الملخص الإنجليزي
The present study investigates Omani EFL learners' level of language learning anxiety and the strategies they use in order to cope with such anxiety. The population of the study consisted of grade ten learners in Muscat Region at Omani government schools during the academic year 2007-2008. The sample compromised of 531 students: 255 males and 276 females. The study used two main instruments to answer the research questions. The first instrument was a modified and translated version of Horwitz Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS). It aimed at assessing learners' level of foreign language learning anxiety. The second instrument, a learner strategy inventory, was developed by the researcher for the purpose of exploring learner strategies to alleviate foreign language learning anxiety.
The major findings of the study were as follows:
1- Omani EFL learners feel moderately anxious in the foreign language classroom.
2- There is a statistically significant difference among learners' level of anxiety due to their previous achievement in English. This study found that the lower the learners' previous achievement in English, the more anxious they are.
3- There is a statistically significant difference between males and females in their level of anxiety. It was found that female students are more anxious than male students.
4- There is a statistically significant difference between learners' level of foreign language learning anxiety due to father's and mother's qualification in favor of the higher qualification.
5- Omani EFL learners sometimes use anxiety-alleviating strategies.
6- There is no statistically significant difference between male and female students in their level of anxiety in the EFL classroom or in terms of using anxiety-alleviating strategies to reduce their level of anxiety.
7- There is a statistically significant difference in terms of learners' use of the anxiety alleviating strategies due to their previous achievement in English in favor of the higher achievement level.
8- Learners use preparation strategy, positive thinking strategy, and seeking assistance strategy more often than they use media and technology.
9- There is a statistically significant difference between learners in their use of anxiety alleviating strategies based on father's and mother's qualification in favor of the higher qualification. These findings led to a number of recommendations for future EFL teacher teaching techniques in addition to a recommended list for further studies in the area of foreign language learning anxiety in general and in the foreign language learning anxiety - alleviating strategies in particular.
