Decreasing Anxiety To Advance Learning Essay Example

Brief Summary

Foroutan, M. (2012) in her journal article entitled “Effect of Dialogue Journal Writing through the Use of Conventional Tools and E-mail on Writing Anxiety in the ESL context” explored on how to lower the writing anxiety of students who are learning English as a foreign language. The article started in a premise that lowering the writing anxiety of students will result to better result. The writer cited scholars who said that anxiety will cause the learning process to be stagnant. Foroutan then conducted a study comparing the anxiety level of students who are writing dialogue journal writing (DJW) using pen and paper, and using e-mail. It conducted a research among students of one university in Indonesia. The results of the research stated that students of ESL that used e-mail in writing their dialogue journals have lower anxiety than those who wrote theirs using pen and paper. The writer concludes that using e-mail will give students access to correct grammar and usage of words. They are not pressured on time requirement and the presence of the native speakers of English. It encourages the autonomy of students to explore rather than stick with the grammar lessons only.

“How”

As a kindergarten teacher, I can use the material in my inclusive class as there are students who have special needs in terms of English as their second language. For my kindergarten students, of course I still cannot use e-mail as a tool to decrease their writing anxiety. What I learned from the reading material is how to decrease the writing anxiety of my students especially those who are under the ESL in order to higher achievement. With a decreased anxiety, new words and their usage will easily be understood and digested. The first step that I will employ among my students will be boosting the comfort within the classroom. I will group them randomly (ESL and native speakers mixed) and have a dialogue play. Every group will have to think of an interesting scene and make a dialogue. I will give the 45 minutes to brainstorm including a reminder that every student should be given a chance to speak and perform without any prejudice. After the workshop, they will have to perform the scene. After all the presentations, I will give a feedback without giving a harsh critique. I believe that after the presentations, they are more comfortable with each other. The next activity will be an individual dialogue journal writing in pen and paper with drawing materials for them to maximize. In this activity, they are allowed to talk to their classmates to discuss on the dialogue that each of them has to make. The whole period will be given to them without having to remind them if they are finish or not. I will be assisting everybody but only if they want to be assisted. Some students need their independence to be able to work.