Chinese Learning Anxiety on Foreign Students

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the level of anxiety in learning Chinese, discover the dominant factors of anxiety in learning Chinese language and analyze differences in Chinese language anxiety based on gender, year of study and HSK in foreign students in Wuhan, China. The research method used was quantitative using a survey approach. There are 250 foreign students as the samples, consisting of 108 male and 142 female students. The data collection technique used is questionnaire called CLAS (Chinese Learning Anxiety Survey) adapted from FLCAS (Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Survey). The data were analyzed using SPSS with descriptive statistical techniques and Multivariate Analysis. The results showed that Chinese language anxiety among foreign students is on a moderate level, with communication anxiety as the most dominant aspect. The male and female students have the same anxiety level in learning Chinese. The foreign students who had longer duration of learning Chinese and had higher HSK tend to have lower level of anxiety in learning Chinese. This showed that years of study and HSK were two factors that determine the high or low level of anxiety in learning Chinese for foreign students.

The roles of motivation, anxiety and learning strategies in online Chinese learning among Thai learners of Chinese as a foreign language

“…In the current study, participants showed moderate anxiety in the context of online learning, and their anxiety had a negative correlation with and prediction for self-rated Chinese language proficiency, which is generally consistent with previous studies involving language learners of English (MacIntyre and Gardner, 1991;Horwitz, 2001;Dikmen, 2021), Japanese (Aida, 1994), Spanish (Coryell and Clark, 2009) and Chinese (Luo, 2013;Zhao et al, 2013;Luo, 2014aLuo, ,b, 2015Zhou, 2017;Basith et al, 2019;Zheng and Richard, 2021). Although some early research observed a positive influence of anxiety on L2 learning (Chastain, 1975;Kleinmann, 1977), and researchers have not reached a general consensus about the underlying mechanism for the negative impact of anxiety on SLA (Krashen, 1981(Krashen, , 1982Horwitz et al, 1986;Gardner, 1989, 1994;Gregersen, 2020), the negative impact of foreign language anxiety on L2 achievement has been widely recognized, such as reduction in cognitive performance (Gregersen, 2020), selfconfidence (Chou, 2018), willingness to communicate (Basith et al, 2019), and this negative influence could be observed at different stages (e.g., input, processing and output) of second language learning (MacIntyre and Gardner, 1994).…”

“…According to most studies, anxiety was negatively associated with Chinese language achievement across a variety of contexts, although several studies did not report such a significant relationship (Zhao et al, 2013 ; Zheng and Richard, 2021 ). Learners who have been learning Chinese for longer times and have higher proficiency levels tend to experience lower levels of anxiety, which has been consistently found among CSL learners in China (Basith et al, 2019 ), CHL learners (Luo, 2015 ) and CFL learners (Luo, 2012 , 2014a , b ; Zhao et al, 2013 ; Zhou, 2017 ) in the U.S.…”

“…A variety of approaches have been taken to explore Chinese learning anxiety. In terms of participants, researchers have examined the issue of Chinese learning anxiety among CHL learners (Xiao and Wong, 2014 ; Luo, 2015 ) and CFL learners (Luo, 2014a , b ; Zhou, 2017 ; Sung and Li, 2019 ) in the U.S. and Thailand (Zheng and Richard, 2021 ), and CSL learners in China (Basith et al, 2019 ). Based on the scope of learning anxiety, some studies focused on Chinese learning anxiety (Luo, 2013 , 2015 ; Basith et al, 2019 ; Sung and Li, 2019 ; Zheng and Richard, 2021 ), some focused on a specific language skill, such as reading anxiety (Zhao et al, 2013 ; Zhou, 2017 ), writing anxiety (Xiao and Wong, 2014 ) and speaking anxiety (Luo, 2014b ).…”

“…In terms of participants, researchers have examined the issue of Chinese learning anxiety among CHL learners (Xiao and Wong, 2014 ; Luo, 2015 ) and CFL learners (Luo, 2014a , b ; Zhou, 2017 ; Sung and Li, 2019 ) in the U.S. and Thailand (Zheng and Richard, 2021 ), and CSL learners in China (Basith et al, 2019 ). Based on the scope of learning anxiety, some studies focused on Chinese learning anxiety (Luo, 2013 , 2015 ; Basith et al, 2019 ; Sung and Li, 2019 ; Zheng and Richard, 2021 ), some focused on a specific language skill, such as reading anxiety (Zhao et al, 2013 ; Zhou, 2017 ), writing anxiety (Xiao and Wong, 2014 ) and speaking anxiety (Luo, 2014b ). According to most studies, anxiety was negatively associated with Chinese language achievement across a variety of contexts, although several studies did not report such a significant relationship (Zhao et al, 2013 ; Zheng and Richard, 2021 ).…”

Exploring English Speaking Problems in Higher Education: Pre-Service English Teachers’ Perspectives

“…Another aspect felt by the speakers in speaking English is anxiety which deals with a state of tension in an individual caused by uncomfortable stimulus externally (Basith et al, 2019). Regarding speaking ability, language anxiety especially speaking may be taken into account.…”