Abstract
With the purpose to filling in the gap of the previous research, which paid little attention to the language anxiety of young children, this study has examined the dynamics of language anxiety with a main focus on young Korean elementary ESOL students in an American school setting. First of all, this study found that the ESOL class was less anxiety provoking than mainstream classes. Second, the reasons for this difference seemed to be: 1) the lower level of English proficiency required in the ESOL class and 2) homogeneity of the ESOL class as non-native English speakers, 3) the self-evident but important corollary that ESOL class is taught by a teacher who had formal ESOL education training. Third, facing English language anxiety, the participants of this study displayed a range of coping strategies, and every participant used some or all of them in greater or lesser degrees in both ESOL and mainstream classes. The defense mechanisms most commonly shown by the participants were flight behaviors, especially avoidance. Fourth, the defense mechanisms employed in the ESOL class and mainstream classes had been different not only in the extent of but also in the diversity of coping strategies. Defense mechanisms other than avoidance, associated with mainstream classes were boredom, rationalization, fantasy, competition, anticipation, and displacement. In contrast, defense mechanisms, related to the ESOL class were limited to reaction formation, competition and fantasy. Lastly, the teachers in the research site appeared to well recognize the presence of language anxiety, and accordingly employed a number of mitigating strategies for the ESOL students, including being a facilitator and frequently praising their works. Among the teachers, the ESOL teacher made the most complete use of mitigating strategies. Along with those used by mainstream teachers, she had also employed additional mitigating strategies, such as giving instruction clearly by using a model. However, this study found one case different from the general characterization of the teachers in the research site. It seemed that this teacher held some misconception regarding language anxiety, because she had neither professional training nor previous experience in working with language minority students.
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