Investigating anxiety, perception, and confidence levels of EFL learners through classroom observation: Evidence from a preparatory year program at a Saudi university

This study investigates the levels of anxiety, perception, and confidence of Saudi EFL (English as a Foreign Language) students during classroom observation in the English language department of a preparatory year program in a Saudi university. Anxiety, perception, and confidence levels of students are common psychological phenomena that are examined to understand the constraints that learners face in learning a foreign language. The participants in this study were the students at the preparatory level of a Saudi University in Riyadh province. The study adopts a case-based approach to examine whether there exists a congruence between classroom observation and learners’ knowledge about their actions and behavior. One of the reasons for choosing this setting is that classroom observation in preparatory year programs has been used only for assessing teachers’ pedagogy but not for examining anxiety, perception, and confidence levels of EFL students. Data was collected through classroom observations and post-observation questionnaire. The findings of the study categorically prove that learners’ anxiety and their perception and confidence levels during the learning process are variables that must be taken into account to eliminate the negative factors that demotivate Saudi EFL learners in their educational activities.