Integrating mobile phones in English language classrooms to alleviate language anxiety and enhance oral interaction skills of Malaysian undergraduate learners: a mixed methods study

Lack of English language proficiency is a significant factor in the unemployment of a substantial proportion of graduates from Malaysian universities. Language anxiety has been shown by research to have a debilitating effect in language classrooms, leading to further problems of acquisition, retention and production of a second language. The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential of mobile phones for alleviating language anxiety and enhancing oral interaction skills of Malaysian undergraduates. This study first investigated the association between demographic factors and language anxiety. Intact class groups were then assigned to either Treatment or No Treatment conditions to evaluate the effects of an intervention using mobile phones. The learners in the Treatment group were introduced to the use of mobile phones for language learning purposes. They were encouraged to access the Internet using their mobile phones to download learning resources and refer to an online dictionary. They were also introduced to the audio/video capabilities of the mobile phones suitable for the Oral Interaction Course. They were taught to record and review recordings of their oral interaction practices individually or with peers. The recording and reviewing processes were important for the learners to self-analyse their performance and to improve on future performance by applying relevant oral interaction skills learned in classes. The exposure to the use of mobile phones for language learning in class was important because learners may not be familiar with such use but once they have acquired the skills their language learning could extend into a seamless part of daily life. This study adopted a mixed methodology research design by combining both qualitative and quantitative research methods. English language anxiety of the learners was mainly contributed by communicative apprehension and fear of negative evaluation. There were few differences in language anxiety associated with demographic factors. The integration of the mobile phones was effective in alleviating the learners’ English language anxiety, communicative apprehension and fear of negative evaluation. However, the learners did not have sufficiently extended exposure to the integration of mobile phones for demonstrable enhancement of oral interaction skills. This study adds to studies of second language learning and mobile assisted language learning by demonstrating the potential for integration of mobile phones to reduce the anxiety associated with language learning. Further research is needed to investigate the potential of mobile phones to enhance learning of oral interaction skills.