Author(s): Fatima Zahra Alaoui Mrani

Abstract: Foreign language anxiety is still one of the biggest emotional barriers in learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL). In the past, translation exercises have been assumed to be cognitively challenging tasks, but more recent studies show that, if designed with care, certain translation tasks can be used to alleviate the anxiety of learners and to promote psychological safety in language classrooms. This research analyzes the ways in which selective translation exercises could help to alleviate the anxiety of EFL learners while also improving learners’ language skills. By conducting a broad analysis of the literature and analysing several hare and qualitative studies, this work investigates learners’ emotional reactions to various forms of translation work and attempts to define the translation exercise features that encourage low anxiety. The research shows that learners’ anxiety is decreased substantially, alongside more positive emotional responses towards the target language, while performing certain culturally and contextually bound translation tasks, particularly when used with group work. This work offers suggestions to teachers on the use of translation exercises designed to decrease anxiety and improve learner emotional responses in EFL classrooms, ultimately seeking to improve the language teaching and learning in EFL context which lacks emotional and psychological considerations.

Keywords: Foreign language anxiety, translation tasks, EFL learning, psychological safey, affective factors, emotional responses

Article Info: Received: 18 Aug 2025; Received in revised form: 16 Sep 2025; Accepted: 19 Sep 2025; Available online: 25 Sep 2025

DOI: 10.22161/ijels.105.27