Hi....such a loonng time since I opened my blog....surely being as busy as a bee suits the title of my life. PT3 taken over PMR is not such a happy assembled words either to the teachers or to students. But as a calling for S>O>S a.k.a. HELP....here are the step can be applied by the teachers for those types of students who really know the meaning of the word ANXIETY...normally during writing or composing an essay....
Read what the experts have to say first:
•
A substantial amount of research has suggested
that anxiety has great effects on foreign language learning. Anxiety is a factor that affects the process of
learning, and researchers such as MacIntyre and Gardner (1991) assert that language
learning is incredibly anxiety-provoking. Many researchers claim that anxiety could become an
obstacle during language learning (Atay and Kurt, 2006).
•
Yin Zheng (2008) reveals that the number of
anxious language learners is astounding.
•
Hassan
(2001: 12) explains: “…writing apprehension is a problem in writing classes
because it has consequences for students’ learning experience, and for the
decisions they make about engaging in productive, fulfilling writing projects”.
•
Spielberger
(1983: 1, in Brown, 2007) defines anxiety as “the subjective
feeling of tension, apprehension, nervousness, and worry associated with an
arousal of the autonomic nervous system.”
•
Horwitz et al. (1986: 128) define foreign
language anxiety as “a distinct complex of self-perceptions, beliefs,
feelings, and behaviors related to classroom language learning arising from the
uniqueness of the language learning process”.
•
ESL teachers must understand their students’
writing anxiety in order to help them write more effectively. Writing is predominantly
product-oriented thus learning to write in a foreign language involves much
anxiety (Tsui, 1996).
•
If teachers do not understand their students’ writing anxiety and
address it appropriately, the students will be left to suffer from a “distress
associated with writing” and consequently, they develop “a profound distaste
for the process” (Madigan,
Linton, and Johnson, 1996: 295).
•
These
effects can be detrimental to teaching and learning.
Issue:
HOW MUCH DO
TEACHERS KNOW ABOUT THEIR STUDENTS’ FEARS
TO WRITE
AND
WAYS TO HANDLE
EACH FEAR?
STUDENTS’ ANXIETY TO WRITE IS DUE TO:
i)
Dearth of ideas
ii)
Dearth of English vocabulary
iii)
Inability to express ideas in complete sentences
in English
iv)
Inability to develop ideas and meet the length
requirement
v)
Inability to write within the time limit given
(Zanurin, 2010)
ONCE EACH FEAR IS TACKLED, WEAK STUDENTS’ CONFIDENCE WILL
GROW AND THEY WILL BE MOTIVATED TO
WRITE!
WORKSHOP 4: In groups, discuss pragmatic short or long
term programmes on how each of the
writing anxieties below should be dealt with by the English Language Panel:
i)
Lack ideas
ii)
Lack English vocabulary
iii)
Possess ideas but unable to express them in
English
iv)
Inability to develop ideas
v)
Inability to construct sentences in accurate
English
Discussion/Preparation: 20 minutes
Presentation: 7
minutes (using PowerPoint)
•
You may suggest:
•
some of the activities shared during this course
•
extraordinary classroom activities / learning
and teaching activities
•
remedial or enrichment activities or programmes
•
useful and practical tips based on your
experiences
•
useful and practical tips which you believe will
work well
•
etc.
so, it’s up to the teachers to overcome your students’ fear….because
you know them better…. Chow!
