LINKING ANXIETY IN SECOND LANGUAGE WITH STUDENTS' WRITING PERFORMANCE

Authors

  • Jovelyn M. Cantina Jose Rizal Memorial State University

Keywords:

anxiety, second language, writing, language learning, performance

Abstract

Language learning anxiety is a specific anxiety reaction that occurs only when a language learner is thinking about language learning, participating in a language class, or studying a language.  The study aims to establish the effects of anxiety to the writing performance among the college students of JRMSU System enrolled in English 12 communication class during the second semester of academic year 2015-2016. The correlational research method was employed in the study adapting Cheng English Writing Anxiety Scale (EWAS) and writing performance. The statistical tools used were frequency count, mean computations, t-test, Kruskal-Wallis Test, Mann-Whitney Test, and Spearman Rank. The study reveals that students’ language anxiety is moderate and their writing performance is average. Findings reveal that there is a significant relationship between anxiety and students’ writing performance. Findings also indicate the statistically significant difference on the writing performance of the respondents as to campus and age, yet there is no significant difference as to sex. However, there is no significant difference on the level of anxiety of the students as to age, sex and campus. This study recommends that instructors should seek more effective ways to ease the anxiety that students might feel when learning and writing in English so as to support successful language learning experiences.

References

Awan, R. U.N., Azher, M., Anwar, M. N., & Naz, A., (2010). An Investigation of Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety and its Relationship with Students’ Achievement. Journal of College Teaching & Learning, 7, 33-34. Retrieved from www.journals.cluteonline.com/index.php/TLC/article/.../249/239 on March 3, 2016.

Cheng, Y. (2004). A measure of second language writing anxiety: Scale development and preliminary validation. Journal of Second Language Writing. Retrieved from on March 1, 2016

Choi, S. (2013).Language Anxiety in Second Language Writing: Is It Really a Stumbling Block? Retrieved from http://www.hawaii.edu/sls/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Choi-Sujeong.pdf on March 1, 2016.

Cubukcu, F. (2007). Foreign Language Anxiety. Iranian Journal of Language Studies (IJLS), 1(2), 133. Retrieved from core.kmi.open.ac.uk/download/pdf/1053574 on March 5, 2016

DeDeyn (2011). Student Identity, Writing Anxiety, and Writing Performance: A Correlational Study. Retrieved from http://dspace.library.colostate.edu/webclient/DeliveryManager/digitool_items/
csu01_storage/2012/02/07/file_1/ on March 2, 2016

Di, Q. (2010). A study of English language anxiety among Chinese college students. 1-6. Retrieved from http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=research%20paper%20on%20english%20language%20anxiety&
source=web&cd=4&cad=rja&sqi=2&ved=0CEUQFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fminds
.wisconsin.edu%2Fbitstream%2Fhandle%2F1793%2F43769%2FQiu%2C%
2520Di.pdf&ei=E5LiULz9HpDyrQe5jIH4BA&usg=
AFQjCNGhRxjmChRfwlKKeOwBpDHN5dPOA&bvm=
bv.1355534169,d.bmk on March 3, 2016

Horwitz, E. (2010). Foreign and Second Language Anxiety. Language Teaching. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S026144480999036X on March 4, 2016.

Nimat N. (2013). An investigation of English Language Anxiety-Experiences of Undergraduate Students in Bangladesh. Retrieved from http://dspace.bracu.ac.bd/bitstream/handle/10361/3555/Numaya%20nimat.pdf?sequence=1 on March 3, 2016.

Trang, T. (2011) . A Review of Horwitz, Horwitz and Cope’s Theory of Foreign Langauge Anxiety and the Challenges to the Theory. The University of Queensland Australia. Vol. 5. No. 1 January 2012. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/elt.v5n1p69 on March 6, 2016

Lee, S. (2005). Facilitating and inhibiting factors on EFL writing: A model testing with SEM. Language Learning Retrieved on March 5, 2016.

Zhang, H. (2011). Study on ESL writing anxiety among Chinese English majors - Causes, effects and coping strategies for ESL Writing anxiety. 2-14. Retrieved from www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:426646/FULLTEXT02 on March 4

Published

2017-06-03