THE NEGATIVE INFLUENCES OF ANXIETY ON LEARNING LANGUAGE

A.    Background

Some people come across with many difficulties when learning a second language/ foreign language. It is believed that there are some emotional factors in foreign language learning which affect our learning abilities. These are mainly thought to be intelligence, motivation, attitudes and anxiety. Among these, anxiety stands out as one of the main influential factors for effective language learning. This foreign language anxiety is defined by some authors as “a feeling of tension,apprehension and nervousness associated with the situation of learning a foreign language.”

“Anxiety is a psychological construct, commonly described by psychologists as a state of apprehension, a vague fear that is only indirectly associated with an object” (Hilgard, Atkinson, & Atkinson, 1971 cited in Scovel, 1991: 18).

Initially, I would like to point out that a lot of researches were held in order to understand the reason of that anxiety.According to these studies, there are some internal and external factors which increase or decrease the level of anxiety one feels when learning a second language.There are also some personality traits which increase anxiety in language learning

There are many factors which influence anxiety level. For instance, instructional level of the student, the instructor, gender,age, native language,usage of foreign language, the length of time he/she studies the second language,final grades, previous experience, instructor-learner interaction, classroom procedures and so on.

According to Sieber e.al. (1977) anxiety is considered as one of the inhibiting factor in learning that can interfere with the performance of a person's cognitive functions, such as in concentrating, remembering, concept formation and problem solving. At the level of chronic and acute, symptoms of anxiety disorder can take the form of physical (somatic), such as: disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, frequent urination, headaches, heart problems, tightness in chest, shaking and even fainting.

Taking everything into account, this aspect emphasizes the importance of teacher’s role in language learning.It offers them many ways which can be applied in their classes. For example, first they can identify their students so that some individual differences will not be noticeable so much. They should make positive reinforcement by making positive comments and show specific consideration to those having fear of negative evaluation. They should bear in mind that there is not such a rule saying that an advanced or experienced student will not be anxious. For the above mentioned reasons, anyone can feel anxious due to internal and external factors.

B.     Problem Statement

Base on the statement obove, the writer formulates a question “What is the negative impact of anxiety on learning language and what is that solutions?”

C.    Purposes

In relating to the problem statement above, the purposes is to find out the impact of anxiety that will be find by the studen on the learning language.

CHAPTER II

DISCUSSION

A.    Data Collection

Collecting data in this paper includes observation and interviewing.

-          Interviewing is used to know what is the causes anxiety of the students on learning language

Student identify
Full name                     : Sri Wulandari Purnama Salam

Nick name                   : Wulan

Place/ birth                  : Ujung Pandang/ October, 8^th 1993

Gendre                                    : Women

Religion                       : Moslem

Ethnic                          : Makassar

Society                                    : Indonesia

Adress                         : Andi Mappaoddang

Blood                          : -

Education                    : University Student

Number of child          : Third

Father
Full name                     : Abd. Salam

Place/ birth                  : Bulukumba/ January, 05^th  1960

Adress/ phone             : Andi Mappaoddang/ 081 242 209 398

Society                                    : Indonesia

Etcnic                          : Buginess

Occupation                  : Civil Servant

Graduate                     : S1

Mother
Full name                     : Nur Aeni R

Place/ birth                  : Ujung Pandang/ August, 28^th 1959

Adress/ phone             : Andi Mappaoddang/ 085 696 405 754

Society                                    : Indonesia

Etcnic                          : Makassar

Occupation                  : House wife

Graduate                     : S1

B.     Data Analysis

Question:

1.      Do you like study foreign language? (No)

2.      Are you anxiety on learning language because you feel afraid to make a mistake? (Yes)

3.      Are you anxiety on learning language because there is not motivator? (Yes)

4.      Are you anxiety on learning language because your parent did not give you motivation? (No)

5.      Are you anxiety on learning language because you dont like foreign language? (Yes)

6.      Are you anxiety on learning language because you shy? (No?

7.      Are you anxiety on learning language because your teacher is not care? (Yes)

8.      Are you anxiety on learning language because language is difficult lesson? (Yes)

9.      Are you anxiety on learning language because there are many rules in writing? (Yes)

10.  Do you wish to enjoy learning language? (Yes)

11.  How do you overcome your anxiety on learning language? (I don’t know)

12.  Which situation you feel anxious on learning language? (When the teacher ask me to do exercisement that I don’t understand)

C.    Problem Analysis/ Solving

When the writer analysis the problem about The negative influences of anxiety on learning language, so we find out some negative influences of it, they are:

a.       Less of language knowladge they get

b.      Decrease the students achievement

c.       Unwilling to learning language

d.      Will be appear the leziness come to the school/Campus

If the sdudents find the anxiety on learning language process, so the teacher shoud be overcome this problem with done some aproach, for example, ask the student why do they feel anxious and give them the motivation to overcome their anxiety. In other hand, the parents have also an important role in learning language process

CHAPTER III

CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION

A.    Conclution

Base on the working through above, we can get a conclution that anxiety  is a psychological construct, commonly described by psychologists as a state of apprehension, a vague fear that is only indirectly associated with an object. There are many factors which influence anxiety level. For instance, instructional level of the student, the instructor, gender,age, native language,usage of foreign language, the length of time he/she studies the second language,final grades, previous experience, instructor-learner interaction, classroom procedures and so on. And the negative impact of anxiety on learning language is Less of language knowladge they get, Decrease the students achievement, Unwilling to learning language, Will be appear the leziness come to the school/Campus.

B.     Suggestion

In this paper, the writers suggest to teacher to:

1.      Know the students ability on learning language (foreign language)

2.      Consecious of the students’ anxiaty every learning language as we know that language have many rules, specially foreign/second language

3.      Do the Psycology approch for the students who feel anxiaty on learning language.

REFERENCES

-           Horwirz, E. K.; Horwitz, M. B.; Cope, J. (1986). "Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety". The Modern Language Journal 70 (ii).

-          http://www.siteinsaat.com

-          Sieber e.al. (1977)

-          Hilgard, Atkinson, & Atkinson, 1971 cited in Scovel, 1991: 18