S ING 1303262 Chapter 3
38
CHAPTER III
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This chapter will provide information regarding research design, research site
and participants, stage of collecting the data, data collection technique and
procedure, threats to validity, and data analysis.
3.1 Research Design
This study employed a mixed-method design since both qualitative and
quantitative
data
were
collected
and
analyzed
qualitatively
and
quantitatively.As it is defined by Creswell (2006) as follows:
Mixed methods research is a research design with philosophical assumptions
as well as methods of inquiry. As a methodology, it involves philosophical
assumptions that guide the direction of the collection and analysis of data and
the mixture of qualitative and quantitative approaches in many phases in the
research process. As a method, it focuses on collecting, analyzing, and mixing
both quantitative and qualitative data in a single study or series of studies. Its
central premise is that the use of quantitative and qualitative approaches in
combination provides a better understanding of research problems than either
approach alone.
According to Creswell (2008), there are three types of mixed method:
first is triangulation mixed method (equal priority to both quantitative and
qualitative data). Second is embedded mixed method (priority to the major
form of data collection). Third is explanatory mixed method (a priority on
quantitative data collection and analysis followed by small qualitative data
collection and analysis in the second phase of the research or conversely).
In order to cope with the purposes of this study, this study employed
triangulation mixed method as there is equal priority to the treatment of
quantitative and qualitative data.
Considering the different techniques in researching language anxiety and
the purposes of this research, both approaches – qualitative and quantitative –
were used in this research. Quantitative data analysis was used to answer the
first research question which required statistical analysis as it investigated for
possible differences anxiety level and types of anxiety occurred among junior
Desy Kusumawaty, 2016
Foreign Language Anxiety in an Efl Classroom:Types of Anxiety, Possible Causes and
Learning Activities to Overcome the Anxiety
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia | repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
39
high school through the descriptive analysis statistics involving score on
Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) developed by Horwitz
et al. (1986).
The first, second and third research questions also investigated
qualitatively through taking transcripts of classroom observation, open-ended
questionnaire and interview to find types of anxiety experienced by the
students, possible causes, and several learning activities to overcome the
anxiety among junior high school students. The interview was in the form of
semi-structured interview which allowed the participants to state their
feelings and thoughts during the English as a Foreign Language classroom.
The classroom observation was employed to capture teaching learning
process and students’ performance in EFL classroom. The researcher was a
non-participant observer who captured the process without being involved in
giving treatments or teaching the participants in the classroom. Video
recording and observation note-taking were employed during the class
observation.
3.2 Research Site and Participants
3.2.1 Research Site
This study was conducted in a private junior high school, which is
accredited A level by the National Accreditation Board. This private
junior high school is located in Bandung Barat, West Java, Indonesia
and was chosen as research site for several reasons.
Firstly, it can represent a relatively high-social economic status
school in Bandung Barat which most of the students come from a
relatively high-social economic status family and are tested in a series
of test to enroll the school. Thus, it is considered as one of factors that
may influence students’ anxiety during the language learning process.
As it is generally assumed that the students who come from a relatively
high-social economic status family are well-treated in education
whether at home or at school.
Desy Kusumawaty, 2016
Foreign Language Anxiety in an Efl Classroom:Types of Anxiety, Possible Causes and
Learning Activities to Overcome the Anxiety
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia | repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
40
As it is stated by Joubish et al. (2010, p.679) that families with
high socio-economic status often are more successful in preparing their
young children for school because of the access they enjoy to harness
resources responsible to promote and support young children’s
development. Thus, they are able to provide their young children with
quality of necessary education requirements and equipments. This
condition will probably influence the students to experience the anxiety
itself in learning, whether they frequently encounter anxiety or
not,particularly in learning a foreign language.
Secondly, there are several studies of foreign language anxiety
conducted in elementary schools, senior high schools and universities.
This study accomplishes those previous studies in the field of foreign
language anxiety among junior high school students. In addition,
compared to other big cities in West Java, studies conducted in
Bandung Barat are still small in number, thus this study can contribute
more to the literature of the field.
Thirdly, it is a school where the researcher can conduct this study
due to her accessibility. Alwasilah (2009) states that convenience factor
should be taken into consideration to support the researcher to carry out
the research.
3.2.2 Research Participants
The participants wereseven-grade students in a private juniorhigh
school in Bandung Barat, West Java, Indonesia which were chosen
purposively as the sample of this study, consisted of 50 students.This is
based on what Fraenkel et al. (2012, p.100) states thatthis sampling
procedure carries out a process of selecting sample relying on the
researcher’s belief in which the participants will give the data needed.
Moreover, the basis for choosing seven-grade students as
participants was because the researcher assumed that the foreign
language anxiety occurred more frequently to seven-grade students of
Desy Kusumawaty, 2016
Foreign Language Anxiety in an Efl Classroom:Types of Anxiety, Possible Causes and
Learning Activities to Overcome the Anxiety
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia | repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
41
junior high school who are acknowledged at the first level of school
grade.
This idea was also supported by the state of emotional
development among secondary school students in which they become
more understand and aware that more than one emotion can be
experienced in a particular situation. On the other hand, secondary
school students start to develop an ability to suppress or conceal
negative emotional reactions and the use of self-initiated strategies for
redirecting feelings (Santrock, 2012, p.298).
It is common for everyone to encounter emotional disorder, such as
anxiety, as it is stated that most of people have been upset and anxious
about a situation at some point (Ebert &Culyer, 2011, p.96).Some
477,000 students in the United States have emotional or behavioral
disorders that represent approximately 1 percent of the entire schoolage population, or 1 of every 100 students (Digest of Education
Statistics, 2007, 2008 as cited in Ebert &Culyer, 2011, p.96).
3.3 Instruments
3.3.1 Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS)
Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) – a closeended questionnaire – developed by Horwitz, Horwitz& Cope (1986)
was an instrument used in this study to obtain the data of the initial
information of students’ foreign language anxiety level and types of
anxiety experienced by junior high school students. This questionnaire
was
constructed
based
upon
some
constructs
comprising
communication apprehension, test anxiety, and fear of negative
evaluation.
The FLCAS developed by Horwitz, Horwitz & Cope (1986) has
demonstrated internal reliability, achieving an alpha coefficient of .93
with all items producing significant corrected item-total scale
correlations. Test-retest reliability yielded an r = .83 (p
CHAPTER III
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This chapter will provide information regarding research design, research site
and participants, stage of collecting the data, data collection technique and
procedure, threats to validity, and data analysis.
3.1 Research Design
This study employed a mixed-method design since both qualitative and
quantitative
data
were
collected
and
analyzed
qualitatively
and
quantitatively.As it is defined by Creswell (2006) as follows:
Mixed methods research is a research design with philosophical assumptions
as well as methods of inquiry. As a methodology, it involves philosophical
assumptions that guide the direction of the collection and analysis of data and
the mixture of qualitative and quantitative approaches in many phases in the
research process. As a method, it focuses on collecting, analyzing, and mixing
both quantitative and qualitative data in a single study or series of studies. Its
central premise is that the use of quantitative and qualitative approaches in
combination provides a better understanding of research problems than either
approach alone.
According to Creswell (2008), there are three types of mixed method:
first is triangulation mixed method (equal priority to both quantitative and
qualitative data). Second is embedded mixed method (priority to the major
form of data collection). Third is explanatory mixed method (a priority on
quantitative data collection and analysis followed by small qualitative data
collection and analysis in the second phase of the research or conversely).
In order to cope with the purposes of this study, this study employed
triangulation mixed method as there is equal priority to the treatment of
quantitative and qualitative data.
Considering the different techniques in researching language anxiety and
the purposes of this research, both approaches – qualitative and quantitative –
were used in this research. Quantitative data analysis was used to answer the
first research question which required statistical analysis as it investigated for
possible differences anxiety level and types of anxiety occurred among junior
Desy Kusumawaty, 2016
Foreign Language Anxiety in an Efl Classroom:Types of Anxiety, Possible Causes and
Learning Activities to Overcome the Anxiety
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia | repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
39
high school through the descriptive analysis statistics involving score on
Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) developed by Horwitz
et al. (1986).
The first, second and third research questions also investigated
qualitatively through taking transcripts of classroom observation, open-ended
questionnaire and interview to find types of anxiety experienced by the
students, possible causes, and several learning activities to overcome the
anxiety among junior high school students. The interview was in the form of
semi-structured interview which allowed the participants to state their
feelings and thoughts during the English as a Foreign Language classroom.
The classroom observation was employed to capture teaching learning
process and students’ performance in EFL classroom. The researcher was a
non-participant observer who captured the process without being involved in
giving treatments or teaching the participants in the classroom. Video
recording and observation note-taking were employed during the class
observation.
3.2 Research Site and Participants
3.2.1 Research Site
This study was conducted in a private junior high school, which is
accredited A level by the National Accreditation Board. This private
junior high school is located in Bandung Barat, West Java, Indonesia
and was chosen as research site for several reasons.
Firstly, it can represent a relatively high-social economic status
school in Bandung Barat which most of the students come from a
relatively high-social economic status family and are tested in a series
of test to enroll the school. Thus, it is considered as one of factors that
may influence students’ anxiety during the language learning process.
As it is generally assumed that the students who come from a relatively
high-social economic status family are well-treated in education
whether at home or at school.
Desy Kusumawaty, 2016
Foreign Language Anxiety in an Efl Classroom:Types of Anxiety, Possible Causes and
Learning Activities to Overcome the Anxiety
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia | repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
40
As it is stated by Joubish et al. (2010, p.679) that families with
high socio-economic status often are more successful in preparing their
young children for school because of the access they enjoy to harness
resources responsible to promote and support young children’s
development. Thus, they are able to provide their young children with
quality of necessary education requirements and equipments. This
condition will probably influence the students to experience the anxiety
itself in learning, whether they frequently encounter anxiety or
not,particularly in learning a foreign language.
Secondly, there are several studies of foreign language anxiety
conducted in elementary schools, senior high schools and universities.
This study accomplishes those previous studies in the field of foreign
language anxiety among junior high school students. In addition,
compared to other big cities in West Java, studies conducted in
Bandung Barat are still small in number, thus this study can contribute
more to the literature of the field.
Thirdly, it is a school where the researcher can conduct this study
due to her accessibility. Alwasilah (2009) states that convenience factor
should be taken into consideration to support the researcher to carry out
the research.
3.2.2 Research Participants
The participants wereseven-grade students in a private juniorhigh
school in Bandung Barat, West Java, Indonesia which were chosen
purposively as the sample of this study, consisted of 50 students.This is
based on what Fraenkel et al. (2012, p.100) states thatthis sampling
procedure carries out a process of selecting sample relying on the
researcher’s belief in which the participants will give the data needed.
Moreover, the basis for choosing seven-grade students as
participants was because the researcher assumed that the foreign
language anxiety occurred more frequently to seven-grade students of
Desy Kusumawaty, 2016
Foreign Language Anxiety in an Efl Classroom:Types of Anxiety, Possible Causes and
Learning Activities to Overcome the Anxiety
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia | repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
41
junior high school who are acknowledged at the first level of school
grade.
This idea was also supported by the state of emotional
development among secondary school students in which they become
more understand and aware that more than one emotion can be
experienced in a particular situation. On the other hand, secondary
school students start to develop an ability to suppress or conceal
negative emotional reactions and the use of self-initiated strategies for
redirecting feelings (Santrock, 2012, p.298).
It is common for everyone to encounter emotional disorder, such as
anxiety, as it is stated that most of people have been upset and anxious
about a situation at some point (Ebert &Culyer, 2011, p.96).Some
477,000 students in the United States have emotional or behavioral
disorders that represent approximately 1 percent of the entire schoolage population, or 1 of every 100 students (Digest of Education
Statistics, 2007, 2008 as cited in Ebert &Culyer, 2011, p.96).
3.3 Instruments
3.3.1 Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS)
Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) – a closeended questionnaire – developed by Horwitz, Horwitz& Cope (1986)
was an instrument used in this study to obtain the data of the initial
information of students’ foreign language anxiety level and types of
anxiety experienced by junior high school students. This questionnaire
was
constructed
based
upon
some
constructs
comprising
communication apprehension, test anxiety, and fear of negative
evaluation.
The FLCAS developed by Horwitz, Horwitz & Cope (1986) has
demonstrated internal reliability, achieving an alpha coefficient of .93
with all items producing significant corrected item-total scale
correlations. Test-retest reliability yielded an r = .83 (p