Factors that cause Foreign Language Anxiety to Secondary Students

Perceived to be two important influential affective variables, anxiety and motivation have been found to be highly correlated in the process of foreign language learning. Especially, in the case of foreign language learning among teenagers, anxiety levels seems to be a determinant factor in their language learning process. This study aimed at identifying the factors that cause language anxiety to my group of second grade students of a public secondary school. The results of a needs assessment instrument revealed that they suffered from fear of negative evaluation among their peers and that they need a supportive classroom atmosphere in order to learn the foreign language. These results agree well with the results of a questionnaire administered to my students in order to know their perception about their levels of anxiety, and the reflective observation I did. Inside a discussion on how to lower the levels of foreign language anxiety is showed.