The Hindrance of Doubt: Causes of Language Anxiety

Abstract

Language anxiety is independent of other general types of anxiety manifestations. This paper examines the possible causes of language anxiety in that a wider range of insights can be gained for effective foreign language teaching. A close review of the literature enables us to categorize language anxiety as learner-induced, classroom-related, skill-specific, and some culture-imposed, depending on different contexts. The potential sources provide us with an insightful view in the understanding of the difficulties students may have encountered in their process of language learning.