Skype Videoconferencing for Less Commonly Taught Languages - Examining the Effects on Students’ Foreign Language Anxiety

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by dhado

A study compared university students’ foreign language anxiety when completing oral assessments delivered face-to-face (F2F) versus via Skype videoconferencing under the self-instructional language program (SILP) model. Foreign language anxiety was measured using a modified Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) and explored further through follow-up student interviews. Results showed no significant difference in anxiety levels, nor in anxiety changes, between the two delivery methods, indicating Skype may serve as a viable alternative without increasing learner anxiety.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages20

Reading Time50 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Study Design and Research Questions

Literature Review

Skype Videoconferencing

8 Skype Videoconferencing for Less Commonly Taught Languages: Examining the Effects on Students’ Foreign Language Anxiety Joe Terantino Kennesaw State University Abstract This study compared students’ foreign language anxiety levels while completing oral assessments administered face-to-face (F2F) and via Skype videoconferencing for university courses delivered under the self-instructional language program (SILP) model (Dunkel, Brill, & Kohl, 2002). Data were gathered by administering a modified Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) survey (Horwitz, Horwitz, & Cope, 1986) and conducting subsequent interviews with the students. Results indicate that there was not a significant difference in anxiety levels or changes in anxiety between the two delivery methods. These findings suggest that Skype videoconferencing may be a viable alternative to F2F interviews, because it did not negatively impact the learners’ anxiety levels. Introduction For many colleges and universities that offer courses for less commonly taught languages under the SILP model (Dunkel, Brill, & Kohl, 2002), a constant concern is providing an effective means of evaluating the students’ oral proficiency. According to the SILP model, often without the presence of an official instructor, external examiners are brought in from outside institutions to conduct oral exams, which are intended to assess the students’ oral proficiency. In some cases, for logistical reasons, programs have administered this type of oral exam via videoconferencing software. Although it has become more commonplace to use videoconferencing software to administer such exams, there is no body of research that examines the effects of doing so on the students’ levels of anxiety. Several researchers have investigated issues related to anxiety and the use of computer-mediated communication (CMC)(Baralt & Gurzynski-Weiss, 2011; Satar & Ozdener, 2008); however, the effect of the videoconferencing format on foreign language learners’ anxiety is relatively unresearched. As Poza indicates, tools such as videoconferencing have “the potential of breaking yet another barrier of the classroom environment: the high level of anxiety that students experience when participating in oral interaction in the L2”(2011, p. 34) . Thus, as foreign language educators continue to implement innovative uses of such tools, it is imperative that studies document their effectiveness and impact on the language learning process, including the effects on students’ levels of foreign language anxiety during oral assessments. 136 Dimension 2014 This study examines the impact of using a Skype interview oral testing format on students’ foreign language anxiety levels. Adhering to a mixed method study design (Creswell, 2013), data are presented from the FLCAS survey (Horwitz, Horwitz, & Cope, 1986) and subsequent interviews with the students. More specifically, the study compared the foreign language anxiety levels of students completing oral assessments administered F2F with anxiety levels of students completing the assessments via Skype videoconferencing. Additionally, comparisons were made between changes in anxiety levels across the semester and between beginning and intermediate language levels. The research questions addressed by the study were the following: 1. Is there a significant difference between Level I students’ foreign language anxiety levels at the midterm of the semester and the end of the semester, as they complete the oral exam (regardless of delivery method)? 1.a. Is there a significant difference between Level II students’ foreign language anxiety levels at the midterm of the semester and the end of the semester, as they complete the oral exam (regardless of delivery method)? 2. Is there a significant difference between Level I students’ foreign language anxiety levels and Level II students’ foreign language anxiety levels at the midterm of the semester? 2.a. Is there a signi

FAQs

How were students’ foreign language anxiety levels measured in the study?

The study used a modified Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) survey and followed it with subsequent interviews with the students.

Did Skype videoconferencing significantly change students’ anxiety compared with face-to-face testing?

No. Results indicated there was not a significant difference in anxiety levels or changes in anxiety between the two delivery methods.

What was the focus of the research questions regarding anxiety over time and across levels?

The questions tested differences in anxiety between midterm and end of semester, compared Level I and Level II students, and examined differences between F2F and Skype delivery, including changes across the semester.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by dhado