Listening Anxiety and Its Relationship with Listening Strategy Use and Listening Comprehension among Iranian IELTS Learners

Abstract

This study aimed at investigating listening anxiety and its relationship with listening strategy use and listening comprehension among Iranian IELTS learners. Sixty-three IELTS learners from two language institutes in Shiraz were selected for this study. To collect the data, four instruments were used: a Background Questionnaire developed by Lee (1997), a Listening Anxiety Questionnaire developed by Kim (2000), Lee's (1997) Listening Comprehension Strategy Questionnaire and an IELTS listening test. The results revealed that listening anxiety had negative correlation with listening comprehension and listening strategy use. Moreover, the findings showed that low anxious learners used metacognitive strategies more than did high anxious learners. In relation to cognitive and social/affective strategies, the two groups did not differ significantly. Low anxious learners also performed better in the listening comprehension test. Regarding learner characteristics, it was revealed that female learners were more anxious than male learners. Years of studying English also had a significant negative effect on IELTS learners' anxiety. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]