Supporting Anxious Students: Interview with Robert Stroud

Episode Overview

In this episode of the Language Innovators podcast, Dr. Linh Phung, founder and CEO of Eduling, sits down with Dr. Robert Stroud, a seasoned professor at a "super global" university in Tokyo with two decades of experience in the Japanese education system. The conversation centers on the important issue of supporting anxious students in the language classroom. Together, they explore the psychological roots of foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA), its impact on student performance, and pedagogical strategies to mitigate anxiety and build student confidence. A significant portion of the discussion is dedicated to the role of technology, specifically the use of AI chatbots and virtual exchanges through Dr. Stroud’s "Culture Club," in providing a safe, judgment-free environment for learners to develop their communication skills.

Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VDZhx2sqeY

Highlights and Key Discussion Points

1. Understanding the Roots of Classroom Anxiety

Dr. Stroud emphasizes that anxiety in language learning is a deeply personal and common emotion. While it manifests in various ways, its primary drivers are often social and psychological rather than purely linguistic.

• Fear of Judgment and Mistakes: The most significant source of anxiety is the fear of making mistakes and being judged by others. This "judgment" is not always academic; it can be as subtle as perceived negative eye contact or a peer laughing.

  
  

• The Teacher's Role in Anxiety: The way feedback is delivered is a major factor. Overemphasis on accuracy and excessive error correction can negatively affect a student's sense of achievement. Stroud notes a growing movement of teachers who prioritize "willingness to communicate" over accuracy, sometimes choosing not to correct errors at all to keep the student’s confidence intact.

  
  

• Generational Shifts: Dr. Stroud highlights that Gen Z students face unique pressures due to being "flooded" with information and diverse communication platforms (SNS and apps), which creates new layers of social anxiety.

2. The Impact of Anxiety on Language Achievement

The discussion addresses how foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA) acts as a detrimental barrier to language learning and academic achievement.

• Cognitive Interference: Anxiety "clogs up" the brain, narrowing attention and reducing working memory. This prevents students from taking the risks necessary for language acquisition.

  
  

• Over-studying: Dr. Stroud points out a less-discussed manifestation: anxious over-studying. Some students react to anxiety by preparing excessively, leading to burnout, overreactions, or even dropping out of elective courses.

  
  

• Performance Barriers: In the short term, anxiety leads to reduced participation and low performance in oral tasks. Long-term, consistent anxiety can cause a total loss of motivation.

3. The Paradox: Anxiety vs. Enjoyment

Dr. Phung references the research of Dewaele and McIntyre, sparking a conversation about the complex relationship between anxiety, enjoyment, and willingness to communicate (WTC).

• Separate Emotional Scales: Both speakers note that anxiety and enjoyment are not simply opposites; a student can be stressed but still enjoy a task.

  
  

• The Value of "Productive" Stress: Dr. Stroud suggests that aiming for "zero anxiety" is unrealistic and potentially counterproductive. He believes a certain level of stress reflects real-world communication and provides a sense of achievement when a difficult task is completed.

  
  

• Engagement and Preference: Dr. Phung shares her own research findings, noting that enjoyment and task preference have a stronger impact on language production (engagement) than the presence of anxiety.

4. Pedagogical Strategies and "Scaffolding"

To combat the negative effects of FLCA, Dr. Stroud and Dr. Phung discuss practical Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) strategies.

• Pre-task Planning and Rehearsal: Giving students time to organize their thoughts, write down notes (strategic planning), or practice with a partner before a large group discussion significantly reduces the feeling of being unprepared.

  
  

• Removing the "Safety Net": Dr. Stroud uses a gamified scaffolding technique. He initially allows students to "cheat" by reading directly from their notes. In subsequent rounds, he limits their "lives" (how many times they can check notes) until they can perform without any written aid.

  
  

• Inner Speech and Silence: Dr. Phung and Dr. Stroud discuss the power of silence and inner speech. Allowing students five minutes of quiet time to "conceptualize and formulate" thoughts through "inner speech" gives them the privacy and mental space needed to prepare without the pressure of immediate output.

  
  

5. AI Chatbots as Judgment-Free Partners

Dr. Stroud shares fascinating findings from his 2024/2025 research comparing planning with peers with planning with chatbots.

• Judgement-free Space: Students found chatbots to provide a "judgment-free space". Unlike human peers, chatbots allow for "two minutes of silence" without social pressure, giving anxious students ample time to respond.

  
  

• The Human Preference: Despite the benefits of AI, students still preferred human peers for real communication because humans offer facial expressions and genuine emotional connections.

  
  

• AI as a Tool: Both educators agree that AI should be viewed as a tool for personalization and scaffolding rather than a replacement for human interaction. For example, students in Culture Club used EdulingAI to prepare for their subsequent conversations with peers.

  
  

6. Virtual Exchanges: Curiosity vs. Anxiety

Dr. Stroud details his work with "Culture Club," an initiative that connects learners from diverse backgrounds (e.g., Japan, Uzbekistan, Nepal) through synchronous Zoom sessions.

• Curiosity Overcoming Fear: Dr. Stroud has observed that genuine curiosity about a peer’s culture often outweighs the student’s anxiety about their language level.

  
  

• Building the "Communication Muscle": Dr. Phung notes that repeated participation in these exchanges—not just once, but multiple times—helps students train their "communication muscle" and normalize the discomfort of cross-cultural interaction.

  
  

Conclusion

The dialogue between Dr. Linh Phung and Dr. Robert Stroud serves as a reminder that effective language teaching requires a balance between rigorous task design and understanding of the learner's emotional state. By utilizing structured scaffolding, respecting the role of silence, and strategically integrating AI and peers as a preparatory tool, educators can transform the language classroom from a place of potential judgment into a safe environment for joyful and meaningful communication.

More information about Dr. Stroud: https://robertstroud.org

More information about the University Grapevine: https://theuniversitygrapevine.com

Join Culture Club: https://cultureclub.com

Download the Eduling app to try EdulingAI HERE

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