Uncovering Psychological Determinants and Coping Strategies in English Language Anxiety Among High School Students

This study sought to determine the level of anxiety towards English language learning of the students of Isabela State University, Ilagan Campus. The researchers used the descriptive design since the aim was to describe the level of the students’ anxiety towards English language learning. The standardized questionnaire for anxiety developed by Horwitz et al. (1986) was used           in this study. The findings revealed that the respondents’ level on the different areas of anxiety in learning the English language namely: communication anxiety, oral test anxiety, fear of negative evaluation, anxiety of English classes is moderate. Further, the results showed that sex is a variable that does not affect the students’ level of anxiety in learning the English language in terms of their anxiety in communication and in their English classes. 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This study aimed to investigate which of the English learning anxieties (communication apprehension, test anxiety and fear of negative evaluation) is most experienced by EFL of the English major students of Universitas Klabat in year 2017/2018. The respondents of this study comprised of 207 English major students of Universitas Klabat, 47 males and 160 females. This study utilized descriptive-correlational research design. Mean and standard deviation were utilized for descriptive. Multiple comparison Sceffe was utilized to see the differences of English language anxiety among the respondents and independent t-test and Pearson correlation were utilized for correlation between the length of study and English language anxiety. The results showed that the English major students of Universitas Klabat highly experienced English language anxiety: communication apprehension, test anxiety and fear of negative evaluation. The difference of variance ANOVA test showed there are significant differences in students’ English learning anxiety among different variables in communication apprehension and fear of negative evaluation, but no significant difference is shown in Test Anxiety. Pearson correlation showed there is a correlation between the length of study in campus and communication apprehension and has a negative low correlation, but there is no correlation between the length of study and both test anxiety and fear of negative evaluation.

A Study on English Language Anxiety among Adult Learners in Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM)

English Language plays a crucial role in global communication across various domains. The objective of this study was to investigate English language anxiety among undergraduate learners at Pakistani private universities and explore the factors affecting language related anxiety. The researchers assessed three demographic variables—age, gender and years of English language learning—alongside three key aspects contributing to language anxiety: Test Anxiety, Fear of negative evaluation, and communication apprehension. Data were collected from one hundred undergraduate participants in the study using English Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (ELCAS). Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics, multiple regression, and correlation analysis. The data revealed a significant correlation between years of English language study and language anxiety. However, there was no relationship between gender, age and English language anxiety. The multiple regression analysis revealed that the primary factor related to language anxiety is the fear of negative evaluation. The study underscores the importance of addressing the fear of negative evaluation as the key factor in English language anxiety among Pakistani private university undergraduates and recommends tailored language programs and professional development for educators to create a supportive learning environment.

English language learning anxiety is a significant affective factor influencing students’ academic participation and performance in second language classrooms. This study explores English Language Learning Anxiety (ELLA) among Pakistani university students through the lens of Horwitz, (Yu Cui, 2025), and Cope’s (1986) Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety (FLCA) Model, which conceptualizes anxiety as comprising communication apprehension, fear of negative evaluation, and test anxiety. The study adopted a qualitative exploratory research design to gain an in-depth understanding of learners’ emotional experiences in English language classrooms. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with ten (10) undergraduate students enrolled in the 7th semester of the Education Department at the University of Gujrat, Pakistan. The participants had extensive experience with English- medium instruction and classroom-based oral activities. The interview data were analyzed using thematic analysis, guided by the three core components of the FLCA model. The findings revealed that communication apprehension was the most prominent source of anxiety, particularly during oral presentations and classroom discussions. Fear of negative evaluation from teachers and peers significantly reduced students’ confidence and willingness to participate. At the same time, test anxiety emerged during assessments, presentations, and examinations, leading to stress and performance difficulties. The results indicate that English language anxiety is largely classroom-specific and shaped by instructional practices, peer interaction, and evaluation methods. The study concludes that reducing English language anxiety requires supportive classroom environments, constructive feedback, and anxiety- sensitive assessment practices. The findings offer practical implications for English language teachers and curriculum designers in Pakistani universities to foster confidence and active participation among learners.

The current study investigated anxiety-provoking classroom sources among undergraduate engineering students at Mehran UET, Pakistan. In this study, the participants (female 105 male 116) participated. The data were collected via questionnaire FLCAS and semi-structured interviews. The objective of this study was to identify classroom sources of anxiety quantitatively and qualitatively. The findings of study suggested some main sources of anxiety among fresh engineering students: (1) test anxiety; (2) apprehension in communication; (3) fear of negative evaluation; (4) presentation in English; (5) English language instructor; (6) competitiveness in English language; (7) negative self-evaluation; (8) individual tasks in classroom; (9) fear of making errors in English classroom; (10) English language difficulties. The participants have self-reported the main sources of anxiety in English language learning. These sources also confirm previous research on anxiety-causing sources among foreign language learners.

Research in educational settings points out that some affective factors influence the students' performance positively or negatively. Anxiety, considered as one of the factors affecting the students' achievement, includes levels of communicative anxiety, fear of negative evaluation, test anxiety, and anxiety of English class or classroom. Hence, the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between English language anxiety and the students' achievement in their examinations. To this end, 258 freshmen majoring in different fields of medicine at Gonabad University of Medical Sciences were recruited as the study participants. Two instruments were employed to collect data. The first one was the Persian version of Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale questionnaire (FLCAS) completed during the semester to determine the anxiety level on a five-point Likert scale, and the second was an achievement test administered at the end of the term. The obtained results were analyzed using correlation, t-test, and descriptive statistics through SPSS software V.19. The results showed that high anxiety affected the students' achievement (r=0.348, p<0.001). Moreover, the English classroom anxiety proved to be much more significant than other anxiety levels (r=0.36). Nonetheless, the mean value of fear of negative evaluation was higher than those of other FLCAS components. Finally, some implications and suggestions were set forth for teachers/students to take into account so that they might reduce English learning anxiety in classrooms.

English language learning can be a stringent chore for a number of language learners especially in Malaysia. Hence, this indirectly create obstacles for language learners whom are fluently with first or native language. A considerable amount of language learners without doubt have experienced one kind of anxiety in learning English language which is known as English Language Anxiety (ELA). Therefore, this research was carried out to look into ELA among form 4 students in selected schools and at the same time, this research is aimed to study the level of anxiety and to determine the types of anxiety in English learning. Obviously, by understanding that English language learning takes place and starts at school, it also aims to investigate whether school climate can be a new predictor to ELA. For this purpose, 80 students were selected in schools that located in a neighbourhood. The instrument was questionnaire which composed of English Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (ELCAS) that was adapted and School Climate English Language Anxiety (SCELA) which was developed anon in this research. SCELA had gone through validity and reliability and it was considered to be a reliable questionnaire. The result proved that the students were having high level of anxiety and the most influencing types of anxiety are Communication Apprehension and Fear of Test Anxiety. This two types of anxiety proved the underlying reason for high level of anxiety experienced by the students. As for the School Climate to be considered as the new predictor for ELA, the result obtain in the research had unveiled that Academic Dimensions and Social Dimensions to be significantly influence ELA. The data was computed by using Multiple Regression in SPSS Version 22.0. In brief, this outcomes suggest that English teachers should create a motivating and encouraging classroom to engage the students attention in learning English Language. Teachers should be able to know the remedies to fight over the anxiety that constantly aroused in the English classroom successfully as to provide the needs for students in learning English language.

This paper aims to explore the status quo of English learning anxiety of Chinese EFL high school students to provide suggestions to deduce it. Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) is used to make an investigation into 293 high school students of different grades in Yuemiao High School in China. By both qualitative and quantitative analyses of data collected from the questionnaires, it finds out that ①a medium level of English learning anxiety existed widely in the students of Yuemiao High School (M=3.115, SD=0.58). Test Anxiety is the highest (Mean=3.244). Fear of Negative Evaluation is the lowest (Mean=2.981). ② In terms of grade, three grades have statistically significant differences in anxiety (p=0.005 Mean (Female) = 3.052), especially in Communication Anxiety (p=0.013 Mean (Female) =3.058). ④ In terms of different majors, there is no statistical significance in English learning anxiety (p>0.05). Therefore, to minimize students’ English learning anxiety, English teachers should improve their teaching skills, build a better and more harmonious relationship with students to attract students’ interest and explore a cooperative learning mode between male and female students.

This paper aims at investigating whether there is relationship between students’ anxiety and students’ achievement in English as a foreign language among adolescents at Sekolah Menengah Umum Negeri 1 Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan. The sample was 152 students of sixteen and seventeen years old at second grade. The results indicate that the students’ anxiety in learning English as foreign language is at moderate level. There is no significant relationship between English language anxiety and students’ achievement in English as a foreign language as a whole. But a significant negative correlation between test anxiety and students’ achievement is indicated. And the difference of English language anxiety between male and female occurred on communication apprehension, it shows that female is more apprehensive than male in English communication but for overall anxiety, there is no difference in English language anxiety by gender at second grade in this school.

This research is the result of research on students’ anxiety in learning English by students of SMPN 03 Mempawah Hilir, West Kalimantan. Anxiety in learning English is often reported to negatively affect English learning. This research aims to determine the level of anxiety and the factors that dominate the anxiety of students at SMPN 03 in Mempawah Hilir, West Kalimantan in learning English, which will then be carried out further research to respond to the findings in this research. The method used in this research is descriptive approach, where the findings are presented in the form of a description of the calculations from the data obtained from questionnaires and interviews. This research took junior high school students in one class as respondents. They are class VII A students in 2021/2022. Questionnaires and interviews were distributed to collect data on students' anxiety in learning English. The questions in the questionnaire were made to determine the level of students' anxiety in learning English but interviews were conducted to determine the factors that dominate students' anxiety in learning English. The data obtained from the questionnaire will be calculated the average and percentage. Then the value obtained will be categorized such as mild anxiety, moderate anxiety, severe anxiety, and panic. From the results of interviews with students, conclusions will be drawn to see the similarities experienced by students. It was found that level of students’ anxiety in this school is severe anxiety. In mild anxiety, the average result is (59%) with enough criteria. On moderate anxiety, the average result is (57%) with enough criteria, (67%) of severe anxiety belongs to the strong criteria. There is a (47%) average score on panic anxiety that belongs to the enough criteria. Based on the results of these percentages, students are in the Severe Anxiety. From the results of the interview, it was found that the factor that dominates students' anxiety in learning English is test anxiety. All respondent are 24 students of class VII A in 2021/2022.

By using adapted FLCAS as a questionnaire among 100 English majors from four different grades of Beijing Institute of Technology, Zhuhai, this study investigated the current English learning anxiety situation, the difference between different grades of English majors and the reasons of it. The results show that English majors at Beijing Institute of Technology, Zhuhai have moderate English learning anxiety and they are the most anxious at the aspect of communication apprehension. And for the English learning anxiety difference between two groups of participants, although high-grade students are slightly less anxious than low-grade students in communication apprehension, fear of negative evaluation, test anxiety and negative belief towards English, no significant difference between high grades and low grades is found. Based on these findings, this study provides some suggestions for future English learning and teaching for English majors.

English has become an indispensable communicative tool in this modern society. English learning is affected by several factors such as learning motivation, effort, environment, cognitive ability, and foreign language anxiety. The purpose of this study was to understand the English learning anxiety among technical college freshmen. Statistic analysis methods, such as descriptive statistics, T-test, analysis of variance, and Pearson product-moment correlation analysis were adopted. The researcher investigated the following problems concerning foreign language anxiety. (1) Were there differences in language anxiety between male and female students? (2) To what extent did ineffective and effective learners differ in their anxiety level? (3) What were the differences in language anxiety among students with different studying time after class? (4) What were the major foreign language anxieties for technical college students? The results revealed that male students had higher test anxiety and fear of negative evaluation than female students did, while female students had higher communication apprehension anxiety. Language anxiety and learning proficiency affected each other. There was significantly negative correlation between overall language anxiety scores and learning proficiency. Students' language anxiety was negatively correlated to their studying time after class. Students were most anxious about communicating with native speakers in English learning.

Foreign language learning anxiety is considered one of the emotional factors that hinders foreign language learning and affects English teaching effectiveness. Currently, junior middle school English teachers in China pay little attention to the impact of learning anxiety on teaching, and there are few studies on English learning anxiety among Chinese junior middle school students. Furthermore, no research has been found regarding the influence of the PAD Class model on English learning anxiety of junior middle school students. Therefore, this study takes 49 first-year junior middle school students from China as the research subjects, intends to investigate the current situation of junior middle school students’ English learning anxiety and verify the impact of PAD Class model on their English learning anxiety level. Using research methods of questionnaire, semi-structured interview, as well as statistical analysis, it is found that: (1) junior middle school students’ English learning anxiety is at a medium-low level, with their anxiety primarily stemming from communicating in English, self-development requirements, and parental expectations; (2) PAD Class model significantly reduces the English learning anxiety among junior middle school students, especially the test anxiety and communicative apprehension. Finally, some suggestions are provided for the future application of PAD Class model to English teaching and further research.

English language anxiety appears in some International students while learning in the country that use any language other than their native language. International students may get anxious while learning in another country. This research tries to answer two issues. The first one is the factors causing anxiety of Thai students in English language learning and the next one is the strategies of Thai students in coping their anxiety in English language learning. The data for this qualitative study were gathered from observation and semi-structured interview. The participants are two Thai students who took English Education Department in IAIN Salatiga. From the data, the researcher find that there are three factors causing anxiety of Thai students in English language learning namely communication apprehension, test anxiety and fear of negative evaluation. The researcher also find that there are two strategies of Thai students in coping the anxiety in reading class. They are preparation and peer seeking. The results of this study are hopefully can be beneficial to English teacher and students. Not only for domestic students, but also International students.