Foreign Language Anxiety, Sexuality, and Gender

193 Pages·2017·0.89 MB·English

by  James Donald Mitchell

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Winter 3-6-2018
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James Donald Mitchell
Portland State University
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Mitchell, James Donald, "Foreign Language Anxiety, Sexuality, and Gender: Lived Experiences of Four
LGBTQ+ Students" (2018). Dissertations and Theses. Paper 4336.
https://doi.org/10.15760/etd.6229
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Foreign Language Anxiety, Sexuality and Gender:

Lived Experiences of Four LGBTQ+ Students

by

James Donald Mitchell

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree of

Master of Arts
in
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

Thesis Committee:
Nike Arnold, Chair
Kimberley Brown
Steven Thorne

Portland State University
2018
© 2017 James Donald Mitchell
i 

Abstract
The relationship between foreign language anxiety and gender identity has been
largely a quantitative endeavor that has shown contradictory results. Furthermore, sexual
identity has not been researched in foreign language anxiety literature. A qualitative
account of LGBTQ+ language learners with different gender identities has been absent
from the literature. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the relationship
between foreign language anxiety and sexual and gender identity. To gain insight into
this relationship, this qualitative study investigated the lived experiences of four
LGBTQ+ foreign language university students who represented three gender identities.
Data were collected through multiple, in-depth interviews, observations, the
Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS, Horwitz et al., 1986), and a
questionnaire. The four participants were further situated through the results of the
FLCAS, which was distributed to the research site and garnered 141 responses.
Presentation of the data includes portraits of two of the participants and a cross-case
analysis of the four participants.
The portraits provided rich, thick descriptions of the educational and historical
backgrounds of the two learners as well as themes related to their individual anxiety
levels. The cross-case analysis found that foreign language anxiety across participants
related to invalidated identity, privileged identities, context, and trait anxiety. These
themes largely caused participants to experience communication apprehension, possible
cognitive interference, avoidance behavior, and a lack of willingness to communicate.
ii 

This study offers pedagogical implications and suggestions for further research.
The data show that language teachers need to be aware of the pervasive nature of foreign
language anxiety and how the identities of LGBTQ+ students can play into foreign
language anxiety. Furthermore, teachers need to affirm the identities of their students.
iii 

Dedication

For Cindy, Alice, and Rodney. Eyes…
iv 

Acknowledgements
This thesis is a culmination of time, effort, and most of all, love and support from
others. I would like to take this section to thank the many people who have had their hand
in the work I have done, which has amounted to my proudest academic accomplishment.
I would first like to thank the four main participants of this study: Chelsea, Adam,
Kara, and Mark. Of course, this thesis would not be a success without their valuable
insight and input. Thank all of you for taking the time to meet with me, your patience in
answering what I imagine seemed like endless e-mails, and most of all, sharing your life,
heart, and experiences with me. I truly hope I captured your educational and cultural
history in a positive and inspirational light. I am forever changed because of the four of
you.
I would like to give endless gratitude to my thesis committee, especially my thesis
advisor, Dr. Nike Arnold, who took the time during my undergrad to bounce ideas back
and forth which sparked the idea for this thesis. Your belief in my ideas and my potential
means the world to me. I would also like to thank Dr. Kim Brown, who has been my
mentor since my junior year of undergrad. Without her, I never would have imagined that
academia was a possible career path for me. I might not have even applied to be a
graduate student! Thank you for allowing, even encouraging, me to be nothing less than
myself in academia. I would finally like to express my sincere thanks to Dr. Steve
Thorne, who jumped at the opportunity to serve on my committee. Steve, I have left
every conversation we ever had smiling, encouraged, wiser, and even giggly! Your
brilliance is something I strive for. Thank you for all of your wisdom and kind words.
v 

I would also like to express my gratitude to the Department of Applied
Linguistics and the University Studies Department, who provided me with funding and
tuition remission throughout my MA. An extra thank you to Dr. Tucker Childs, Dr. Kathy
Harris, Dr. Tanya Sydorenko, Dr. Susan Conrad, Dr. Dana Lundell, and Carol Gabrielli,
all of whom saw potential in me- sometimes when I could not see it for myself! Thank
you. I also want to thank the professors in Applied Linguistics who have voiced their
interest in my work, especially Drs. Alissa Hartig, Jenny Mittelstaedt, and Keith Walters.
A very warm thank you to the University of Trier in Germany, where I took a
year off from coursework to gain experience in teaching. Thank you to Dr. Ann Marie
Fallon and Dr. Gerhard Herm, who hired me to be an English language instructor for the
university. An extra special thank you to Clare Maas and Dr. Jenny Skipp, who became
wonderful colleagues and dear friends of mine. I promise I will write with you one day!
See? You have it in writing.
I would like to give a big thank you to the cohorts that I have been a part of in the
MA TESOL program, namely the many friends who have commiserated with me,
positively challenged me, and took the time to talk with me about my research ideas.
Thank you especially to Tara Anderson, Meagan Armstrong, Susan Caisse, Megan Craig,
Rosie David, Jade Fletcher, Jessica Gates, Jamalieh Haley, Ian Hancock, Chelsea
Hansen, Ryan Harper, Vanessa Howe, Vince Laspina, Ally Lemcke-Kibby, Tim Krause,
Emily Minnette, Phillipa Otto, Leah Polhemus, Josh Sander, Chris Schwanz, Paige Shell-
Spurling, Drew Sowers, Kiyomi Stevens, Andrew Utz, and Katherine Winter.
My deep appreciation for those outside of my graduate program who have helped
me with methodology, scheduled writing sessions with me, commiserated with me, or
vi 

even allowed me to talk about my research in ways that would help others outside of my
field (even outside of academia) understand it: Michael Cordova, Rachel Crist, Shannon
Crossley, Ailene Farkac, Sara Galadari, Dr. Melissa Gholson, Nicole McGee, Andrew
Pereira, and Jay Scudder. A big thank you to Dr. Vitaliy Shyyan for taking the time to
proofread this thesis and being so wonderful in catching big picture problems and tiny
little mistakes. Finally, thank you to Dr. Ángel Casanova-Torres, the friend who helped
lead me to the end of this journey.
I want to express my sincere gratitude to Roslyn Farrington, who passed away
shortly after I began graduate school. Her classes were where I was first introduced to
feminist theory and women’s studies. Without her, the idea for this thesis would have
never come to mind. Rest in power, Roslyn.
And finally, I would not have the successes I have now if it were not for Dr.
Laurene Christensen. Laurene, this thesis would not have achieved its depth if it were not
for your endless wisdom, encouragement, and thoughtful critiques. You have done so
much for me. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
vii 

Table of Contents
Abstract ......................................................................................................................... i
Dedication ...................................................................................................................... iii
Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................ iv
List of Tables ................................................................................................................. x
List of Figures ................................................................................................................ xi

Chapter 1: Introduction .................................................................................................. 1
Foreign Language Anxiety and Identity: An Introduction .............................. 1
Purpose of the Thesis ..................................................................................... 5
Organization of the Thesis............................................................................... 5

Chapter 2: Literature Review ......................................................................................... 7
Foreign Language Anxiety .............................................................................. 7
Foreign Language Anxiety and Gender .......................................................... 9
Gender ............................................................................................................. 11
Sexuality .......................................................................................................... 14
Identity and Investment ................................................................................... 15
Investment and Anxiety ................................................................................... 18
Intersectionality ............................................................................................... 20
The Present Study ............................................................................................ 21

Chapter 3: Methodology ................................................................................................ 23
Introduction ..................................................................................................... 23
Overall Design ................................................................................................ 23
Site Selection ................................................................................................... 24
Participant Selection ........................................................................................ 25
Data Collection ................................................................................................ 26
Data Analysis................................................................................................... 32
Researcher Bias and Trustworthiness .............................................................. 34
Presentation of the Data: Portraits and Cross-case Analysis .......................... 36

Chapter 4: “Everyone Can Be a Little Gay Here”: A Context Statement of Cascadia
State University .............................................................................................................. 37
Introduction ..................................................................................................... 37
A General Overview of Cascadia State University ........................................ 37
Academics at Cascadia State University ......................................................... 40
Foreign Language Anxiety at Cascadia State University ................................ 42
Anxiety Levels of Gay and Queer+ Men ........................................................ 45
Anxiety Levels of Lesbian and Queer+ Women ............................................. 46
Anxiety Levels of Bisexual Men and Women ................................................ 47
Anxiety Levels of Trans+ Students ................................................................. 48
Conclusion ....................................................................................................... 49