Speaking Performance and Anxiety Levels of Chinese EFL Learners in Face-to-Face and Synchronous Voice-based Chat

Мұқаба

Дәйексөз келтіру

Толық мәтін

Аннотация

In recent, mobile technology is experiencing a highly development, it is necessary to explore whether it holds the potential to boost EFL learners’ language acquisition based on its instant messaging apps in synchronous voice chat (SVC) mode. With a focus on Chinese EFL learners, this study aimed to compare their speaking performance in SVC and face-to-face (F2F) chat modes. It also explored the relationship between learners’ speaking performance and anxiety levels in these two chat modes which allow real-time communication. In this mixed methods study, WeChat instant messaging was used as the platform for SVC. Forty students from a public university in China participated in 4 chat sessions in SVC and F2F chat modes over 4 weeks. Quantitative data were collected through the oral scores of the participants’ performance in the chat sessions and anxiety questionnaires. Then, qualitative data were obtained from a focus group interview. The findings revealed a significant difference in learners’ speaking performance in SVC and F2F chat. Students’ speaking performance outperformed in SVC chat compared to F2F chat. This could be linked to students’ anxiety levels which were slightly higher in F2F chat. Despite that, most of the students preferred F2F chat to SVC chat due to the practicality of F2F chat.

Авторлар туралы

Yanqiu Chen

University Malaya

Email: chrischenyanq@outlook.com
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-9981-6488

Shin Chew

University Malaya

Email: chewshinyi@um.edu.my
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-4056-1745

Әдебиет тізімі

  1. Andújar-Vaca, Alberto, & Cruz-Martínez, Maria-Soledad. (2017). Mobile instant messaging: Whatsapp and its potential to develop oral skills.Comunicar, 25(50), 43-52. DOI:https://doi.org/10.3916/C50-2017-04
  2. Aydın, S. (2018). Technology and foreign language anxiety: Implications for practice and future research. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 14(2), 193-211.
  3. Baralt, Melissa, & Gurzynski-Weiss, Laura. (2011).Comparing learners' state anxiety during task-based interaction in computer-mediated and face-to-face communication. Language Teaching Research, 15(2), 201-229. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1177/0265532210388717
  4. Bueno Alastuey, M.C. (2011). Perceived benefits and drawbacks of synchronous voice-based computer-mediated communication in the foreign language classroom.Computer Assisted Language Learning, 24(5), 419-432. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2011.574639
  5. Bueno-Alastuey, Ma Camino. (2013).Interactional feedback in Synchronous Voice-based Computer Mediated Communication: Effect of dyad. System, 41(3), 543-559. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2013.05.005
  6. Burns, A., & Seidlhofer, B. (2002). Speaking and pronunciation. In N. Schmitt (Ed.), An introduction to applied linguistics (pp. 211-232). Arnold.
  7. Cakici, D. (2016). The correlation among EFL learners' test anxiety, foreign language anxiety and language achievement. English Language Teaching, 9(8), 190 -203. DOI:https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v9n8p190
  8. Chew, S. Y., & Ng, L. L. (2021). Personality and language proficiency on ESL learners' word contributions in face-to-face and synchronous online forums. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 6(1), 199-221. DOI:https://doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol6iss1pp199-221
  9. Creswell, J. W., & Guetterman, T. C. (2019). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research. Pearson.
  10. Ellis, R. (2012). Language teaching research and language pedagogy. John Wiley & Sons. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118271643
  11. Firmansyah, D., & Valatansa vegian, E. E. (2019). Improving the students' speaking skill through debate technique. PROJECT (Professional Journal of English Education), 2(6), 891-895.https://.DOI:https://doi.org/10.22460/project.v2i6.p891-895
  12. Fitze, M. (2006). Discourse and participation in ESL face-to-face and written electronic conferences. Language Learning & Technology, 10(1), 67 - 86.http://dx.doi.org/10125/44047.
  13. Gao, C. et al., (2019). Emerging app issue identification from user feedback: Experience on WeChat. In 2019 IEEE/ACM 41st International Conference on Software Engineering: Software Engineering in Practice (ICSE-SEIP) (pp. 279-288). IEEE. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/ICSE-SEIP.2019.00040
  14. Horwitz, E. K. (2001). Language anxiety and achievement. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 21, 112-126. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1017/S0267190501000071
  15. Horwitz, E. K. (2010). Foreign and second language anxiety. Language Teaching, 43(2), 154-167.
  16. Horwitz, E. K., Horwitz, M. B. & Cope, J. (1986). Foreign language classroom anxiety. The Modern Language Journal, 70(2), 125-132. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4781.1986.tb05256.x
  17. Hughes, A. (2003). Testing for language teachers (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1017/S026144480999036X
  18. Jaramillo Chérrez, N. V. (2007). A case study of the impact and usefulness of synchronous voice chat to improve EFL learners' spoken production [Unpublished master's thesis]. Iowa State University.
  19. Jasim, W. H., & A. F. AbuSeileek (2015). Using text and voice chat modes to enhance students' performance in discourse functions.International Journal of Learning Technology, 10(2), 114-136. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1504/IJLT.2015.070685
  20. Jepson, K. (2005). Conversations and negotiated interaction in text and voice chat rooms. Language Learning & Technology, 9, 79-98.http://dx.doi.org/10125/44033.
  21. Jung, Y. J. (2018). The role of socially-mediated alignment in the development of second language grammar and vocabulary: Comparing face-to-face and synchronous mobile-mediated communication [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Georgia State University.
  22. Karakis, Ö. (2020). Learner Autonomy and English Language Course Achievement Mediated by Foreign Language Learning Anxiety. Sakarya University Journal of Education, 10(2), 312-335. DOI:https://doi.org/10.19126/suje.638945
  23. Kim, N-Y. (2017). Effects of voice-chat conditions on Korean EFL learners' affective factors. Foreign Languages Education, 24(1), 43-66. DOI:https://doi.org/10.15334/FLE.2017.24.1.43
  24. Krashen, S. D. (1981). Second language acquisition and second language learning. Pergamon Press.
  25. Landström, P. (2015). Foreign language anxiety among Chinese senior middle school students: A case study [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Karlstad University.
  26. Liu, M., & Jackson, J. (2008). An exploration of Chinese EFL learners' unwillingness to communicate and foreign language anxiety. The Modern Language Journal, 92(1), 71-86. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4781.2008.00687.x
  27. MacIntyre, P. (1995). How does anxiety affect second language learning? A reply to Sparks and Ganschow. The Modern Language Journal, 79(1), 90-99. DOI:https://doi.org/10.2307/329395
  28. MacIntyre, P. D., & Gardner, R. C. (1991). Language anxiety: Its relationship to other anxieties and to processing in native and second languages. Language learning, 41(4), 513-534. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-1770.1991.tb00691.x
  29. Mackey, A. & Gass, S.M. (2015). Second language research: Methodology and design. Routledge. DOI:https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315750606
  30. Misqam, N. N., & Saidalvi, A. (2019). Investigating English language speaking anxiety among Malaysian undergraduate learners. Asian Social Science, 15(1), 1-7. DOI:https://doi.org/10.5539/ass.v15n1p1
  31. Namaziandost, E., Razmi, M. H., Hernández, R. M., Ocaña-Fernández, Yo., & Khabir, M. (2021). Synchronous CMC text chat versus synchronous CMC voice chat: Impacts on EFL learners' oral proficiency and anxiety, Journal of Research on Technology in Education, (0), p.1-18. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/15391523.2021.1906362
  32. Oruç, E., & Demirci, C. (2020). Foreign language anxiety and English language achievement in higher education: The mediating role of student engagement. European Journal of Education Studies, 7(3), 199-212. DOI:https://doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v0i0.3012
  33. Pichette, F. (2009). Second language anxiety and distance language learning. Foreign Language Annals, 42, 77-93. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1944-9720.2009.01009.x
  34. Qu, Y., Rong, W., Ouyang, Y., Chen, H., & Xiong, Z. (2015). Social aware mobile payment service popularity analysis: The case of WeChat payment in China. In Asia-Pacific Services Computing Conference (pp. 289-299). Springer. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-26979-5_22
  35. Rao, P. S.(2018).The role of teachers in developing speaking skills in English language classrooms. ACADEMICIA:An International Multidisciplinary Research Journal, 8(12), 5-14. DOI:https://doi.org/10.5958/2249-7137.2018.00068.X
  36. Ruixue, M., Zejun, M., & Yijing, W. (2012). An empirical study on speaking proficiency training for Chinese EFL learners. Higher Education of Social Science, 2(1), 26-31. DOI:https://doi.org/10.3968/j.hess.1927024020120201.2640
  37. Salehi, M, & Marefat, F. (2014). The effects of foreign language anxiety and test anxiety on foreign language test performance. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 4(5), 931-940. DOI:https://doi.org/10.4304/tpls.4.5.931-940
  38. Satar, H. M. and N. Özdener (2008). The effects of synchronous CMC on speaking proficiency and anxiety: Text versus voice chat. The Modern Language Journal, 92(4), 595-613. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4781.2008.00789.x
  39. Seferoglu, G. (2007). The effects of synchronous computer mediated communication (SCMC) on English language learners' oral proficiency development. In The Proceedings of the 6th WSEAS International Conference on e-activities (pp. 14-16). Citeseer.
  40. Sukrutrit, P. (2018). Aspects of language learning in voice-based chat rooms. NIDA Journal of Language and Communication, 23(33), 67-96.
  41. Tam, S. S. (2009). Negotiation of meaning in face-to-face and synchronous computer-assisted interactions among ESL undergraduates [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur.
  42. Teimouri, Y., Goetze, J., & Plonsky, L. (2019). Second language anxiety and achievement: A meta-analysis. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 41(2), 363-387. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1017/S0272263118000311
  43. Wang, P. & Roopchund, R. (2015). Chinese students' English-speaking anxiety in asking questions in the MSC TESOL classroom.International Journal of English Language Teaching, 2(2), 1-18. DOI:https://doi.org/10.5430/ijelt.v2n2p1
  44. Wang, Z. (2014). Developing accuracy and fluency in spoken English of Chinese EFL learners. English Language Teaching, 7(2), 110-118. DOI:https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v7n2p110
  45. Warschauer, M. (1996).Comparing Face-to-face and electronic communication in the second language classroom. CALICO Journal, 13 (2), 7-26.
  46. Wu, L. (2015). Investigating social presence in the voice-based chat room and the text-based forum in the Chinese online learning context [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. University of the West of England.
  47. Yang, Y. T. C., Gamble, J., & Tang, S.-Y.S. (2012). Voice over instant messaging as a tool for enhancing the oral proficiency and motivation of English as a foreign language learner. British Journal of Educational Technology, 43, 448-464. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8535.2011.01204.x
  48. York, J., Shibata, K., Tokutake, H., & Nakayama, H. (2021). Effect of SCMC on foreign language anxiety and learning experience: A comparison of voice, video, and VR-based oral interaction. ReCALL, 33(1), 49-70. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1017/S0958344020000154
  49. Zheng, Y., Cheng, L. (2018). How does anxiety influence language performance? From the perspectives of foreign language classroom anxiety and cognitive test anxiety. Language Testing in Asia, 8(13), 1-19. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1186/s40468-018-0065-4

Қосымша файлдар

Қосымша файлдар
Әрекет
1. JATS XML
Жүктеу


Creative Commons License
Бұл мақала лицензия бойынша қолжетімді Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.