Easing Foreign Language Anxiety and Encouraging Active Participation in Virtual Exchanges

Virtual language exchanges provide a cost-effective alternative to traditional study abroad programs by eliminating the need for travel. These exchanges, which allow students from diverse global contexts to communicate in English online, have been shown to enhance motivation, willingness to communicate, and Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE). They also improve English oral skills and intercultural competence. However, Foreign Language Anxiety (FLA) can hinder student participation. Issues such as insufficient planning for real-time communicative tasks and differences in language levels can create stressful environments, leading to avoidance behaviors. To address these challenges, a 12-week virtual exchange project was designed, involving 75 students (42 from a Tokyo-based university and 33 from a Munich-based college). Using FLIP for asynchronous video exchanges, students could plan and practice their spoken English in preparation for real-time interactions via Zoom at a later stage. Survey responses from the Japanese students indicated overall positivity and enjoyment in the video-exchanges and interactions. However, they also suggested ways to improve overall participation in future projects with more convenient zoom scheduling, more engaging task design and additional layers of project management.