Topics in Language Learning Anxiety, Fall 2021
Instructor: Tsung-Yuan Hsiao 蕭聰淵
Office & phone: BOH503; 886-2-2462-2192 ext. 2003.
Office hours: (a) Mon. & Tues.: 2-3:30 p.m.; (b) by appointment.
Web: https://tyhsiao8.wixsite.com/ntou
MOODLE: http://140.121.179.6/moodle
Email: tyhsiao@ntou.edu.tw.
Meeting: 13:10~16:00, Wednesday, MAF418.
Course description:
This course introduces students to research on language learning anxiety. We will identify and discuss current trends and controversial issues most important to anxiety or apprehension arising from learning a second/foreign language (L2). Our focus will be on how anxiety affects L2 achievement and how anxiety-reduction techniques help ease students' L2 anxiety. When we discuss the relationships between anxiety and L2 achievement, our interest is in whether these relationships are similar or different across studies. We will then discuss whether these relationships are moderated by other variables, including learning settings (e.g., foreign language versus second language), the skills being learned (e.g., listening versus writing), and the languages being learned or used (e.g., English versus Japanese). These discussions will touch on the meta-analytical techniques which will also be of relevance to the empirical anxiety-reduction studies we will also discuss in this course.
Suggested papers for classroom discussions and presentations are listed on the instructor’s MOODLE. Class interactions and discussions via the MOODLE will be much emphasized throughout this course. Students completing this course are expected to gain a basic understanding of research on L2 anxiety. This understanding will benefit them should they desire to continue further studies.
Course requirements and grading:
Group discussion (10~20%).
Synchronous online discussion (15~25%).
Oral presentation (15~25%).
Written assignments (reaction paper) (30~50%).
(Due dates for written assignments will be announced online.)
Required texts:
None.
Optional texts:
Information about selected journal articles or book chapters will be posted on my MOODLE (http://140.121.179.6/moodle/). Students' selections need not be limited to those listed in the MOODLE. Stay tuned in class.