News
06/01/2026
Out now: Learning English with a Smi:-)le
This volume examines positivity as a key factor in successful language acquisition and especially in preventing foreign language anxiety. Drawing on insights from positive psychology, neuroscience, and foreign language pedagogy, it demonstrates how foreign language and in particular English instruction can be designed to help learners develop emotional security, motivation, and linguistic competence. The book does not view positivity as superficial cheerfulness, but rather as the evidence-based design of learning environments that strike a balance between challenge and support. It was developed in Prof. Böttger’s advanced seminar on English language teaching. The target audience includes teacher candidates, teachers, and anyone interested in designing or improving foreign language instruction.
The volume combines theoretical foundations with practical insights and aims to demonstrate that successful foreign language instruction occurs when learners feel confident enough to take risks with the language – and thus experience it firsthand.
The book is available as open access and can be downloaded HERE.
05/08/2026
LAI and ELSA Featured in MELTA News
The latest spring edition of MELTA (Munich English Language Teachers Association) News places spotlight on LAI and, particularly, insights into English Language Speaking Anxiety (ELSA). Prof. Heiner Böttger's contribution entitled “When speaking English feels risky – Understanding and reducing learner anxiety in the classroom" outlines specific practices educators can incorporate into their classrooms that help understand and reduce their learners' foreign language anxiety. It includes a practical plan of approaches helpful to prepare for (before), cope with (during), and reflect upon (after) the respective speaking situation so that learners can participate more confidently in spoken interaction.
Find the published version HERE (pages 33-34, only free for subscribers).
04/18/2026
A Poster in New York
Bianca Höppner successfully presented her current research project on emotion regulation strategies and their impact on ELSA manifestations at the Learning and the Brain conference at the Sheraton NY Times Square Hotel near Central Park. The poster entitled "Tailored Emotion Regulation to Support Executive Function in Foreign Language Speaking" not only summarized initial data from 113 participants with a focus on correlational results between the use of emotion regulation strategies and ELSA manifestations, but also allowed participants to measure their own anxiety about speaking a foreign language (language of their choice) and learn about tailored strategies to address their individual manifestations.
04/16/2026
Going Live...
This website is created to connect and share information on language anxiety. Yet, LAI also aims to help educators and learners understand their own emotional reactions in the foreign language context better - the first step towards mapping suitable strategies to become more confident when using, and in particular, speaking the respective foreign language.
Hence, we are currently working on developing an app that allows us and each individual to measure foreign language speaking anxiety in detailed manner: Which effects (e.g. sweaty hands or voice creaking) does the one experience prior to, in or after the respective situation? Depending on the respective results we suggest specific, easily adaptable strategies. Stay tuned and write to us, if you are interested on getting regular updates!
12/12/2025
Symposium: An Anxiety Afternoon
The symposium An Anxiety Afternoon on December 12th, 2025, marked an inspiring launch of the Language Anxiety Initiative, bringing together around 220 participants on-site, online, and via livestream in teacher‑training seminars. Keynote contributions by Prof. Heiner Böttger, Dr. Natalia Tilton, Prof. Karla Jensen, and Harald Henriksson illuminated language anxiety from empirical, pedagogical, and mindfulness-based perspectives. A particular highlight was the keynote by Prof. Joseph E. LeDoux (NYU), whose insights into the cognitive nature of anxiety challenged conventional neuroscientific models and opened new avenues for didactic innovation. Throughout the afternoon, speakers demonstrated how language anxiety intertwines with learning environments, identity, and institutional structures – and how it can be diagnosed, understood, and mindfully alleviated. The event not only shared cutting-edge research but also provided tangible impulses for more confident, compassionate communication in educational settings.
10/11/2025
Fighting the Fear Factor: Keynote
Research on Foreign Language Anxiety has long focused on non-European countries. The presentation by Prof. Dr. Dr. Heiner Böttger at the yearly GMF conference highlights that German-speaking adults are, nevertheless, by no means immune to this emotional response. If you are interested in the central points of his presentation, please find the slides attached HERE.
There is a New Scale in Town
Although the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS; Horwitz et al., 1986) has been widely used in empirical research, a critical re-examination of its original purpose appeared necessary. This reassessment motivated the development of a new instrument specifically tailored to English Language Speaking Anxiety (ELSA). The scale developed by Heiner Böttger is currently available in German, the English version is days ahead. The German version is published HERE (see the appendix of Böttger's dissertation).
