Language Teaching and Educational Research

Yazarlar: Şenay AKKUŞ

Konular:Dil ve Dil Bilim, Eğitim, Bilimsel Disiplinler, Eğitim, Eğitim Araştırmaları

DOI:10.35207/later.892775

Anahtar Kelimeler:Meta-synthesis,Qualitative research,Speaking anxiety,EFL

Özet: Foreign language anxiety is an inevitable factor in the learning process, and it is believed that it is experienced mostly in productive skills especially in speaking since it is perceived as the most challenging skill in a foreign language. This study aims to reveal the current situation of research conducted in the 21st century upon investigating foreign language speaking anxiety (FLSA) in Turkey in order to identify what has been done so far and to find the research gap to be filled by future researchers. This study adopts the meta-synthesis method which is an intentional approach aiming to bring studies together to synthesize and interpret data through qualitative studies. 24 Turkish-context qualitative studies, chosen according to their publication year, and the ones conducted in the 21st century were analysed thematically in order to reach new interpretations. The findings revealed six main themes as sources of anxiety, i.e., exploring some techniques and methods to decrease foreign language anxiety, teachers’ perceptions towards FLSA, overcoming strategies against speaking anxiety, the effect and results of speaking anxiety upon learners and their communication & performance and identifying an ideal anxiety-free classroom setting.

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