Chapter One Introduction
1.1Background of the Study
Since the 1970s，the attention of linguistic researches has changed fromteacher-centered teaching to learner-centered teaching, the study of the inpidualdifferences has been on the rise in language learning performances. When accounting forinpidual differences in language learning performances, Ellis (1994) focuses on theaffective variables such as suppression, self-esteem, anxiety, motivation etc. Anxiety, asone of the important affective variables, has attracted the attention of a lot of secondlanguage researchers. An increasing number of studies have tried to explore therelationship between anxiety and foreign language learning (Chastain, 1975; Backman,1976; Kleinmann, 1977，however the results are mixed and confusing (Scovel, 1978)because of different classification of anxiety.Since the 1980s, the study on anxiety has achieved great development, Hortwitz,Hortwitz and Cope (1986) first see foreign language anxiety as a separate phenomenon onlanguage learning and they design the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale tomeasure language anxiety. Based on the theoretical framework, many studies have beenconducted in this field, especially on the research of general language anxiety. Manyresearchers assert that anxiety is negatively related to language learning process (Horwitz,1986; Maclntyre & Gardner，1989). Until late 1990s, some researchers begin to explorespecific language skill anxiety, such as reading anxiety (Saito, Horwitz & Garza, 1999;Sellers, 2000。
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1.2Purpose of the Study
Although there have been considerable studies on language anxiety, the researchon specific language skill anxieties, especially, listening, is limited. Yet, as previouslymentioned, listening comprehension will arouse people's anxiety and the debilitatinganxiety inhibits the learners from processing the information in the listening tasks. Thus，the issue of listening anxiety is worthy of more detailed studies，like its sources, thepossible factors correlated with it, and the effective methods to alleviate listening anxiety.As we all know, English as a significant tool of international communication hasbrought itself to wide concern and undeniable high status. Today more and more Chinesepeople are learning English and studying abroad. There remains an inextricable connectionbetween Chinese students and English study，it has been thought highly of in MainlandChina since the Reform and Opening up. Mastery of a foreign language, especially English,is viewed as a passport to one's future success, thus, great importance has been attached tolistening comprehension in various proficiency tests, like the College EntranceExamination, College English Test Band 4 and 6 and Entrance Examination forPostgraduates etc. And the increasingly frequent international interaction between Chinaand other countries calls for a good command of communication skill in English.
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Chapter Two Literature Review
2.1 Anxiety
Many scholars and researchers have given different definitions about anxiety. It isbasically regarded as a significant mental element causing influence on foreignlanguage learning. It consists of many interconnecting parts and it belongs to thepsychological concept.Spielberger (1966: 110) describes anxiety as “the subjective feeling of tension,apprehension，nervousness，and worry associated with an arousal of the autonomicnervous system，’.Ausubel (1968: 68) says that “generally，it refers to an actual fear-like responseor to a tendency to respond with fear to any current or anticipated situation that isperceived as a potential threat to self-esteem; It differs from ordinary fear in that thethreat is directed against self-esteem rather than against physical well-being, and maybe anticipated or current in nature".Higard and Atkinson define anxiety as “a state of apprehension, a vague fearthat is only indirectly associated with an object” (Scovel, 1978: 129).According to Leary (1982; 99), “anxiety refers to a cognitive-affective responsecharacterized by physiological arousal (indicative of sympathetic nervous systemactivation) and apprehension regarding a potentially negative outcome that theinpidual perceives as impeding”.
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2.2 Foreign Language Anxiety
2.2.1Definition of Foreign Language Anxiety
In the late 1970s, researchers begin to provide specific type of anxiety anddesigned corresponding measurement tools for different types of anxiety. Until then，the specialized language learning anxiety began to attract the researchers' attention.After 1980s，the researches on language acquisition have made considerable progress，and anxiety is considered to be one of the most critical psychological variables.Language anxiety is a complex psychological phenomenon specific to languagelearning.Horwitz et al (1986) define foreign language anxiety as the remarkable complexof self-perception, beliefs amd emotions produced by the special nature of languagelearning and is closely related to classroom language learning.Maclntyre & Gardner (1991) define it as the feeling of tension and worryoccurring in the second language circumstance, including listening, speaking，andwriting. Language anxiety is experienced by learners of both foreign and secondlanguage，and it is also considered as Situational Anxiety (Young，1991), which is akind of anxiety that is distinct to second language learning (Horwitz & Young, 1991).
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Chapter Three Research Methodology and Data Analysis...........25
3.1Research Questions........25
3.2Research Subjects........25
3.3Research Instruments........26
3.4Research Procedures........29
3.5Data Analysis and Discussion before........30
3.6Listening Strategy Training........37
Chapter Four Results and Discussion........51
4.1Reliability of the Questionnaires........51
4.2Quantitative Analysis........51
4.3Discussion........56
4.4Summary........59
Chapter Five Conclusion........60
5.1Major Findings of the Research........60
5.2Pedagogical Implications of the Research........61
5.3Limitations of the Study........66
Chapter Four Results and Discussion
4.1Reliability of the Questionnaires and Tests
As we all know, the first thing we should do is to check the questionnaire'sreliability before the data analysis. In the present study, 83 freshmen of non-Englishmajors have already had years' experience of learning English; they have already hadtheir own learning style. A pilot study has been conducted among twenty studentsrandomly selected before the two questionnaires are formally delivered to the subjects.According to the subjects' feedback, some amendments and complements are madewith regard to the embellishment of wording of some items, so that the subjects canhave a clear and accurate understanding of the items" expressive meanings. Then thedata of the twenty students are recorded into the computer. The Cronbach’ alpha of theforeign language listening anxiety scale and foreign language listening strategy scaleis .8311 and .8388 respectively, which represents a very good reliability analysis.The listening tests are from a long-term authorized proficiency test --- CollegeEnglish Test Band 4(CET-4), whose authority is recognized nationwide. The reliabilityand validity have met the standard requirement perfectly.
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Conclusion
The study first investigated the overall situation of listening anxiety and listeningstrategy use by non-English major students in universities. Then the author used oneexperimental and one control class to explore whether listening strategy training wouldalleviate listening anxiety, and whether the listening strategy training have a positiveeffect on the improvement of students' listening comprehension. Although there arelimitations with this study for understandable reasons，through this fifteen-weekempirical research and the above data analysis, the major findings of the study arepresented as follows:Firstly, through the analysis of the Foreign Language Listening Anxiety Scaleconducted at the beginning of the term, we can conclude that the non-English majorcollege students in Beijing City University do experience a comparatively high levelof English listening anxiety. Thus, in order to find effective ways to reduce theirlistening anxiety, one of the most important things is to find out the main sources oflistening anxiety.
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Reference (omitted)