Examining tertiary-level distance EFL learners' perceived value of learning English and foreign language anxiety in compulsory English classes

Learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) attach different values to learning EFL depending on their goals. Regardless of their perceived value, a multitude of studies have shown that learners tend to experience anxiety when learning EFL; however, little research has been conducted within the context of distance education. The purpose of the study is to examine the interplay between non-English major distance EFL learners' perceived value of learning English and their foreign language anxiety. A group of first-year undergraduate students (N = 383) who were enrolled in compulsory English classes from various departments completed a web-based questionnaire measuring their perceived value of learning English and distance foreign language anxiety. The findings indicated that first-year students valued learning English, and they were moderately anxious about distance language learning. Additionally, significant moderate to weak relationships were noted between perceived value and anxiety. Several sociodemographic and language background variables were also found to predict each construct.(c) Association of Applied Linguistics. All rights reserved