Decreasing EFL learners’ intercultural communicative anxiety levels through a blended environment
Language classes should focus not only on linguistic skills but also on developing essential cultural and intercultural competencies, as fostering intercultural communicative competence has become a key objective in modern foreign language education. In this context, blended learning environments th...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Literacy Trek
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Literacy Trek |
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| Online Access: | https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/literacytrek/issue/93418/1594526 |
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| author | Emrah Özdemir Dinçay Köksal |
| author_facet | Emrah Özdemir Dinçay Köksal |
| author_sort | Emrah Özdemir |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Language classes should focus not only on linguistic skills but also on developing essential cultural and intercultural competencies, as fostering intercultural communicative competence has become a key objective in modern foreign language education. In this context, blended learning environments that combine face-to-face classroom practices with technology-enhanced activities offer promising opportunities to reduce learners' intercultural communication anxiety. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of blended intercultural instruction on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners’ intercultural communicative anxiety levels. A two-group quasi-experimental research design was employed, involving an in-class discussion group and an online discussion group. Data were gathered through a background questionnaire and the Intercultural Communicative Anxiety Scale (ICAN). Findings revealed that students in the online discussion group experienced a significantly greater reduction in intercultural communicative anxiety compared to those in the in-class discussion group. These results suggest that well-structured blended environments, which provide supportive and low-pressure contexts for interaction, can be effective in lowering anxiety and enhancing intercultural learning. Implications for language instruction and curriculum design are also discussed. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3e7a6b4a4c8f453783098bb22c6dd31c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2602-3768 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Literacy Trek |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Literacy Trek |
| spelling | doaj-art-3e7a6b4a4c8f453783098bb22c6dd31c2025-08-21T07:20:03ZengLiteracy TrekLiteracy Trek2602-37682025-06-011117997Decreasing EFL learners’ intercultural communicative anxiety levels through a blended environmentEmrah Özdemir0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4187-3866Dinçay Köksal1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8681-4093Balikesir UniversityÇanakkale Onsekiz Mart UniversityLanguage classes should focus not only on linguistic skills but also on developing essential cultural and intercultural competencies, as fostering intercultural communicative competence has become a key objective in modern foreign language education. In this context, blended learning environments that combine face-to-face classroom practices with technology-enhanced activities offer promising opportunities to reduce learners' intercultural communication anxiety. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of blended intercultural instruction on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners’ intercultural communicative anxiety levels. A two-group quasi-experimental research design was employed, involving an in-class discussion group and an online discussion group. Data were gathered through a background questionnaire and the Intercultural Communicative Anxiety Scale (ICAN). Findings revealed that students in the online discussion group experienced a significantly greater reduction in intercultural communicative anxiety compared to those in the in-class discussion group. These results suggest that well-structured blended environments, which provide supportive and low-pressure contexts for interaction, can be effective in lowering anxiety and enhancing intercultural learning. Implications for language instruction and curriculum design are also discussed.https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/literacytrek/issue/93418/1594526english language teachingintercultural communicationanxietyblended learning |
| spellingShingle | Emrah Özdemir Dinçay Köksal Decreasing EFL learners’ intercultural communicative anxiety levels through a blended environment Literacy Trek english language teaching intercultural communication anxiety blended learning |
| title | Decreasing EFL learners’ intercultural communicative anxiety levels through a blended environment |
| title_full | Decreasing EFL learners’ intercultural communicative anxiety levels through a blended environment |
| title_fullStr | Decreasing EFL learners’ intercultural communicative anxiety levels through a blended environment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Decreasing EFL learners’ intercultural communicative anxiety levels through a blended environment |
| title_short | Decreasing EFL learners’ intercultural communicative anxiety levels through a blended environment |
| title_sort | decreasing efl learners intercultural communicative anxiety levels through a blended environment |
| topic | english language teaching intercultural communication anxiety blended learning |
| url | https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/literacytrek/issue/93418/1594526 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT emrahozdemir decreasingefllearnersinterculturalcommunicativeanxietylevelsthroughablendedenvironment AT dincaykoksal decreasingefllearnersinterculturalcommunicativeanxietylevelsthroughablendedenvironment |