Proceedings of The 6th International Academic Conference on Education
Year: 2023
DOI:
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Communication Apprehension (CA) in L2 among Undergraduate and Graduate Students at a Public University in Bangkok
Sucharat Rimkeeratikul
ABSTRACT:
Communication is viewed as an important soft skill for students and graduates, regardless of the discipline. Meanwhile, communication in English is also considered vital in all programs of study at the university level in Thailand. Communication apprehension (CA) when using L2 (English), however, is a major barrier for many people, including university students, at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Hence, this study investigated the communication apprehension (CA) in L2 (English) of undergraduate students majoring in business administration, graduate students in an English program, and graduate students in a political science program. The students’ CA scores were compared using ANOVA. The results should be useful for instructors who teach students in the abovementioned disciplines in terms of helping them to select appropriate pedagogical approaches. The insights gained into the students’ feelings when communicating using English may also increase English language teachers’ empathy for their students.
keywords: communication apprehension, English language, L2, graduate students, undergraduate students