Foreign language reading anxiety and reading comprehension of Korean secondary EFL students

Abstract

This study examines the foreign language reading anxiety of Korean students and its relation to reading comprehension. Furthermore, it investigates the main sources which affect foreign reading anxiety. Forty-eight students participated in a survey, in which they took the Foreign Language Reading Anxiety Scale (FLRAS) and an English Reading Comprehension Test (ERCT). Their scores of each FLRAS and ERCT were compared to see the correlation. The result found that there was a positive relationship between reading anxiety and reading comprehension. In addition, the primary factors that affect reading anxiety were text-related reading anxiety which becomes the first rank of the causes of anxiety followed by cognitive anxiety including feeling intimidated in understanding and remembering while reading. This study is implicative for understanding L2 learners’ psychological aspects such as apprehension and having an appropriate attitude and approach in guiding students with fears in foreign language learning.