This thesis explores how power relationships between language varieties are related to students experiencing language anxiety. It has specifically been looked into the relationship between the restriction of Saarländisch in the classroom and students experiencing language anxiety in the context of a primary school located in a rural area in the German federal state Saarland. In this area, the language variety Saarländisch is commonly not accepted within the classroom.
This thesis comprises an empirical study which has been analysed in a mix-method using both qualitative and quantitative data. The sample group consisted of 20 students in grade 4 who have been picked after answering a background questionnaire and who were then given the main questionnaire related to how Saarländisch is viewed in the classroom, the restriction of Saarländisch in school and language anxiety. Furthermore, the two teachers who teach the aforementioned students have been questioned in interviews.
It has been investigated that Saarländisch is seen as inferior to Standard German both in general and within the classroom. Even though, the restriction of Saarländisch in the classroom and students’ language anxiety have been found to not have a statistically significant correlation with each other, some qualitatively and quantitatively obtained data indicated a relation between the two variables. Therefore, the definition of language anxiety should be rethought and extended referring to learning and/or using different language varieties rather than only referring to the anxiety that appears when learning and/or using a second/foreign language.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1. Introduction
1.1 Areas of research and aim of the thesis
1.2 Definitions and explanations of terms
1.2.1 Language, dialect and variety
1.2.3 Saarländisch
1.2.4 The “restriction of Saarländisch” in the classroom
1.2.5 Anxiety
1.2.5.1 Dimensions of anxiety
1.2.5.2 Language anxiety
1.3 Outline of the thesis
Chapter 2. Review of the literature
2.1 An overview of the relationship between power and language
2.2 The power relationship between ‘high’ language varieties and ‘low’ language varieties: diglossia
2.3 An overview of different perspectives of (language) anxiety
2.4 Anxiety in language learning
2.4.1 Communicative anxiety
2.4.2 Test anxiety
2.4.3 Fear of negative evaluation
2.5 Sources of language anxiety
2.5.1 Personal and interpersonal anxieties
2.5.2 Teachers’ beliefs
2.5.3 Students’ beliefs
2.5.4 Interaction between teachers and students
2.5.5 Classroom procedures
2.6 Factors associated with language anxiety
2.6.1 Sex and age
2.6.2 Motivation
2.6.3 Language proficiency
2.7 Effects of language anxiety
2.7.1 Facilitating anxiety
2.7.2 Debilitating anxiety
2.8 Rationale for the present work
2.9 Research questions and hypotheses
Chapter 3. Methodology
3.1 Participants
3.2 Research instruments
3.3 Data collection method
3.4 Evaluation method
Chapter 4. Findings
4.1 The extent to which Saarländisch is restricted in the classroom: why and why not?
4.2 Students’ view of the value of Saarländisch vs. Standard German in general and within the classroom
4.3 The relationship between the restriction of Saarländisch in the classroom and language anxiety in students
Chapter 5. Conclusion
5.1 Summary
5.2 Implications for education
5.3 Limitations of the study
5.4 Suggested areas for further research
Research Objective and Core Themes
This master's thesis investigates the relationship between power dynamics in language varieties and language anxiety among fourth-grade primary school students in rural Saarland. The core objective is to understand how the restriction of the local dialect, Saarländisch, within the classroom environment relates to student language anxiety, and to advocate for a more holistic definition of this phenomenon that encompasses diverse language varieties.
- The power dynamics and social status of Saarländisch vs. Standard German.
- The restriction of native language varieties in educational settings.
- The psychological impact of language-related power imbalances on primary school students.
- The role of teacher and student beliefs in fostering or reducing language anxiety.
- Methodological analysis using a mixed-methods approach (qualitative interviews and quantitative questionnaires).
Excerpt from the Book
1.2.3 Saarländisch
Saarländisch is a German language variety spoken in the smallest German federal state called Saarland which neighbors France and Luxembourg and inhabits around 1 million people. Saarländisch is categorized as a Western-middle-high-German ‘dialect’ which is divided into Moselfränkisch (Mosel-Franconion) and Rheinfränkisch (Rhein-Franconion). The reason why Saarländisch is divided into Moselfränkisch and Rheinfränkisch is a religious one as the Rheinfränkisch area of Saarland used to belong to the western protestant authority and the Moselfränkisch part belonged to the catholic electorate Trier. Therefore, people wanted to be recognized as being either protestant or catholic by the way they speak. Saarländisch has phonetical, grammatical and lexical differences to Standard German. Phonetically speaking, the Saarländisch consonants are devoiced, there is no difference being made between sch [ʃ] and ch [ç], syllables are stressed differently than in Standard German, etc. Regarding grammatical differences, the conjugation differs from the conjugation in Standard German, there is a different use of past tenses, no differentiation is being made between the first person singular present and the infinitive, and the four cases are used differently (accusative is used for nominative and dative is used for genitive), which also leads to a different use of pronouns and articles. Lexically speaking, most words used in Standard German are also used in Saarländisch, but with a different pronunciation. However, there are also many words in Saarländisch that differ greatly from their Standard German equivalents.
Summary of Chapters
Chapter 1. Introduction: Introduces the research area, the aim of the thesis, and key definitions like Saarländisch and language anxiety.
Chapter 2. Review of the literature: Examines theoretical frameworks concerning the power relationship between language and power, diglossia, and factors causing language anxiety.
Chapter 3. Methodology: Explains the mixed-method research design, focusing on the participant group, questionnaires, and teacher interviews.
Chapter 4. Findings: Presents the gathered data, addressing the restriction of Saarländisch and its potential relationship with language anxiety in students.
Chapter 5. Conclusion: Summarizes the study's conclusions, educational implications, limitations, and suggests areas for future research.
Keywords
Language anxiety, language and power, language varieties, Saarländisch, Standard German, diglossia, primary education, teacher beliefs, student beliefs, qualitative data, quantitative data, classroom environment, linguistic identity, language policy, social status.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this study?
This thesis examines how power dynamics between language varieties—specifically Standard German and the local dialect Saarländisch—contribute to language anxiety among fourth-grade students in rural schools.
What are the core themes explored in this work?
Key themes include the sociolinguistic concept of diglossia, the perceived inferiority of dialects in educational settings, the sources and effects of language anxiety, and the impact of classroom policies on student identity.
What is the primary research goal?
The research aims to determine if the restriction of Saarländisch in the classroom correlates with language anxiety in students and to highlight the need to expand the definition of 'language anxiety' beyond second/foreign language acquisition.
Which methodology was employed?
The study utilizes a mixed-method design, incorporating a quantitative analysis of student questionnaires and a qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews with primary school teachers.
What topics are covered in the main body of the work?
The main body reviews the literature on language power and anxiety, describes the research methodology, presents findings regarding dialect restriction, and concludes with pedagogical implications.
Which keywords characterize this thesis?
The work is defined by terms such as language anxiety, language and power, language varieties, Saarländisch, Standard German, and educational diglossia.
How does the restriction of Saarländisch affect students during oral tests?
The findings indicate that students experience test anxiety because teachers deduct points for excessive use of Saarländisch, treating the test as a formal situation that strictly demands Standard German.
Do students consider Saarländisch to be as valuable as Standard German?
Generally, students view Saarländisch as less valuable than Standard German, associating Standard German with higher education and professional success, though they still value Saarländisch for informal social interactions.
What is the role of teachers' beliefs in this study?
Teachers' beliefs significantly influence classroom dynamics; those who view Saarländisch as inferior often restrict its use to prioritize Standard German, which can unintentionally increase student discomfort or anxiety.
- Quote paper
- Marie-Louise Meiser (Author), 2019, Language Anxiety. Restriction of Saarländisch in the Classroom, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1021150
