The Influence of EFL Teachers’ Behaviors on Pupils’ Foreign Language Anxiety Level -The Case of Zeghloul Middle School, Mostaganem-

Abstract

Foreign Language Anxiety (FLA) arises in the context of learning a foreign language. There are several sources of FLA, and the teachers’ behaviors represent a potential source. The present research work attempts to investigate the influence of Algerian EFL teachers’ behaviors on middle school pupils’ FLA. The researcher has opted for a mixed-method approach in the investigation: a questionnaire administered to fifty (50) middle school pupils of first- and second-year levels; and an interview conducted with ten (10) EFL middle school teachers. The findings indicated that teachers’ behaviors represent a crucial source of EFL young learners’ anxiety. Besides, a variety of negative behaviors like negative criticism in front of class, laughing at pupils’ mistakes, shouting at them and being unfair are proved to cause an increase in pupils’ FLA and a decrease in the learners’ interest in learning the language.