Anxiety in Language Classroom

Definitions, Symptoms, Background, Significance

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Significance

• Academic and Social Success Skill

• Mental health Council

• SAC

• Why Boys Fail in College?

• Social silent murder

• Class difference, exploitation

• Save one kid, one life, one body, one soul,

One family, one nation, save humanity 3

Facts about Anxiety

• Anxiety causes behavioural problems

• 1 of 5 children are victims of anxiety

• Girls are affected more than boys.

• Anxiety disorders may coexist with physical health conditions.

• Bad effects on emotional state of children.

• Linguistic problems.

• Learning problems

• Lack of concentration

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Definitions

• Larson et al. (2010) describe anxiety as an anticipated

belief of a psychological distress which is a result of a

perception of a potentially dangerous event.

• Foreign language anxiety: a distinct complex of self-

perceptions, beliefs, feelings, and behaviours related to

classroom learning.

• Anxiety is a general feeling of apprehension or worry

and is a normal reaction to stressful situations.

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Symptoms of Anxiety

excessive worries in general;

panic attacks;

misinterpretations of events;

negative and unrealistic thoughts;

physiological troubles;

hypersensitivity to physical troubles

obsessive and/or compulsive behaviours;

fears and anxieties (Merrell, 2001)

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Anxiety

Cognitive Affective Worry and negative

thoughts e.g. what

would they think of

me if I fail

Physiological and

emotional reactions.

E.g. fear, sweaty

palms, upset

stomach

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Types of Anxiety

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

• Separation Anxiety Disorder

• Panic Disorder

• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

• Academic Anxiety

• Specific Phobias

• Natural Anxiety

• Social Anxiety 8

Impact of Anxiety on Brain

• Chronic Stress can damage brain structure and

connectivity.

• It triggers changes in brain structure.

• Hippocampus encodes threatening events into

memories.

• Anxiety changes size and

connectivity of the amygdala.

• Hydrocephalus

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Clark’s cognitive Model of

Panic Disorder

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Causes of Anxiety

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Causes of Anxiety in ESL Teachers

• Lack of Confidence

• Non preparation of lecture/lesson

• Domestic issues

• Financial issues

• Anxiety of Infrastructure

• Stressful administration

• Over work

• Lack of professional training, ELT

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Cont…

• Technology failure

• Over crowded class

• Poor infrastructure/ noisy environment

• Continuous observation

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Causes of Anxiety in ESL Learners

School Phobia

Communication apprehension

Test anxiety/ Exam phobia

Error analysis Anxiety

Thrashing fear

Abusive language

Methodological Problems

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Cont…

Speaking the target language in front of peers.

Teacher-centered classroom.

Mixed IQ level students in one class.

Favouritism

Excessive homework

Gaps in studies

Not familiar with basic previous comments

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Anxiety Treatment Strategies

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Steps to Address the Anxiety Issue

1. Identify the anxious feelings of students;

Identify which situations made students

anxious;

2. treatment: Provide students with

strategies to manage anxiety;

3. Feedback

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Wilson’s (1999) Strategies to Decrease

Anxiety in Classroom

• Open book test;

• Instructor’s positive attitude,

encouragement;

• Reassurance that We Can Do It!;

• Recognition of anxiety of students;

• Use of humor in the classroom;

• Guidelines provided for better grades;

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Cont…

• Working with a partner in class

assignments and research projecst

• Support of peers during class

• Doing a research project designed to give

information about one’s own;

• Teaching situation for learners; (Wilson,

1999)

• Act according to desired future profession/

career. 19

Tips to Control Anxiety in

Classroom

1. Keep Communication Open

2. Flexible Assignments

3. Teach Time Management

4. Grade Effort As Well As Product

5. Offer Five-Minute Meditation, long

breathing, muscle relaxation

6. Help Them To See The Bigger and

Positive Picture/ vision (First Year at

Harrow) 20

Cont…

7. Activate students with activities

8 Let them set their things in desk

9. Offer Incentives For Bringing Healthy

Food To Class

10. Use music, songs for teaching.

11. Teach how to avoid failure

12. Balanced Exams

13. Comfortable infrastructure, seats

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Cont…

21.Teacher should be friendly but not

friend.

22. Be Super Teacher/ Parent

22. Positive self-talk(Francesco et al., 2009)

i. Listen apprehensions, evaluate

ii. Stop listening bad thoughts

iii. Change channel

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Cont…

23.Encourage your child to face his/her

fears, not run away from them

24.it is okay to be imperfect.

25.Focus on the positives.

26.Choose career according to aptitude

27.self-care, and positive thinking.

28.Reward your child's brave behaviours.

29.Help your child to problem solve. 23

How to Make Lessons Anxiety Free?

• Involve students in lesson.

• Students are good actors.

• Use of songs in ESL.

• Use of rhymes.

• Use of videos

http://www.edudemic.com/best-video-sites-

for-teachers/

• Jokes for reading skill.

http://www.greatcleanjokes.com/ 24

Cont…

• Cartoons or pictures

• Visual learning.

• Tongue twisters

http://www.funenglishgames.com

• Comic Strips (Political Cartoons)

www.gocomics.com

Columnist Dave Barry’s comedy

www.miamiherald.com

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Cont…

• Funny images

• www.neuegraphic.com

• Talk about dinosaurs

• Use tv shows, dramas, films as language

teaching source

• Spellings with drawings

• Funny dubbing

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Cont…

• Funny material for ESL

http://www.havefunteaching.com

• Funny images

http://www.newimagesgallery.com

Picture description activities

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Thank You