Flipped Instruction As A Catalyst For Alleviating Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety: A Descriptive–Analytical Review

Foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA) remains a serious barrier to language learning that too often appropriates learner confidence, interest, and performance. This descriptive-analytic review synthesizes empirical studies on flipped instruction as an instructional method to alleviate FLCA in second and foreign language university courses. On the basis of research papers published between 2012 and 2025, this review synthesizes implementation models, reported effects of anxiety reduction, and contextual influences on success. Empirical support is available for the potential of flipped class to reduce FLCA by facilitating pre-class preparation, active and collaborative in-class engagement, and more individualized teacher facilitation. Its efficacy is conditional upon learner autonomy, access to technology, teacher mediation, and sociocultural background. While short-term decreases in anxiety are frequently noted, their long-term persistence is poorly studied. Affective learning implications at the theoretical level are identified in this review and design-informed, practice-based suggestions for context-sensitive flipped classrooms to mitigate FLCA are provided. Calls for longitudinal, mixed-methods, and cross-cultural studies are made to advance the field.