Foreign language learning anxiety is one of the affective factors which influence language learning negatively. It has several sources and different types. The present study aimed at investigating the sources of foreign language speaking anxiety of Iranian EFL learners. To do so, 154 EFL learners participated in the study. They were required to fill out a foreign language anxiety questionnaire which was developed based on the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) by Horwitz, Horwitz, and Cope (1986). The results of the study indicated that “fear of making mistakes”, “fear of negative evaluation”, and “lack of vocabulary knowledge” were the main factors which caused anxiety among students. Some strategies are recommended for the students to use in order to cope with the anxiety-provoking factors.
Understanding students' learning strategies is important for teachers and researchers since they try to develop a learning environment that stimulates highquality learning outcomes. To this end, the present study examines a sample of 218 EFL students on BA, MA, and Ph.D.s of English language studies at an Iranian university. It was an attempt to find out if learners with different levels of academic degrees differ significantly in using vocabulary learning strategies. To this end, the participants answered open-ended and closed-ended questionnaires of Vocabulary Learning Strategies. Drawing on quantitative and qualitative analysis, results revealed significant differences between undergraduate and postgraduate students' usage of vocabulary learning strategies. However, there was no significant difference between MA and Ph.D. students in their use of vocabulary learning strategies. Indeed, exploring the vocabulary learning strategies use of English language students can reveal individual differences in vocabulary learning among students, and encourage EFL teachers and curriculum developers to design materials and activities which would help the learners improve their vocabulary learning.
Learning a foreign/second language is a dynamic and complicated process that benefits from learners taking strategic steps to facilitate their own learning. Accordingly, the current study investigates the differences between Iranian high and low English vocabulary learners in terms of vocabulary learning strategies. Two hundred and eighteen university students in Iran took the vocabulary level test and filled out a vocabulary learning strategies survey. In fact, it was an attempt to examine if high/low learners differ significantly in using vocabulary learning strategies. To this end, 218 EFL, 111 high, and 107 low English vocabulary learners were selected to answer Schmitt's Vocabulary Learning Strategies Questionnaire (VLSQ). The findings showed significant differences between high and low English vocabulary learners' usage of determination, memory, cognitive, and metacognitive strategies. However, there was no significant difference in their use of social strategies.
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