EFL LEARNERS’ LEVEL OF ANXIETY AND THEIR PERCEPTION OF CODE-SWITCHING

Code-switching (CS), as the practice of alternating between two or more languages in conversation, has become a critical issue in the field of second language acquisition (SLA) in general and in foreign language (FL) instruction in particular and it has been the subject of investigation. Also, Language anxiety defined as the individual’s feelings of apprehension and fear related to language learning and use has been a topic of discussion by both language teachers and psychologists concerning its negative effect on language learning. This study investigates the relationship between CS perception, in this case Farsi in English classrooms, among English language learners and their level of anxiety in FL classrooms. Seventy-five students from the University of Tehran Language Center (UTLC) in Tehran, Iran were involved in this study. Data were collected through two sets of questionnaires including CS questionnaire and Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS). The findings suggest that there is a positive relationship between practicing CS in the FL classroom and Anxiety level of learners in Language Learning. Moreover, CS can serve as a supportive language strategy to decrease the learners’ Anxiety while learning a foreign language. The findings of the current study have implications for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) practitioners.

کلیدواژه ها:

anxiety ، code-switching ، EFL learners ، first language ، target language