Gender, Academic Achievement and Years of Experience: Investigating Potential Reasons for Foreign Language Anxiety among Thai High School Students

Main Article Content

Daron Benjamin Loo
Nakhon Kitjaroonchai

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the relationship between foreign language anxiety and gender, years of study experience, and academic achievement.  The utilized a mixed-method approach where 292 respondents completed a questionnaire on foreign language anxiety.  The quantitative results of the questionnaire were used as a basis to form interview questions for students who volunteered to be interviewed.  It was found that with the sample of the study, there was no correlation between gender and foreign language anxiety, a weak positive correlation between year of study and foreign language anxiety, and a negative correlation between academic achievement and foreign language anxiety.  The interview data presented a slightly different response, though, where interviewees attributed foreign language anxiety to personality type, and the environment where English was taught.      

Article Details

Section
Research articles
Author Biographies

Daron Benjamin Loo, Asia-Pacific International University

Daron Benjamin Loo is a lecturer at Asia-Pacific International University, Thailand.  He is also currently completing a PhD in Applied Linguistics at King Mongkut’s University of Technology, Thonburi.  His research interests include English language teaching and learning in Southeast Asia and teacher development.  

Nakhon Kitjaroonchai, Asia-Pacific International University

Nakhon Kitjaroonchai is a lecturer at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Asia-Pacific International University.  His research interests include learners’ attitude and motivation towards an L2, second language acquisition, and language learning strategies.  

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