2。2 Theoretical framework

2。2。1 Horwitz’s theory of foreign language anxiety

Horwitz et al。 (1986) , find that there is rare research or study about anxiety in foreign language learning。 Therefore, according to their results of related researches, they conceptualized the foreign language anxiety, claiming that foreign language anxiety is a unique type of anxiety specific to foreign language learning。 They ,being the first scholars to make research about the anxiety in language learning, define the anxiety as “a distinct complex of self-perceptions, feelings and behaviors related to classroom language learning arising from the uniqueness of language learning process”。 Foreign language anxiety includes three types of anxiety: communication apprehension, test anxiety, fear of negative evaluation。 Then, I will explain the three interrelated components respectively。 Horwitz et al。 (1986) define the communication apprehension as “a type of shyness characterized by fear of or anxiety about communicating with people”。 Fear of negative evaluation means “apprehension about others’ evaluation, avoidance of evaluative situations, and the expectation that others would evaluate ones negatively”。 In other words, if one person has such expectation that after his communication others would not praise him or have positive evaluation on his speech, he will be more and more reluctant to speak in the foreign language。 Last type of anxiety is test anxiety which means “a type of performance anxiety stemming from a fear of failure”。 During language learning, there are different kinds of test or examination to test whether the leaners has really understood。 The mental and physical reaction of foreign language anxiety is similar to the general anxiety。 Students who have foreign language anxiety, to some extent, consider speaking in the target language as the most frightening language skill。 It is more likely for them to feel stressed and even be “freeze” sometimes when they have to communicate in the target language or they tend to forget the knowledge they master well in the foreign language examination。

2。2。2 Krashen’s Affective Filter Hypothesis 

Affective filter hypothesis, is another very important theory, which can state that the foreign language anxiety can have some influence on the foreign language learning performance。 Krashen argues that many affective variables play a very significant role in second language acquisition。 In Kranshen’s view, “comprehensible input” and “low affective filter “are essential in foreign language learning。 “ Comprehensible input” is not only requirement of second language acquisition, but also the only way of acquitting language knowledge, according to Kranshen。 Besides, the low affective acquisition is the requirement in the foreign language learning, which turns the “input” to the “intake”。 Only in this way, the second language acquisition is possible。 In the process of the “input” to “intake”, the affect or emotion ,such as anxiety, play a role like “filter”，which decide the quality and quantity of “intake”。 Low affective filter, like high motivation, high self-esteem, and low anxiety would boost second language acquisition。 However, when the filter is “up”, it tend to form a “mental block”,which would prevent the comprehensible input。 Anxiety, as one of the affective filter, is of great importance in the foreign language learning。

2。3 Classification of foreign language anxiety

 According to some early researches, a part of researchers believe that the foreign language anxiety have positive influence on second language learning , while there are also some researcher has a negative effect on the learners。 In 1978, Scovel found that foreign language anxiety may not do harm to the language learners, believing that there is a positive anxiety type which can motivate learners to study harder and make stronger efforts to perform better。 This type of foreign language anxiety is called facilitative anxiety。 In other words, it is what enhances the language learning task as the learner is focused and attentive to the task at hand, which also means the foreign language anxiety has a positive relationship with the learning performances。 Hurd (2007) holds the view that language anxiety has become central to any examination of factors contributing to learning process and learner achievement。 However, there still remains a disagreement that this emotional state maybe not suitable for learners。 Another type of foreign language anxiety is called debilitating anxiety。 Debilitating is that which has a negative effect on the learner。 That also means that the anxiety hinders the foreign language performances。 Many researchers stand on this point, such as Arnold, Aida, Cheng, Gregersen and so on。 In 1999, Arnold and Brown believe that anxiety in language learning may possibly be the most pervasive obstruction to the learning process。 Also, several researchers have proved that anxiety is harmful to foreign language learning。 Aida (1994), Cheng (1994) and Gregersen (2003) have established a negative association between anxiety and foreign language performance。 So, until now, most researchers hold the view that anxiety is bad for foreign language learning。文献综述