journal Chinese as a Second Language Research Volume 12 Issue 2

Abstract

The current study examines the influence of experience, reading and writing anxieties, and self-assessed proficiency on foreign language anxiety in the context of learning Chinese as a foreign language. Data were collected using questionnaires from 93 learners of Chinese and analyzed using correlational and multiple regression methods. Results indicated that learners at level 200 (i.e., intermediate low/mid) were more anxious compared to those at level 400 (i.e., advanced low/mid). Foreign language anxiety, foreign language reading anxiety, and foreign language writing anxiety were significantly correlated with each other. Foreign language reading anxiety, foreign language writing anxiety, and self-assessed proficiency (listening and reading) were shown to significantly predict foreign language anxiety in the context of L2 Chinese.

摘要

本研究旨在探究中文为外语语境下, 经验、外语阅读焦虑、外语写作焦虑、以及自我评估的语言水平对外语焦虑的影响。研究采用问卷调查的方式收集了93名中文学习者的数据, 并采用相关和多元回归方法进行分析。研究结果表明, 中级低/中水平学习者 (200级) 相比于高级低/中水平学习者 (400级) 更容易感到焦虑。外语焦虑、外语阅读焦虑和外语写作焦虑之间存在显著相关性。在中文为外语语境下, 外语阅读焦虑、外语写作焦虑和自我评估的听力和阅读水平能够显著预测外语焦虑。

Keywords: course level; experience; foreign language anxiety; language performance; self-assessed proficiency
关键词: 外语焦虑; 学习表现; 经验; 自我评估的语言水平; 课程水平
Corresponding author: Jing Zhou, Zhejiang International Studies University, Hangzhou, China, E-mail:

About the author

Jing Zhou

Jing Zhou is an Associate Professor at Zhejiang International Studies University, Hangzhou, China. Her areas of interest include second language reading, teaching Chinese and English as foreign languages, extensive reading, and research methodology.

Appendix

Student Language Background Survey

Anxiety Scales

Section 1. Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale

  1. I never feel quite sure of myself when I am speaking in my Chinese class.

  2. I don’t worry about making mistakes in Chinese class.

  3. I tremble when I know that I’m going to be called on in Chinese class.

  4. It frightens me when I don’t understand what the teacher is saying in Chinese.

  5. It wouldn’t bother me at all to take more Chinese classes.

  6. During Chinese class, I find myself thinking about things that have nothing to do with the course.

  7. I keep thinking that the other students are better at Chinese than I am.

  8. I am usually at ease during tests in my Chinese class.

  9. I start to panic when I have to speak without preparation in Chinese class.

  10. I worry about the consequences of failing my Chinese class.

  11. I don’t understand why some people get so upset over Chinese classes.

  12. In Chinese class, I can get so nervous I forget things I know.

  13. It embarrasses me to volunteer answers in my Chinese class.

  14. I would not be nervous speaking Chinese with native speakers.

  15. I get upset when I don’t understand what the teacher is correcting.

  16. Even if I am well prepared for Chinese class, I feel anxious about it.

  17. I often feel like not going to my Chinese class.

  18. I feel confident when I speak in Chinese class.

  19. I am afraid that my Chinese teacher is ready to correct every mistake I make.

  20. I can feel my heart pounding when I’m going to be called on in Chinese class.

  21. The more I study for a Chinese test, the more confused I get.

  22. I don’t feel pressure to prepare very well for Chinese class.

  23. I always feel that the other students speak Chinese better than I do.

  24. I feel very self-conscious about speaking Chinese in front of other students.

  25. Chinese class moves so quickly I worry about getting left behind.

  26. I feel more tense and nervous in my Chinese class than in my other classes.

  27. I get nervous and confused when I am speaking in my Chinese class.

  28. When I’m on my way to Chinese class, I feel very sure and relaxed.

  29. I get nervous when I don’t understand every word my Chinese teacher says.

  30. I feel overwhelmed by the number of rules you have to learn to speak Chinese.

  31. I am afraid that the other students will laugh at me when I speak Chinese.

  32. I would probably feel comfortable around native speakers of Chinese.

  33. I get nervous when my Chinese teacher asks questions which I haven’t prepared in advance.

Section 2. Foreign Language Reading Anxiety Scale

  1. I get upset when I’m not sure whether I understand what I am reading in Chinese.

  2. When reading Chinese, I often understand the words but still can’t quite understand what the author is saying.

  3. When I’m reading Chinese, I get so confused I can’t remember what I’m reading.

  4. I feel intimidated whenever I see a whole page of Chinese in front of me.

  5. I am nervous when I am reading a passage in Chinese when I am not familiar with the topic.

  6. I get upset whenever I encounter unknown grammar when reading Chinese.

  7. When reading Chinese, I get nervous and confused when I don’t understand every word.

  8. It bothers me to encounter words I can’t pronounce while reading Chinese.

  9. I usually end up translating word by word when I’m reading Chinese.

  10. By the time you get past the funny letters and symbols in Chinese, it’s hard to remember what you’re reading about.

  11. I am worried about all the new symbols I have to learn in order to read Chinese.

  12. I enjoy reading Chinese.

  13. I feel confident when I am reading in Chinese.

  14. Once you get used to it, reading Chinese is not so difficult.

  15. The hardest part of learning Chinese is learning to read.

  16. I would be happy to learn to speak Chinese rather than having to learn to read as well.

  17. I don’t mind reading to myself, but I feel very uncomfortable when I have to read Chinese aloud.

  18. I am satisfied with the level of reading ability in Chinese that I have achieved so far.

  19. Chinese culture and ideas seem very foreign to me.

  20. You have to know so much about Chinese history and culture in order to read Chinese.

Section 3. Foreign Language Writing Anxiety Scale

  1. I like to write down my ideas in Chinese.

  2. I don’t like my compositions to be evaluated by my Chinese teachers.

  3. Writing in Chinese is a lot of fun.

  4. I am nervous about writing in Chinese.

  5. Handing in a composition in Chinese makes me feel good.

  6. Expressing ideas through writing in Chinese seems to be a waste of time.

  7. I avoid writing in Chinese.

  8. When I hand in a Chinese composition, I know I am going to do poorly.

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Published Online: 2023-09-19
Published in Print: 2023-10-26

© 2023 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Papers in English
  3. Assessing the dimensionality of Chinese as a second language reading: a confirmatory factor analysis approach
  4. A critical review of telecollaboration in Chinese as a second language education: a post-COVID-19 outlook
  5. Anxiety in L2 Chinese from different angles
  6. Papers in Chinese
  7. 发展与挑战: 从一个大学的中文项目看美国中文教育的发展
  8. 汉语为二语项目建设的理论与实践: 从教学法、师资培训谈起
  9. 華語「知道類」近義詞之習得順序
https://doi.org/10.1515/caslar-2023-2003
Keywords for this article
course level; experience; foreign language anxiety; language performance; self-assessed proficiency

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Papers in English
  3. Assessing the dimensionality of Chinese as a second language reading: a confirmatory factor analysis approach
  4. A critical review of telecollaboration in Chinese as a second language education: a post-COVID-19 outlook
  5. Anxiety in L2 Chinese from different angles
  6. Papers in Chinese
  7. 发展与挑战: 从一个大学的中文项目看美国中文教育的发展
  8. 汉语为二语项目建设的理论与实践: 从教学法、师资培训谈起
  9. 華語「知道類」近義詞之習得順序
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