A Critical Examination of the Beliefs about Learning a Foreign Language at Primary School

realistic in their 'assessment' of the learning situation. Such comments would
seem to challenge the view that young children simply 'absorb a new language
like a sponge' (Satchwell, 1996:169). Ifa programme claims to lay sound
foundations for Iaterforeign language study, as so many do, it would seem
important to establish what exactly it is that a child finds difficult or a 'challenge'
and address these 'difficulties'.

5.11.5 Speaking in Front of the Class and Willingness 'to have a Go^,
As was discussed in previous chapters, children are said to have low affective
filters and low levels of anxiety and they are said to be more spontaneous and
less inhibited than older learners, at least in natural learning environments.
Higher levels of anxiety are said to be related to academic language learning
contexts with formal instruction where 'classroom anxiety, a high fear of
rejection and similar feelings may be related to failure' (Naiman et al.,1978).
Anxiety is viewed as a 'learned' emotional response to this context, based on
self-perception, beliefs, feelings and behaviour (Ely 1986, Horwitz, Horwitz &
Cope 1986, Young 1991). The most anx'ety provoking tasks in language
classrooms are said to involve public communication, having to speak in front of
others in a foreign language.

During interview most children claimed that they were quite happy to speak in
front of the class. However, some children, even at the early stages of learning,
are quite 'aware' of speaking aloud in front of the class. It had been reported
from S∞tland, for example, that individual children:

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