Fear of Negative Evaluation in an EFL Setting

Algeria has known an important phase at higher education since 2004. The adoption of the LMD reform was a turning point to all counterparts of the higher education sector. The author of this book witnessed the transition from the classical system to the LMD system. This was the first incentive to conduct research on how students feel and live this change. Evaluation is a key concept in the LMD reform. The author’s interest is put on the students’ affective well-being while learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL). Focus is put on Fear of Negative Evaluation (FNE) as part of Foreign Language Anxiety (FLA). Four causes grouped in three hypotheses make the core of this book. The author used two research techniques; participant observation and face-to-face interviews. Results confirmed the existence of FNE linking the sources to: classroom interaction, error correction, the target language and evaluation. Language proficiency was deficient mainly in terms of vocabulary and speaking among first year students. The book offers a comprehensive theoretical account on related concepts and a number of recommendations to cope with FLA.