Investigating the Relationship between Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners’ Language Anxiety and Their Reading Ability

The present study examined the correlation between EFL learners’ language anxiety and their reading ability. To this end, first, 200 intermediate-level EFL learners including 100 male and 100 female learners were selected from among the learners of a private language institute in Urmia as the partic...

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Main Authors: Seyyed Hossein Kashef, Roshanak Ashrafi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Arad Institute of Higher Education 2023-03-01
Series:International Journal of Practical and Pedagogical Issues in English Education
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.ijpie.org/article_170628_5d5353a0db61485f91e8f4930c41d09e.pdf
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author Seyyed Hossein Kashef
Roshanak Ashrafi
author_facet Seyyed Hossein Kashef
Roshanak Ashrafi
author_sort Seyyed Hossein Kashef
collection DOAJ
description The present study examined the correlation between EFL learners’ language anxiety and their reading ability. To this end, first, 200 intermediate-level EFL learners including 100 male and 100 female learners were selected from among the learners of a private language institute in Urmia as the participants based on their results on a proficiency test. Second, the participants received Horwitz, Horwitz, and Cope’s (1986) Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale and completed it in about twenty-five minutes. Third, they took the researcher-made reading comprehension test of the study and answered its items in about forty minutes. The study was carried out in three sessions within a one-week period. Pearson Product Moment Correlation test was used for data analysis. The results of the study highlighted the fact that there were significant negative correlations between language anxiety and reading ability for both of the male and female EFL learners. It was argued that, the negative correlations between the participants’ language anxiety and reading ability stemmed from: a) the debilitative role of anxiety in language learning; b) learners’ lack of ability to recognize and adapt themselves to the cultural, social, and linguistic characteristics of the native speakers of the target language; c) the effect of formal evaluation on the learners’ task performance; d) learners’ underestimation of their capabilities to use the second language; and e) learners’ inability to utilize efficient communication and group-based strategies in the context of the classroom.
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spelling doaj-art-cd9022ecb3454b949da219d0005d93132025-08-20T02:40:23ZengArad Institute of Higher EducationInternational Journal of Practical and Pedagogical Issues in English Education2980-95332023-03-0111435510.22034/ijpie.2023.170628170628Investigating the Relationship between Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners’ Language Anxiety and Their Reading AbilitySeyyed Hossein Kashef0Roshanak Ashrafi1Department of English Language and Literature, Islamic Azad University, Urmia, IranDepartment of English Language and Literature, Islamic Azad University, Urmia, IranThe present study examined the correlation between EFL learners’ language anxiety and their reading ability. To this end, first, 200 intermediate-level EFL learners including 100 male and 100 female learners were selected from among the learners of a private language institute in Urmia as the participants based on their results on a proficiency test. Second, the participants received Horwitz, Horwitz, and Cope’s (1986) Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale and completed it in about twenty-five minutes. Third, they took the researcher-made reading comprehension test of the study and answered its items in about forty minutes. The study was carried out in three sessions within a one-week period. Pearson Product Moment Correlation test was used for data analysis. The results of the study highlighted the fact that there were significant negative correlations between language anxiety and reading ability for both of the male and female EFL learners. It was argued that, the negative correlations between the participants’ language anxiety and reading ability stemmed from: a) the debilitative role of anxiety in language learning; b) learners’ lack of ability to recognize and adapt themselves to the cultural, social, and linguistic characteristics of the native speakers of the target language; c) the effect of formal evaluation on the learners’ task performance; d) learners’ underestimation of their capabilities to use the second language; and e) learners’ inability to utilize efficient communication and group-based strategies in the context of the classroom.https://www.ijpie.org/article_170628_5d5353a0db61485f91e8f4930c41d09e.pdfanxietyforeign language anxietylearner differencesreading ability
spellingShingle Seyyed Hossein Kashef
Roshanak Ashrafi
Investigating the Relationship between Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners’ Language Anxiety and Their Reading Ability
International Journal of Practical and Pedagogical Issues in English Education
anxiety
foreign language anxiety
learner differences
reading ability
title Investigating the Relationship between Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners’ Language Anxiety and Their Reading Ability
title_full Investigating the Relationship between Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners’ Language Anxiety and Their Reading Ability
title_fullStr Investigating the Relationship between Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners’ Language Anxiety and Their Reading Ability
title_full_unstemmed Investigating the Relationship between Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners’ Language Anxiety and Their Reading Ability
title_short Investigating the Relationship between Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners’ Language Anxiety and Their Reading Ability
title_sort investigating the relationship between iranian intermediate efl learners language anxiety and their reading ability
topic anxiety
foreign language anxiety
learner differences
reading ability
url https://www.ijpie.org/article_170628_5d5353a0db61485f91e8f4930c41d09e.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT seyyedhosseinkashef investigatingtherelationshipbetweeniranianintermediateefllearnerslanguageanxietyandtheirreadingability
AT roshanakashrafi investigatingtherelationshipbetweeniranianintermediateefllearnerslanguageanxietyandtheirreadingability