Running Head: FL 664 ARTICLE ONE SUMMARY 1

FL 664 Article One Summary

Rebekah Diser

University of Southern Mississippi

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FL 664 Article One Summary

In Foreign Language Anxiety and Oral Exam Performance: A Replication of Phillipss

MLJ Study, Elaine Hewitt and Jean Stephenson replicated an earlier study in order to validate

or refute the earlier study. Replication of previous studies is important because it confirms or

denies earlier research. This process is necessary to insure that research results are accurate. As

understanding of concepts improves within a discipline, the questions that researchers ask may

be refined or changed completely. It is through the process or replication of previous studies that

this becomes possible. A researcher may discover bias in a study or ambiguity within the studys

methods. A flaw may be discovered because of different materials available at the time the

studies were conducted as technology advances. The researchers stated that in the original study

the measurement instruments were not validated. In the replicated study, the researchers

rectified this design flaw of the original study. The researchers pointed out that their study was

only replication of this important study.

This study is important because anxiety falls in the realm of affective factors. It is

important that foreign language educators know how affective factors affect the potential

educational outcomes of foreign language learners in order to better ensure positive learning

outcomes. Foreign language educators may use this knowledge when planning instructional

activities. This usage may allow educators to address the individual needs of foreign language

students under their tutelage.

The researchers used a two part oral interview to assess the research participants. The

research participants were 40 students enrolled in one of the researchers English classes. The

research participants were all native Spanish speakers. This is different from the original study

since the original participants were all native English speakers enrolled in at least one French
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class. In both studies, the researcher who was also the participants teacher subjectively ranked

their students by perceived ability. The replicated study used an internationally validated

English assessment, Quick Placement Test, in addition to a Spanish translation of the Foreign

Language Classroom Anxiety Scale. In order to validate the Spanish translation of the Foreign

Language Classroom Anxiety Scale, the Spanish translation was back-translated in order to

ensure validity as recommended by the American Psychological Association. The researchers

also gave an oral exam consisting of two parts. During the first part the research participants

answered questions that the researcher who was their teacher asked them in the target language.

In the second part, the research participants engaged in a role play with the researcher who was

their teacher.

The results showed that participants who exhibited a higher level of anxiety performed

worse than those who exhibited a lower level of anxiety. The results of the replicated study

validated the previous study with the added benefit of correcting a design flaw present in the

original study. (Hewitt & Stephenson, 2012)

The study is useful to language teachers because it indicates a relationship between one

of the affective factors and classroom performance. An educator may use this information when

preparing instructional activities and assessments. The educator may structure instructional time

in such a way as to minimize anxiety or determine which students are more prone to lowered

classroom performance due to anxiety and make adjustments as necessary.

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References

Hewitt, E., & Stephenson, J. (2012). Foreign language anxiety and oral exam performance: A

repication of phillipss mlj study. The Modern Language Journal, 96, 170-189.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4781.2011.01174.x0026-7902/11/170-189