English Language Apprehension and the Reading-Writing Competence of Students

Abstract

This research study aimed to explore the association between undergraduates' English language apprehension and their reading-writing ability. A descriptive-correlation design was used, with survey questionnaires and tests disseminated using Google forms. The researcher employed a questionnaire adapted and modified from MacIntyre and Gardner (1994) to determine the level of English language apprehension. It comprises three components of learning processes: input, processing, and output stage. The data was then quantified and evaluated using mean and standard deviation for English language apprehension, frequency, and percentage for reading-writing skills. Pearson product-moment correlation was used to examine the relationship between apprehension and reading and writing abilities. The undergraduate students reported a neutral level of apprehension in the second language and were competent in reading and writing. The study's findings imply that English language apprehension has a significant association with students' reading-writing skills. Furthermore, a negative correlation is found on apprehension level experienced in the input stage of learning and applied reading comprehension and processing anxiety and writing fluency.