A Research On The Effect Of Using Hedges To Relieve The Anxiety In Senior High English Classroom

English learning is a complicated process,which is affected not only by the learners’ intelligence and aptitude but also by affective factors.Since 1970s,a lot of scholars have begun to work on the effect of affective factors on students’ second language acquisition.Among all the affective factors,anxiety is considered to be one of the most critical affective variables.English teaching is one of the most important parts for the senior high teaching.Based on the author’s observation,English classroom anxiety prevails in senior high school.Some scholars have studied the way to relieve students’ English classroom anxiety.However,few scholars notice the effect of hedges used in class on relieving students’ English classroom anxiety.After analysis of the pragmatic function of hedges,the writer of this thesis finds that the appropriate usage of hedges in English class can save students’ face,which is one of the efficient ways to relieve English classroom anxiety.Therefore,the writer of this thesis adopts quantitative and qualitative methods to explore the effect of using hedges on relieving English classroom anxiety in senior high school.Besides,according to Affective Filter Theory,lower level of anxiety can promote language learning efficiency.Besides,the improvement of students’ English grades is the concrete manifestation of the effect of hedges used in English class on relieving students’ English classroom anxiety.Thus,this thesis also analyzes the change of students’ English grades.In summary,there are 3 questions to be solved in this thesis:1.What’s the situation of hedges used in senior high English classroom?2.What’s the effect of using hedges on English classroom anxiety in senior high school?3.What’s the effect of English classroom anxiety on students’ English learning proficiency?In order to solve these questions,some instruments are used to collect data during the experiment.FLCAS is used to measure the level of students’ English classroom anxiety.Two monthly test papers are used to measure students’ level of English learning proficiency.In order to find the change of students’ English classroom anxiety and English learning proficiency,the writer of this thesis chooses two classes in Guangming Senior High School.One class is regarded as the control class and the other one is regarded as the experimental class.These two classes are at the similar level of English classroom anxiety and English learning proficiency before the experiment.The difference between these two classes is that the English teacher uses more hedges in the experimental class.The situation of hedges used in class is recorded by video.At last,students’ level of English classroom anxiety and English learning proficiency are tested again after the experiment,which is aimed to see whether the level of English classroom anxiety and English learning proficiency really change or not.The data in this experiment are analyzed by SPSS.17.0.After analysis of the data,it can be found that the level of students’ English classroom anxiety is relieved a lot in the experimental class.In contrast,the level of students’English classroom anxiety nearly doesn’t change in the control class.Besides,with the level of students’ English classroom anxiety becoming lower,their English grades obtain the corresponding improvement.The results of this research provide a new direction on relieving students’ English classroom anxiety and improving their English learning proficiency.Based on the results of this research,the writer of this thesis puts forward some suggestions for high school English teaching at the end of this thesis,which is expected to make a little contribution to the English teaching in senior high school.