Although FLCA and ECA appear to be related, teachers and researchers should not assume they are the same thing. Some students may feel anxious in classroom settings while others might feel more anxious in social situations. Therefore, it is important for language instructors to recognize the possibility that some students experience high levels of anxiety, uncover the potential sources of language anxiety in both contexts, and employ instructional strategies to help them cope with their anxiety. Several pedagogical implications can be drawn from the study.
Considering that low self-perception of communicative competence often triggers increased levels of language anxiety, language instructors may consider implementing teaching approaches that emphasize communicative fluency over linguistic accuracy. On the pedagogical front, recasts with explicit linguistic characteristics have been considered a nonthreatening corrective feedback technique to pinpoint learners’ errors (Loewen & Philp, 2006). They allow students to feel more comfortable in class and at the same time be able to recognize their errors.
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The findings that several social-communication situations (public speech, phone conversations, as well as stranger, opposite-sex, and unequal social status dyads) and cross-cultural interactions are anxiety-provoking suggest the inseparable domains of language acquisition, acculturation, and language socialization. The real-life communication situations impel English learners to deploy not only their linguistic resources but also more intricate aspects of sociopragmatic and sociocultural competence. One who lacks any of these means to communicate can feel tense, anxious, and even frustrated. Therefore, beyond language training, pragmatic rules and cultural conventions for language use need to be taught (Bardovi-Harlig, 1996, 2001). Furthermore, it is important to provide authentic interpresonal and intercultural communication opportunities for students to apply what they learn in class to field situations. Given that face-to-face English practices are not always possible due to practical concerns, synchronous, computer-network discussions in language laboratories are also a feasible choice. For example, researchers Min-Lee Li and Nian-Shing Chen (Tsai, 2001) have created A-jet digital schools to enable meaningful English communication among students across a number of different schools as well as between Taiwanese students and international students from all over the world through the use of video conferencing and chat rooms. With an increase in sociopragmatic knowledge and communication experience, it is likely that learners will experience an increase in their perceived language competence and a reduction in anxiety.
However, language anxiety may not be alleviated simply through instructional methods and techniques. It is also important to
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help learners establish realistic expectations for their English speaking ability. As noted by Gregersen and Horwitz (2002), anxious learners tend to set higher performance standards and are more concerned over errors. Thus it is of great importance for learners to realize that trial and error is an inevitable language learning process and successful communication does not require perfect language.
Future studies examining language anxiety in combination with several psychological dimensions such as individuals’ personalities, willingness to communicate, and attitudes and beliefs in language learning may contribute to our understanding in factors related to language anxiety. Furthermore, in order to understand the sources of communication anxiety, qualitative studies involving classroom observations, focus groups, and interviews may prove useful in providing additional suggestions for alleviating the discomfort.
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