The effect of games on listening and speaking anxiety in learning English

Abstract

This action research investigates the effect of game technique on reducing English listening and speaking anxiety among fourth-grade primary school students. The study group involved 46 students at a Science and Art Centre in Türkiye. The quantitative data were collected through the English Listening Anxiety Scale and the English Speaking Anxiety Scale administered before and after the implementation. The qualitative data were gathered through student interviews and teacher’s research diary. The dependent samples t-test was used to compare the pre-test and post-test mean scores from the scales. The data from the interviews and the diary were analysed by inductive analysis. Firstly, the findings of the t-test analysis revealed that game technique significantly reduced students’ English listening anxiety, but not English speaking anxiety. On the other hand, the qualitative findings showed that this technique has positive contributions to learning-teaching process although it does not have such an effect on both speaking and listening anxiety. Nevertheless, the analysis of the interviews and the diary also indicated that the technique has a positive influence on the factors that can reduce anxiety such as “willingness to make sentences, not getting bored in lessons, feeling relaxed, thinking quickly, eagerness, and effort”. Considering all the findings in the study, we concluded that using game technique in English courses is not directly effective in reducing English listening and speaking anxiety, but it has positive contributions to the overall learning-teaching process. Finally, the study provides some practical suggestions for teachers.