Challenges in English Speaking: Palestinian Arab Students at Israeli Colleges

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between anxiety and learning outcomes in English language acquisition among Arab Palestinian students attending Israeli colleges. Anxiety, widely acknowledged as a significant barrier in educational set-tings-particularly in foreign language learning-often contributes to negative attitudes toward the learning process. Adopting a qualitative, inductive methodol-ogy, this research investigates the multifaceted aspects of anxiety affecting the tar-geted demographic. A sample of 67 participants completed a modified version of the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) questionnaire, provid-ing comprehensive data for analysis. The study begins by assessing the prevalence of anxiety among Arab Palestinian students, uncovering varying levels of anxiety across different stages of learning. Through extensive analysis, the research ex-plores the sources and impacts of anxiety, as well as strategies for its management, offering detailed insights into its dynamics. Key findings highlight the critical roles of personal resources, teaching methods, and the classroom environment in shap-ing anxiety levels. Moreover, the study identifies distinct effects of anxiety on junior, intermediate, and senior students, emphasizing the unique challenges faced by learners at each level. These insights enhance understanding of the interplay be-tween anxiety and English language acquisition, offering practical recommenda-tions for educational interventions to foster supportive, anxiety-reducing learning environments. The findings of this research align with the results of a study con-ducted by Hyderpour et al., which demonstrated a correlation between test anxiety and performance in reading comprehension tests within the context of English for General Purposes (EGP).