Barthelemy Muzaliwa Balume

// DISSERTATION PROJECT
 

Foreign Language Anxiety in regards to Oral Cognitive Tasks in Bukavu secondary schools

This study has been initiated to examine learners’ anxiety in regard to foreign language learning implemented with task-based language teaching. Scientific discourse has indicated the usefulness of cognitive activation through complex tasks in competence achievement in various subjects, and specially in foreign language learning. The latter being one of the most challenging and critical activities for the adult mind; researchers have, after over five decades of investigation, come to find out that cognitive activation and control are the fundamental mechanisms that make it effective as they promote conceptual learning (Luque & Morgan-Short, 2021, pp. 1-2; Wilkie, 2016, p. 30). However, if not managed properly, cognitive tasks are still regarded as impeding their own implementation and negatively affecting learners. Scientific discourse reveals that some learners forsake or loose commitment when assignments are challenging or require higher levels of cognition (Anthony, 1996 as cited in Wilkie, 2016, p. 30); others require teachers to explain the tasks repeatedly or suggest simpler alternatives (Sullivan et al., 2009, pp. 134-135). These factors reflect anxiety which has a negative impact on the learning environment, without which effective learning and competence cannot be achieved. All of the above points to the necessity of establishing the prevalence and level of language anxiety among foreign language learners. However, due to the large scope and difficulty of covering this topic in a limited amount of time and space, this investigation will be limited only to foreign language anxiety in relation to complex oral tasks, in secondary schools in the city of Bukavu in the Democratic Republic of Congo. For data collection, a modified version of the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) of Horwitz et al. (1986) will be used in the present study. This new version of the scale was developed by Milhaud (2016) who also recalculated Cronbach's alpha coefficient to ensure that reducing the scale and translating it had not affected its relevance. The very high value obtained (α=0.93) allowed to consider it as a reliable measuring instrument. The questionnaire will thus be made up of 20 items translated in French, relating more specifically to learners’ oral skills, and adapted to the collection method. It will be distributed to final class secondary school learners from various Bukavu secondary schools selected at random. The data will then be organized, analyzed, and summarized. The results, conclusion and recommendations will be shared in the final research report.

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// ACADEMIC BACKGROUND

2019-2022
Master of Arts in Educational Quality in Developing Countries, University of Bamberg. Mater’s thesis “Building high expectations through complex tasks in English instruction: Perception of secondary school students in Bukavu/DRC”. Under publication in PIASS Publication Series.

2013-2018
Bachelor’s degree (B.A) in Applied Pedagogy, department of English and African Culture from the Teacher Training College of Bukavu.

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// EXPERIENCE

Academic Experience:

November 2018 – Present time
Junior Lecturer at the Kaziba Teacher Training College (TTC Kaziba) in the faculty of Letters and Humanities, Department of English and African culture

December 2018 – Present time
Junior Lecturer at the Université Libre des Pays des Grands Lacs de Bukavu (ULPGL Bukavu).

September 2017 - December 2017
English teacher trainee at Kazaroho secondary school

September 2015 - July 2018
Teacher of English at Tuendelee secondary school

Non-academic experience:

July 2022 - Present time
Communication manager at Let Africa Live (LAV), a non-profit organization operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

July 2017 – June 2021
Coordinator of Actions des Jeunes pour le Développement (AJDEV asbl), translated in English as "Youth Actions for Development", which is a non-profit organization working in Bukavu/DRC

Image Credits: ? Bamberg Graduate School of Social Sciences