French and Chinese Third Language Learners’ Communication Apprehension in a Nigerian University: Influence of Prior Knowledge and Their Demographic Profiles

Abstract

Our study examined the influence of third language learners’ prior knowledge and socio-demographic variables on their communication apprehension. Two hundred and twenty-six third language learners (French n=136 and Chinese n= 90) participated in the study. Data obtained were subjected to point-biserial, multiple regression and t-test statistics. We found that participants’ prior knowledge of their target languages has significant main effects on their communication apprehension. Significant mean differences occurred in the level of communication apprehension as a result of participants’ gender, language of specialization and level of parental education. Regression analysis showed that the joint contribution of prior knowledge, parental level of education, language of specialization and gender on third language learners’ communication apprehension was significant; contributing 13.4% to explain the variances in response. Language of specialization and prior knowledge made significant individual contributions to students’ communication apprehension with language of specialization being the most individual contributor to the variances in students’ responses. Our study has implications for curriculum planners given that if third language curricula are designed to link what is learnt in the university to what is learnt at the primary and secondary schools, learners will find the target language familiar, which may help them overcome the feelings of communication apprehension. Received: 4 May 2021 / Accepted: 12 July 2021 / Published: 5 September 2021

<p>Understanding Third Language Learners’ Communication Apprehension, by Employing their Socio-Demographic Profiles, Academic Motivation and Self-Efficacy as Predictors</p>

“…Given that most of the research carried out on communication apprehension have focused on second language learners of English, with little or no attention given to third language learners of French, Chinese and German languages within the Nigerian context (Akuneme & Nwosu, 2021), understanding the role of socio-demographic variables, academic motivation and self-efficacy on third language learners' communication apprehension would be valuable, as well as add to the limited empirical research on third language acquisition (Moghtadi et al, 2015). To this end, the main objective of the present study is to investigate third language learners' communication apprehension in relation to their socio-demographic profiles, academic motivation (intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, motivational strength) and self-efficacy.…”

“…Nigeria is a multiethnic nation and English language being the nation's lingua franca is usually learnt as the first foreign language starting from kindergarten, also functioning as a second language (L2) of communication among people of different ethnic groups in the country (Akuneme & Nwosu, 2021;Danladi, 2013). Additional foreign languages such as French, Chinese and German are learned as third languages.…”

“…Consequently, with reference to Hammarberg's (2018) conceptualization, learners of English language in Nigeria can be referred to as second language learners while learners of French, Chinese and German can as well be referred to as third language learners. More so, there is a growing evidence that third language learners in Nigeria may be prone to communication apprehension (Akuneme & Nwosu, 2021) given that most third languages in Nigeria are spoken only by a knowledgeable few, and in limited contexts too (Lana & Yahya, 2013). This implies that there are limited opportunities for third language learners to practice the language learned which could predispose them to communication apprehension.…”

“…However, most of these studies have, over the past decades, focused on second language learners. Hence, our study is centred on broadening the evidence in literature on the impact that socio-demographic variables, academic motivation and self-efficacy would have on third language learners' comprehension apprehension within the Nigerian context given that third language learners tend to be vulnerable to communication apprehension (Akuneme & Nwosu, 2021). Also, a number of researchers have found that socio-demographic variables (age, gender and language of specialization), academic motivation and self-efficacy correlate with communication apprehension (Cagatay, 2015;Gaibani, 2016;Gerencheal & Horwitz, 2016;Liu & Huang, 2011;Luo, 2018;Mede & Karairmak, 2017;Tsai, 2013), but they did so by looking at the independent variable correlations.…”