Language Learners and Anxiety

It is not difficult to think of language learners who eventually stop attending their classes only because they have butterflies in their stomachs or feel that their hearts beat faster than usual. Even in some cases negative stress-producing sentences come to their heads from middle of the nowhere. Sentences like:" I will not survive". "What will happen if my classmates humiliate me?" "I cannot talk and communicate without mistakes". "I am making fool of myself by my bad accent."

Anxiety is the rust of the brain. It weakens the mind's power to attend to incoming stimuli and information. On the top of that, it will affect learners both physically and psychologically. However, there are ways to reduce stress and anxiety to some levels. If learners prevent anxiety to rear its ugly head, they will meet successful moments on their ways to speak with total fluency and accuracy.

Mentally punishing oneself just because of mistakes is indeed harmful. Native speakers make mistakes too. Language students should never be too sensitive about errors and mistakes. Even though, they must invest enough time on improving the target language. When they are stumped for a phrase or a word, they must relax and do not focus on it at that moment. Instead, it is a perfect strategy to recall the problem later and prevent it from happening for the second time.

It is best to be on the safe side. Uneasiness will freeze learners out when they are not studying in a friendly atmosphere. Some teachers forget to treat their students without fear or favor, as well. Therefore, students must excuse themselves from these nerve-raking situations and teachers. The most helpful recommended help is spending time on picking and choosing the best class and teacher.

Giving a lecture and having a conversation in the target language is easy. Good preparation will hinder stress. Reading and practicing the notes in advance are resourceful in this case. Some might find picturing very advantageous by closing their eyes and thinking there are performing with confidence and accuracy. This method will have great irreplaceable effect on the motor part of the brain even when learners are asleep.

Those who keep self-esteem afloat are not fast learners. Thinking of oneself as a jabbering idiot, low level of self-confidence and underestimating abilities are good friends of anxiety. Trying to avoid them by positive self-talk, which is a well-known affective strategy, is the simplest prescription. Using sentences such as I will take the challenge; I can do well; and if I do not succeed, I will do better later, will help language learners to hinder stress to trickle through their minds.

Good language students are good risk takers. To put it another way, they are always willing to undertake actions that involve a significant degree of risk. By this way, they show that they are not afraid of their possible off beam guesses and as a result take the risk of going wrong. In fact, risk taking may bring some negative results with itself. Nevertheless, those with high level of self-confidence are the ones who can overcome the less positive effects of taking risks in classroom activities and in communication with others. That is why risk-taking is the most vital part of learning or acquiring a new language successfully.

Relax. Stress and anxiety are not things one can completely get rid of. The strategies already mentioned are foolproof but they do need hard work. Knowing that neither comprehension nor learning happens in an atmosphere of anxiety, perfect language learners do their very best to include the ugly unwanted face of it out.