Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) to Decrease Anxiety Levels in Learners of English as a Foreign Language
Authors
Rosa Awilda López-Fernández
Universidad APEC, República Dominicana
awildalopezfernandez@gmail.com https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8267-4855Kyoko Ito-Morales
Universidad de Granada, Granada-Andalucía, España
kyoko@ugr.es https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9095-8797Jerónimo Morales-Cabezas
Universidad de Granada, Granada-Andalucía, España
moralesc@ugr.es https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3446-620XDetalles
Published
Abstract
This is an investigation based on the empirical demonstration of EFT or Emotional Freedom Technique to reduce anxiety levels in students of English as a foreign language and influence the improvement of the oral production skills. Technical English courses have a high population of students who gradually acquire a large vocabulary, master grammatical elements, etc., but still show excessive insecurity and anxiety when speaking in the target language. These students seek solutions at a cognitive level by addressing the situation with successive re-enrollment with special courses or for specific purposes. Thirty-nine (39) students of English as a foreign language from the Dominican Republic took part in this research. The use of the emotional freedom technique, focusing on the meridian tapping points of the hands was proposed. An Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to approximate the effect of the technique on the results of the exams, after applying the technique. For this purpose, the mean values before and after were considered and the parameters were formulated with a confidence level of 95% and a margin of error of 0.05%. The investigation showed that EFT decreases anxiety levels, that tapping hand meridians is effective and that the state generated after applying the technique could influence a greater mastery of the oral competence of the students of English as a foreign language.
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