Date of Award
8-2026
Degree Type
Creative Project
Degree Name
Master of Second Language Teaching (MSLT)
Department
World Languages and Cultures
Committee Chair(s)
Sarah O'Neill (Committee Chair)
Committee
Sarah O’Neill
Committee
Virginie Reali
Committee
Gabrielle Klassen
Abstract
This portfolio examines the role of anxiety in second language acquisition (SLA) and its impact on student performance, assessment, and overall participation. Drawing on both the author’s classroom experience and SLA research, it argues that language anxiety should be understood as a structural feature of classroom environments rather than an individual learner deficit. The paper explores how traditional assessment practices may obscure students’ underlying competence by prioritizing performance under pressure. It proposes two key shifts in response: reformatting assessments as a more flexible and context-sensitive process, and integrating peer mentorship as a form of interpersonal instructional support. Together, these approaches aim to reduce anxiety, improve the accuracy of assessment, and create more equitable opportunities for meaningful language use.
Recommended Citation
Cole, Bryn C., "Language Learning Under Pressure: Rethinking Anxiety, Assessment, and Support in Second Language Classrooms" (2026). All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present. 162.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/gradreports2023/162
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