Language anxiety and its relation to culture among Saudi Arabian students in Australia

<p dir="ltr">Language anxiety is a common phenomenon among language students. It is context-dependent and dynamic, with its levels, sources, and impacts possibly differing from one context to another or from one learner to another (Gregersen, 2020; Horwitz et al., 1986). Despite the extensive research on language anxiety, studies examining culture as a factor and those in the context of studying abroad seem limited (Botes et al., 2020; Teimouri et al., 2019). Few studies have explored language anxiety among Saudi English students studying abroad, and most of them followed qualitative approaches with a limited number of participants and primarily focused on Saudi female participants only. Therefore, this study, utilizing a mixed methods approach and targeting a large sample of students, aimed to explore sources and potential influence of language anxiety, focusing on culture, among Saudi English students in Australia.</p><p dir="ltr">A total of 103 participants responded to a questionnaire survey, and eight were interviewed to gain a better and deeper understanding of the phenomenon. The analysis of the data revealed that Saudi English students in Australia experience moderate language anxiety levels, which did not appear to differ significantly by gender, age, and educational background. Furthermore, language anxiety in the studied cohort seems to stem from various sources, including sociocultural challenges, communication apprehension, fear of negative evaluation, language tests, fear of making mistakes, competitiveness, communicating with native English speakers, English language class and classroom dynamics. Language anxiety led participants to develop avoidance behaviours, become reluctant, and negatively affect their engagement in English. Moreover, the impacts were psychological, such as confusion and nervousness, and physical, such as stomach pain and increased heart rate. This study provides insights into language anxiety’s influence and sources, as well as its cultural aspect. It has the potential to help educational institutions deal with and support international students and help them improve their learning experience.</p>