Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety in Asking Questions in Class

This book presents a study exploring the nature of English-speaking anxiety in asking questions in class from the perspective of seven Chinese learners of English (ESL), with reference to their self-reflective accounts of emotional difficulties encountered in a UK university setting. Through the use of an in-depth semi-structured qualitative interview format, this study identified the effects, sources, and coping strategies pertaining to these learners' English-speaking anxiety in asking questions in class. The findings show this type of anxiety exerts compound effects on respondents with respect to their mind, body and actual speaking performance. The findings also demonstrate a series of factors contributing to this anxiety reported by respondents, such as teachers' feedback to students' questions and learner beliefs about English language learning. Furthermore, effective strategies for coping with this anxiety reported by respondents are also presented, such as preparation and self-encouragement. Based upon the comprehensive findings and thorough discussion, detailed and practical recommendations are finally indicated.

Peng Wang received his Bachelor's degree at McNeese State University, Lake Charles, LA, US, and his Master's degree at Auburn University, Auburn, AL, US. He had been fascinated by artificial intelligence since a teenager. He applied Artificial Neural Networks and Support Vector Machines to his Master thesis and achieved surprising results.