Questioning the Stability of Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety and Motivation Across Different Classroom Contexts

Abstract

This study examined whether foreign language learner anxiety and motivational goal orientations remained stable across two different classroom Contexts: a reading course and a conversation course. The researcher measured anxiety and four-types of motivational goal orientations by surveying 59 Korean college students learning English in both courses. A repeated-measures MANCOVA was used to analyze the responses. The findings indicated that levels of anxiety can vary according to instructional contexts. The study found a significant difference for anxiety, with the students reporting higher levels of anxiety in the conversation course than in the reading course. By contrast, for goal orientation, students exhibited similar patterns across contexts. These Korean students displayed a high tendency toward a utilitarian goal regardless of context. The article also suggests teaching implications for reducing anxiety and enhancing motivation.