Language is a fundamental part of human culture and identity and plays a crucial role in communication and connection between people. In today’s globalized world, communicating effectively in different languages has become increasingly essential, yet learning a foreign language can be difficult and anxiety-provoking. Zhang’s research is on Students’ Foreign Language Anxiety (FLA) among college students learning Chinese as a foreign language in the United States Chinese Flagship Program. The primary goal of this research is to investigate the FLA experienced by these students and to provide insights that will help instructors to understand students’ anxiety and thereby implement more effective strategies to help students reduce their FLA and support their learning. By promoting Chinese language learning and proficiency, this research will create more opportunities for students to connect with others from different backgrounds and cultures.

Through this research, Zhang seeks to learn about her students’ experiences of their Chinese learning journey and their stories of how anxiety impacts their communication and understanding of the Chinese language. Zhang hopes to shed light on the ways in which language learning is not only a technical skill, but also a deeply human experience that raises essential questions about identity, belonging, and culture.