Language Anxiety and Coping Mechanisms in Learning English of Grade 8 Students of Camp Vicente Lim National High School

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Learners of language such as English often express a feeling of stress, nervousness, or anxiety in different levels while learning to speak the language regardless of the mother tongue they are using. This problem has been found to have undesirable effects on the performance of students in their English class. As their teacher, the researcher witnessed high levels of Foreign Language Anxiety (FLA) among his students. In this study, he explored these levels, and proposed and implemented coping mechanisms to alleviate the anxiety levels of learners.

METHODS

Purposive sampling was used to cater 172 Grade 8 students of Camp Vicente Lim National School where the researcher is an English teacher. They responded to sets of adapted questionnaires, both modified, from Horwitz, Horwitz, and Cope (1986) known as the (FLCAS (Foreign Language Class Anxiety Scale) and Anxiety Coping Strategies of Kondo and Ling (2004) to determine their anxiety levels and identify coping mechanisms for learners, respectively. Data gathered were tabulated and computed using different statistical treatments. The proposed coping mechanisms were employed. Consequently, the FLCAS was re-administered to analyze whether or not the respondents' levels of anxiety were alleviated.

RESULTS

Most of the respondents fell under the level of "Moderately Anxious" in all the three aspects as reflected in the FLCAS. The proposed program of coping mechanisms out of the coping strategies given by the respondents was deemed successful in alleviating the language anxiety levels of the respondents. Subjecting learners under the said program is believed to yield positive outcomes on the performance of students during their English class.

DISCUSSIONS

The student respondents agreed that they have English language anxiety. Results also showed that the respondents employed different strategies as coping mechanisms. There is a significant difference in test anxiety when it comes to gender, giving to a conclusion that females have higher levels of Test Anxiety compared to males. The proposed coping mechanisms were successful in alleviating the English language anxiety of the respondents. Further studies are needed to explore other variables to be tested. Moreover, teachers' awareness of language anxiety among learners can help in reducing the fear they experience in their English class. Administrators need to conduct seminars exclusively for teachers of English which may be planned and conducted carefully.