Reducing Language Anxiety & Promoting Learner Motivation: A Practical Guide for Teachers of English As a Foreign Language

Book excerpt: This guide book is designed in response to the overwhelming need to find some practical techniques to control learners foreign language anxiety and to promote their motivation to learn English as a foreign language. Anxiety-controlling strategies provided in this guide are practical means developed to tackle anxiety sources that usually stem from learner's characteristics, learner's beliefs about learning a foreign language, teacher's characteristics, language testing, classroom atmosphere, learning procedures, etc. Motivation-promoting strategies involve those targeting situation-specific learner motivational dispositions, such as developing a positive relationship with learners; and promoting learner curiosity, self-confidence, and autonomy.