The Effect of Foreign Language Anxiety on Perception of Foreigner-Directed Speech among Korean EFL Learners

Abstract

This study examined how the level of Foreign Language Anxiety (FLA) affects learners’ perception of Foreigner-Directed Speech (FDS) in a Korean EFL context. Thirty-five university students participated by completing the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale and then listening to two speech styles: standard speech and FDS produced by a native English speaker. After each listening task, they evaluated the speech on five dimensions: comprehensibility, confidence, friendliness, naturalness, and positivity. Participants were categorized into anxiety-high (AH) and anxiety-low (AL) groups according to the median of their FLA scores. The collected data were analyzed through independent-samples t-tests and mixed-effects models. Overall, FDS was perceived as clearer, friendlier, and more positive, while it sounded less confident and natural than standard speech. Compared with the AH group, the AL group assigned more negative ratings for confidence and naturalness, indicating that learners who have stronger anxiety levels may perceive FDS more favorably. These findings suggest that Foreign Language Anxiety influences how learners interpret speech addressed to non-native listeners and highlights the importance of affective factors when speakers adjust their communication in EFL environments.