Activating EFL Learners

Abstract: Language anxiety is one of the most difficult issues teachers face in the English classroom today. The area is vast and complex and not much research has been done with a practical focus. This study investigates how the Fogg behavior model can be used to identify foreign language anxiety, and how anxiety affects English learners in a Swedish context. I noticed that there was an inadequate amount of research within this specific area. This case study explores these issues in a Swedish secondary school, using four interviews where teachers were asked about their students’ participation in class. The participants reported their interpretations of how student participation was affected by factors such as language anxiety and the components presented in the behavior model. The results showed that even through a narrow lens, cognitive aspects of learning are complex. There were some practical solutions to increase classroom participation that could be applied to other cases.