Overcoming Foreign Language Anxiety (FLA) (Part 4: Feedback Analysis)

This article presents key findings from a study examining undergraduate students' responses to oral presentations designed to reduce foreign language anxiety. Following the English-language presentations, students submitted detailed written survey feedback on their experiences. Analysis of anonymised responses from 30 participants identified primary sources and characteristics of anxiety, such as fear of negative judgment, concern about making mistakes, and prior negative experiences (See Appendix). These data reveal common patterns of anxiety and inform strategies to better support students experiencing foreign language anxiety. Nevertheless, the results are based on self-reported data, which may be influenced by social desirability bias or inaccurate recall. Furthermore, the small, homogenous sample of 30 students from a single institution limits the generalisability of these findings to other Japanese university students, the results should therefore be interpreted with caution. Future research should employ larger, more diverse samples and incorporate additional methods, such as interviews and performance reviews, to enhance reliability and validity.