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Article published In: Chinese as a Second Language (漢語教學研究—美國中文教師學會學報)
Vol. 52:2 (2017) ► pp.127–147

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Chinese language learners’ anxiety toward chat partners in computer-mediated communication

 | Texas Tech University
 | Western Michigan University
 | Texas Tech University
Published online: 10 November 2017
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/csl.52.2.02wan
Abstract
Studies have shown foreign language anxiety (FLA) can negatively impact learners’ performance in the classroom, but learners experience less FLA during computer-mediated communication (CMC) activities. Although it has been documented that communicating with native speakers (NSs) can make foreign language learners more anxious, very few empirical studies have compared learners’ anxiety levels toward different online chat partners. The current study investigated intermediate Chinese language learners’ FLA in online text CMC activities chatting with NSs and non-native speakers (NNSs). The quantitative data analyses showed that there was a significant difference in the anxiety level between chatting with NSs and NNSs in text-based CMC: chatting with NSs made Chinese learners more anxious than chatting with NNSs. Language confidence and partner familiarity were the two main factors mediating the anxiety. Practical pedagogical implications and future research directions were discussed.
摘要
研究表明，外语焦虑负面影响学习者在外语课堂上的表现。与面对面的学习环境相比，计算机辅助交流的活动中，能减少语言学习者的焦虑。计算机辅助交流的活动中聊天对象可分为母语者和非母语者。尽管有文章指出和母语者聊天会增加外语学习者的焦虑感，然而鲜少有实证研究测量和比较与不同对象的在线聊天活动中外语学习者的焦虑水平。本文测量和对比了在计算机辅助的文本交流活动中，中级中文学习者与母语者和非母语者聊天时的语言焦虑。定量和定性分析的结果显示在与母语者和非母语者的聊天活动中，学习者的焦虑水平呈显著性差异，与母语者聊天时更加焦虑。对语言能力的自信和聊天对象的熟悉度是影响焦虑的两个主要因素。本文还就教学实践和进一步的研究方向进行了讨论。
Article outline
  • Literature review
    • Affective filter hypothesis and foreign language anxiety
    • Chat partners in computer-mediated communication and foreign language anxiety
    • Computer-mediated communication, foreign language anxiety, and Chinese language learning
  • Methodology
    • Participants
    • Research design
    • Experimental materials
      • Text chat interface
      • Chat topics
      • Questionnaire
    • Procedure
    • Data analysis
      • Quantitative analysis
      • Qualitative analysis
  • Results
    • Quantitative results
    • Qualitative results
  • Discussion
  • Recommendations
  • Limitations and future research
  • Conclusion
  • References
References (46)
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Yao, Shuangyun, Dujuan Zhang & Qian Shen
2022. Research on Anxiety of Learning Chinese as a Second or Foreign Language in and Outside Mainland China: A Systematic Review of the Literature 1999–2020. Frontiers in Psychology 13 DOI logo

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