Skip to main content

Foreign Language Reading Anxiety and Its Correlation with Reading Test Scores

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Artificial Intelligence in Education Technologies: New Development and Innovative Practices (AIET 2022)

Abstract

Anxiety is a common experience among all of us in every daily situation. It is considered one of the affective factors in foreign language learning. Past research has pointed out that foreign language anxiety negatively correlates with academic performance in all four traditional language skills (speaking, listening, writing, and reading). Of all the skills, reading has been once deemed less susceptible to anxiety; however, it has been increasingly gaining more attention from researchers since findings of the pioneers (Saito and the associates) as a phenomenon related to foreign language anxiety. Notwithstanding increasing studies on foreign language reading anxiety, not much has been conducted in Vietnamese contexts, especially the research site. Thus, a survey design was conducted on 207 advanced level students at an educational Vietnamese institution with the aim to explore participants’ reading anxiety level, possible differences between FLRA and demographic variables, and correlation between FLRA and reading test scores. Results revealed that 96.6% of respondents were at a moderate level of reading anxiety. There were no statistically significant differences between FLRA and demographic variables such as gender, birthplace, and English text reading time per week. Similarly, no statistically significant correlation between FLRA and reading test scores could be found. Pedagogical implications were also discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 109.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Horwitz, E.K., Horwitz, M.B., Cope, J.: Foreign language classroom anxiety. Mod. Lang. J. 70(2), 125–132 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4781.1986.tb05256.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Dörnyei, Z.: Attitudes, orientations, and motivations in language learning: advances in theory, research, and applications. Lang. Learn. 53(S1), 3–32 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9922.53222

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Horwitz, E.: Language anxiety and achievement. Annu. Rev. Appl. Linguist. 21, 112–126 (Jan. 2001). https://doi.org/10.1017/S0267190501000071

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Sellers, V.D.: Anxiety and reading comprehension in Spanish as a foreign language. Foreign Lang. Ann. 33(5), 512–520 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1944-9720.2000.tb01995.x

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  5. Gonen, S.I.K.: L2 reading anxiety: Exploring the phenomenon, p. 10

    Google Scholar 

  6. Isler, C., Yildirim, O.: Sources of turkish efl learners’ foreign language reading anxiety. (2017). doi: https://doi.org/10.30762/JEELS.V4I1.328

  7. Genç, G.: Can ambiguity tolerance, success in reading, and gender predict the foreign language reading anxiety?. J. Lang. Linguist. Stud., 12(2), Art. no. 2, (Oct. 2016)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Tsai, Y.-R., Lee, C.-Y.: An exploration into factors associated with reading anxiety among taiwanese efl learners. TEFLIN J.—Publ. Teach. Learn. Engl., 29(1), p. 129 (Jul. 2018), doi: https://doi.org/10.15639/teflinjournal.v29i1/129-148

  9. Sheikh Ahmad, I., Al-Shboul, M.M., Sahari Nordin, M., Abdul Rahman, Z., Burhan, M., Basha Madarsha, K.: The potential sources of foreign language reading anxiety in a Jordanian EFL context: A theoretical framework. Engl. Lang. Teach., 6(11), p. p89 (Oct. 2013), doi: https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v6n11p89

  10. Chow, B., Mo, J., Dong, Y.: Roles of reading anxiety and working memory in reading comprehension in english as a second language. Learn. Individ. Differ. 92, 102092 (Oct. 2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2021.102092

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Ahmet Capan, S., Pektas, R.: An empirical analysis of the relationship between foreign language reading anxiety and reading strategy training, Engl. Lang. Teach., 6(12), p. p181 (Nov. 2013), doi: https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v6n12p181

  12. Bahmani R., Farvardin, M.T.: Effects of different text difficulty levels on EFL learners’ foreign language reading anxiety and reading comprehension, p. 18

    Google Scholar 

  13. Ghaith, G.M.: Foreign language reading anxiety and metacognitive strategies in undergraduates’ reading comprehension, p. 19

    Google Scholar 

  14. C. Brantmeier, “ANXIETY ABOUT L2 READING OR L2 READING TASKS? A STUDY WITH ADVANCED LANGUAGE LEARNERS,” p. 19

    Google Scholar 

  15. Lien, H.-Y.: EFL Learners’ reading strategy use in relation to reading anxiety. Lang. Educ. Asia 2(2), 199–212 (Dec. 2011). https://doi.org/10.5746/LEiA/11/V2/I2/A03/Lien

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Lien, H.-Y.: Effects of EFL individual learner variables on foreign language reading anxiety and metacognitive reading strategy use. Psychol. Rep. 119(1), 124–135 (Aug. 2016). https://doi.org/10.1177/0033294116659711

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  17. Tien, C.-Y.: Factors of foreign language reading anxiety in a taiwan EFL higher education context. J. Appl. Linguist. Lang. Res. 4, 48–58 (Jan. 2017)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Capan, A., Karaca, M.: A comparative study of listening anxiety and reading anxiety. Procedia—Soc. Behav. Sci. 70, 1360–1373 (Jan. 2013). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.01.198

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Saito, Y., Garza, T.J., Horwitz, E.K.: Foreign language reading anxiety. Mod. Lang. J. 83(2), 202–218 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1111/0026-7902.00016

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Zhao, A., Guo, Y., Dynia, J.: Foreign language reading anxiety: Chinese as foreign language in the United States. Morden Lang. J. 97, 764–778 (Sep. 2013). https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4781.2013.12032.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Jalongo, M., Hirsh, R.: Understanding reading anxiety: new insights from neuroscience. Early Child. Educ. J. 37, 431–435 (Apr. 2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-010-0381-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Sabti, A.A., Mansor, Y.T.M.B.T., Altikriti, M.Q., Abdalhussein, H.F., Dhari, S.S.: Gender differences and foreign language reading anxiety of high school learners in an iraqi EFL context. Int. J. Appl. Linguist. Engl. Lit., 5(5), Art. no. 5, (Sep. 2016), doi: https://doi.org/10.7575/aiac.ijalel.v.5n.5p.208

  23. Bensalem, E.:Foreign language reading anxiety in the saudi tertiary EFL Context, (Oct. 2020)

    Google Scholar 

  24. Abubakar, M., Hairuddin, N.: An investigation of reading anxiety among efl young learners, (Sep. 2020)

    Google Scholar 

  25. Razak, N.A., Yassin, A.A., Moqbel, M.S.S.: Investigating foreign language reading anxiety among yemeni international students in malaysian universities. Int. J. Engl. Linguist. 9(4), 83 (Jun. 2019). https://doi.org/10.5539/ijel.v9n4p83

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Muhlis, A.: Foreign language reading anxiety among indonesian EFL senior high school students. Engl. FRANCA Acad. J. Engl. Lang. Educ., 1(1), Art. no. 1, (Jun. 2017), doi: https://doi.org/10.29240/ef.v1i1.160

  27. Wijayati, P.H., Mardianti, N., Murtadho, N.: The correlation between students’ reading anxiety and their reading comprehension in esp context. Int. J. Lang. Educ. 5(2), 15 (Jun. 2021). https://doi.org/10.26858/ijole.v5i2.15440

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Al-Sohbani, Y.A.Y.: Foreign language reading anxiety among yemeni secondary school students. Transl. Stud. 06(01), 9 (2018)

    Google Scholar 

  29. Faruq, A. Z. A.: Reading anxiety in english as a foreign language for undergraduate students in indonesia. TLEMC Teach. Learn. Engl. Multicult. Contexts, 3(2), Art. no. 2, (Dec. 2019), doi: https://doi.org/10.37058/tlemc.v3i2.1275

  30. Lu, Z., Liu, M.: An investigation of Chinese university EFL learner’s foreign language reading anxiety, reading strategy use and reading comprehension performance. Stud. Second Lang. Learn. Teach. 5(1), 65–85 (Jan. 2015). https://doi.org/10.14746/ssllt.2015.5.1.4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Jafarigohar, M., Behrooznia, S.: The effect of anxiety on reading comprehension among distance EFL learners. Int. Educ. Stud. 5(2), p159 (Mar. 2012). https://doi.org/10.5539/ies.v5n2p159

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Matsuda, S., Gobel, P.: Anxiety and predictors of performance in the foreign language classroom. System 32, 21–36 (Mar. 2004). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2003.08.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Nazarinasab, F., Nemati, A., Mortahan, M.M.: The impact of foreign language reading anxiety and text feature awareness on university students’ reading comprehension ESP Texts. Int. J. Lang. Linguist. (Sep. 2014). https://doi.org/10.11648/J.IJLL.S.2014020601.11

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Hassaskhah, J., Joghataeian, S.: The role of foreign language reading anxiety in advanced learners foreign language reading comprehension, 3, pp. 80–95, (Jan. 2016)

    Google Scholar 

  35. Ghonsooly, B., Loghmani, Z.: The relationship between EFL learners reading anxiety levels and their metacognitive reading strategy Use. Int. J. Linguist., 4, (Aug. 2012), doi: https://doi.org/10.5296/ijl.v4i3.2021

  36. Aghajani, M., Gholamrezapour, E.: Critical thinking skills, critical reading and foreign language reading anxiety in iran context. Int. J. Instr. 12(3), 219–238 (Jul. 2019)

    Google Scholar 

  37. International School, Thai Nguyen University—Vietnam and L. Q. Dung, “Speaking Anxiety and Language Proficiency among EFL at A University in Vietnam,” Int. J. Soc. Sci. Hum. Res., 03(09), (Sep. 2020), doi: https://doi.org/10.47191/ijsshr/v3-i9-01

  38. Trang, T. T. T., Moni, K., Baldauf, R. B.: Foreign language anxiety and its effects on students’ determination to study English : to abandon or not to abandon?, p. 15 (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  39. Trang, T.T.T., Baldauf, R.B., Moni, K.: Investigating the development of foreign language anxiety: an autobiographical approach. J. Multiling. Multicult. Dev. 34(7), 709–726 (Dec. 2013). https://doi.org/10.1080/01434632.2013.796959

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Tran, T.T.T., Moni, K.: Management of foreign language anxiety: Insiders’ awareness and experiences. Cogent Educ. 2(1), 992593 (Dec. 2015). https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2014.992593

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Huberty, T.J.: Anxiety and depression in children and adolescents: Assessment, intervention, and prevention. p. 469 (2013) doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3110-7

  42. J. Creswell, Guetterman, T.: Educational research: planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research, 6th edition. (2018)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Trung Nguyen .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Dang, V.T.T., Nguyen, T. (2023). Foreign Language Reading Anxiety and Its Correlation with Reading Test Scores. In: Cheng, E.C.K., Wang, T., Schlippe, T., Beligiannis, G.N. (eds) Artificial Intelligence in Education Technologies: New Development and Innovative Practices. AIET 2022. Lecture Notes on Data Engineering and Communications Technologies, vol 154. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-8040-4_13

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-8040-4_13

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-19-8039-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-19-8040-4

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics