Test Anxiety by Prego Levio

The effect of test-anxiety

on EFL entrants’ written

performance at ESI

Students:

Maria Prego García

Andrea C. Levio

Subject:

Seminario Rotativo de

Investigacion

Teacher:

Ma. Palmira Massi

Escuela Superior de IdiomasUniversidad del Comahue

ABSTRACT

Anxiety has been thoroughly examined due to its complexity.

There are several factors that can be considered sources of anxiety

and at the same time, this affective variable can influence other

aspects of the acquisition of a second or foreign language. For this

reason, this problem can be tackled from different perspectives.

However, there is shortage of studies on the interdependence

between test-anxiety and students’ written performance that

attempts to examine this correlation. The present project discusses

this relationship from learners’ beliefs to generate an enlightening

account of this issue. Data will be gathered by means of documentary

evidence, Second Language Written Anxiety Inventory (SLWAI)

designed by Cheng (2004), a questionnaire and a post-test interview.

This research study may serve to anticipate that deeply rooted

convictions might affect learners’ predisposition to anxiety. Finally, a

negative correlation between test-anxiety and students’ written

performance may be recognized, thus laying bare the debilitative role

that test-anxiety might play in learners’ written performance.

1

INTRODUCTION

Anxiety is a common trait to all classrooms in the world which

cannot be defined in a simple and comprehensive fashion since it

involves diverse factors such as self-esteem, competitiveness,

classroom procedures, cultural beliefs, among others.

Even though there isn’t any key factor that generates anxiety,

there has been considerable research which documents the

relationship between anxiety and achievement in the learning of

English as a foreign language. Anxiety has been regarded as one of

the most relevant affective factors that influences second and foreign

language acquisition

Most studies have arrived at the conclusion that anxiety and

achievement are negatively correlated. McIntyre and Gardner (1991)

outline that “language anxiety can interfere with the acquisition,

retention and production of the new language”.

One of the subcategories of this affective element is test-

anxiety which involves a feeling of uneasiness or fear while taking

exams. The majority of the projects have focused on speaking and

listening as anxiety-provoking activities, thus overlooking writing

tasks.

Our research project attempts to establish an interdependence

between test-anxiety and first-year students’ performance in

compositions in exam instances. Besides, it will delve into student’s

beliefs as regards the writing skill.

2

THEORETICAL BACKGROUND

The issue of anxiety in second language learning has stimulated

particular interest in the field of Language Acquisition and Learning

for its potential impact on L2 learners. Anxiety is a basic human

emotion. As Horwitz states, it is “the subjective feeling of tension,

apprehension, nervousness and worry associated with the arousal of

the autonomic nervous system.” (Horwitz, 1996)

Language anxiety, a subcategory of this affective variable,

refers to the apprehension experienced when a situation requires the

use of a second language at which the individuals are not fully

proficient. It may arise from different sources related to particular

situations that subjects perceive as threatening. Horwitz, Horwitz and

Cope (1986) delineate three main sources of Foreign Language

Anxiety:

Communication Apprehension

Test Anxiety

Fear of negative evaluation

The first one implies that students’ thoughts cannot be

expressed in the target language due to the lack of appropriate

vocabulary to develop those ideas. Apprehension may also be

triggered by the inability to understand the tasks they have to carry

out.

Such feelings of tension are often accompanied by a fear of

negative evaluation which refers to the emotional insecurity students

experience when being exposed to others’ judgments.

In addition to this, frustration and anger may arise due to

language tests since students are challenged to express ideas paying

attention to many grammar points at the same time, while being

under pressure by the limited test period. In this particular case,

students may undergo test-anxiety which is the tendency to become

3

alarmed about the consequences of inadequate performance. As a

result, students may find it difficult to focus on the task at hand.

Young (1991) proposes a list of correlates of language anxiety

which ranges from highly personal to procedural. In this study, only

some of them will be mentioned for the purposes of the project.

As regards personal issues, learners’ self-esteem and

competitiveness may become potential sources of anxiety. The

former refers to a personal judgment of worthiness that is expressed

in the attitudes the individuals hold towards themselves. Anxiety may

arise according to their degree of self-esteem. For instance, students

with low self-esteem tend to worry about others’ evaluations. As

regards competitiveness, language learners tend to compare

themselves to others or to a self-image which they can rarely attain,

thus leading to language anxiety.

Learner’s beliefs about language learning can play a major role

in generating language apprehension in students. According to

Wenden (1999), beliefs are considered to be “a system of related

ideas that are accepted without questioning and tend to be held

tenaciously”. Horwitz (1988) presents various kinds of learners’

beliefs; some of them are unrealistic conceptions that involve

erroneous notions about language learning. For instance, some

students are prone to assume that pronunciation is the most

important aspect of L2 learning while others consider that L2 learning

means learning how to translate. These deeply-rooted ideas can lead

to anxiety especially when they clash with reality.

In relation to procedural correlates of L2 anxiety, the way in

which mistakes are corrected can cause apprehension. In addition to

this, classroom management and teacher-student interaction can be

also considered to be sources of anxiety.

Most discussions of Foreign Language Anxiety have focused on

anxiety produced by speaking and listening activities (Prince, 1991;

4

McIntyre, Noels and Clement, 1997). However, the skill of writing may

also be a source of anxiety. For instance, Tsui (1996) proposed that

learning to write in the foreign language may raise anxiety since it’s

predominantly product-oriented and students are deprived of help

and are under time constraints. As a result, learners suffer from

distress and develop distaste for the writing process.

5

THE STUDY

Our focus of concern is anxiety, which is a highly important

affective variable that has an influence on second language

acquisition. Even though we tried to avoid entanglement, it was

complicated for us to narrow down the scope of focus of this issue.

For this reason, we decided to have an interview with the

teachers of English I. They voluntarily provided us with some samples

of in-class compositions following their own criteria ranging from high

to low performance. While analyzing those samples we wondered

whether anxiety was one of the factors affecting students’ scores.

Taking these factors as the basis, we will attempt to analyze

students’ scores in written tests as anxiety-generating situations.

Besides we will take into account students’ beliefs towards written

tests to investigate the relationship between them and test-anxiety.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

What are students’ beliefs and attitudes towards written tests

(compositions)?

How does test-anxiety affect written performance on first-year

students at Escuela Superior de Idiomas (ESI) in General Roca,

Argentina?

THE SUBJECTS

In the year 2007, approximately 140 students enrolled for the

subject English I at ESI. They were all entrants who could choose

between the Teaching Training course or the Translator course. They

were all native speakers of Spanish with an average age of 21 and

most of them had studied English as a compulsory subject at high

school. These pupils received 9 hours of formal instruction per week.

In addition to this, they could consult a teacher who gave them

coaching lessons.

6

At the beginning of the academic year, students were divided

into four groups. However, two groups were mixed up during the

second term since a high number of students had dropped the

subject.

Next year we will conduct this research and we estimate that

approximately 120 learners will enroll for English I since each

academic year the number of students tends to decrease.

In this study only a limited number of students (aprox. 20) will

participate. We consider that these pupils will share similar traits to

those previously depicted. Besides, as English I students will have

different aims (to become either a teacher or a translator) their

attitudes towards the target language will vary. For instance, learners

who will want to become translators will tend to be more concerned

about the meaning of every single word whereas those who aspire to

be teachers will concentrate on the overall meaning of a text.

DESIGN

We will attempt to adopt an analytic-inductive perspective since

we will deal with only one affective variable: anxiety. Once data has

been collected, it will be categorized according to different patterns or

regularities. Besides, we will conduct descriptive-research since we

are concerned with the investigation of one phenomenon without

modifying its development.

DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURE

Three main instruments will be used to gather information:

interviews, questionnaires and documentary evidence. We will ask for

permission to the teachers of English I to carry out all the necessary

7

steps to gather data. Moreover, students’ names will be anonymously

maintained so as to conceal their identities.

In the first place, we will resort to the diagnostic test (Appendix

A) given at the beginning of the academic year by teachers of English

I, to gather information associated with the students’ levels of

proficiency. In-class compositions and the two-term exams (Appendix

B) will be used as another source of documentary evidence.

As a second stage, we will administer a questionnaire (Appendix

C) to some of the participants (10 students), who will be selected at

random. This instrument will allow us to have a glance at the beliefs

students have towards in-class written activities and the writing skill

in general. It will be administered during the first week of the

academic year and it will be composed in Spanish.

After that, students will have to complete a second

questionnaire (Appendix D) based on anxiety related to writing. Thus,

we will get a panorama of students’ perceptions and feelings

associated with the difficulties they have when facing a test. This

instrument will be administered two weeks before carrying out the

first term exam. We will use Cheng’s Second Language Anxiety

Inventory (2004). While doing the questionnaire, a researcher will be

present to clarify doubts.

Finally, researchers will hold an interview (Appendix E) with

each of the participants right after they’ve done their written tests,

since anxiety is at its highest point. Then we will compare students’

results in the tests and the responses they have given during the

interview. In this way, we will attempt to decipher the relationship

between test-anxiety and achievement.

Last but not least, we will try to find traces of the beliefs

learners have towards writing in the responses they have given.

DATA ANALYSIS PROCEDURE

Diagnostic Tests (Appendix A)

8

We will resort to the scores obtained in the diagnostic tests

which will be provided by teachers of English I at the beginning of the

academic year. We will implement the marking scheme designed by

the teachers of English I.

We will adopt the following criteria to group the students:

Mark (x/100) Quality of

performance

From 1 to 45 Low

From 46 to 79 Average

From 80 to 100 High

Compositions (Appendix B)

Compositions will be classified into three categories: high-,

average-, and low-performance on the basis of the criteria followed by

the teachers of English I at ESI. These teachers place an emphasis on

form. Following their standard, we will consider that serious mistakes

are subject-verb agreement, verb tense, verb pattern, possessives,

number-noun agreement, word order and omission of subject.

Besides, students need to comply with the number of lines they have

to write which generally oscillates between 8 and 10.

In a high-level composition we will allow only one serious

mistake. As regards an average composition, we will admit two

serious mistakes and a composition that has more than three

mistakes will be considered of low performance.

Questionnaire I (Appendix C)

We will carry out a basic statistical analysis to identify students’

attitudes towards L2 writing performance so as to find similarities and

later establish regularities. The information collected will be shown in

a pie chart.

Questionnaire II (Appendix D)

A basic quantitative analysis will be performed to identify levels

of anxiety. The questionnaires will be analyzed individually. All the

9

responses will be summed up and the result will be divided into the

number of statements (in our case, 16). A high score will represent a

high level of anxiety while a low score will be compatible with a low

degree of anxiety.

Score Level of

anxiety

From 1 to 2 Low

From 2.1 to 4 Average

From 4.1 to 5 High

Post-test Interview (Appendix E)

We will carry out a qualitative analysis which will complement

the questionnaire about anxiety in order to delineate the learners’

levels of anxiety. Later, we will compare each student’s degree of

anxiety with their written results and this will enable us to answer our

second research question. In other words, this will reveal whether

there is a correlation between test-anxiety and written achievement.

Finally, we will juxtapose this interview and the questionnaire

on beliefs to find recurrent patterns about these deeply-rooted views

about L2 writing performance.

ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES

From what we have perceived, we may identify the following

outcomes:

- As regards our first research question, we might find several beliefs

such as:

Time as a negative variable in test-situations.

Fear of others’ evaluations, especially teachers’ judgments.

Writing as a skill that doesn’t seem to present difficulties.

Writing as only a process that implies translation of Spanish

thoughts into English.

Writing as a process of summarizing other people’s ideas.

10

These deeply-rooted ideas may be one of the factors that predisposes

students to writing anxiety.

- As regards our second research question, we will probably find a

negative correlation between test-anxiety and learners’ written

scores. For instance, students with high levels of anxiety may be

liable to have low written results. In this sense, we may suggest that

test-anxiety plays a negative role when writing compositions in a test

situation.

11

CONCLUSION

We have been attracted by this topic since anxiety is a trait

common to all students in the world regardless of their gender, age or

socio-cultural contexts. We consider that this project has been fruitful

since it has helped us to develop critical thinking with respect to test

anxiety and students’ written performance.

As a conclusion, this research project may enable us to become

aware that writing involves as much anxiety as any other skill.

Furthermore, we consider that writing should also be taught in our

mother tongue so as to raise students’ awareness of the underlying

process it requires.

In our opinion, teachers should try to create a low-anxiety

atmosphere in which students can feel free to express their thoughts.

One possible alternative can be to incorporate anxiety-relieving

strategies. For instance, teachers can let students know that there are

relaxation techniques (breathing exercises) that can be done before

doing an exam. They can even simulate a test instance in which they

can use those techniques they have incorporated.

Finally, one further field of research would take into account

teachers’ perceptions of anxiety in test instances since they are the

observers of diverse anxiety-generating situations.

12

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Cheng, Y.-S. (2004). A measure of second language writing anxiety: Scale development and preliminary validation. Journal of Second Language Writing, 13, 313-335.

Cheng, Y.-S., Horwitz, E. K., & Schallert, D. (1999). Language anxiety: Differentiating writing and speaking components. Language Learning, 49, 417–446.

Dörnyei, Z. (2001). Teaching and researching motivation. London: Longman

Gardner, R. C. & P. D. MacIntyre. (1993). On the measurement of affective variables in second language learning. Language Learning, 43, 157-194

Horwitz, E. K., Horwitz, M. B., & Cope, J. (1986). Foreign language classroom anxiety. Modern Language Journal, 70, 125-132.

MacIntyre, P. D. & R. C. Gardner. (1994). The subtle effects of language anxiety on cognitive processing in the second language. Language Learning, 44, 283-305.

MacIntyre, P. D. (1999). Language anxiety: A review for the research for language teachers. In D. J. Young (Ed.), Affect in foreign language and second language learning: A practical guide to creating a low-anxiety classroom atmosphere (pp. 24-45). NY: McGraw-Hill.

McIntyre, P. D., & Gardner, R. C. (1989). Anxiety and second language learning: Toward a theoretical clarification. Language Learning, 39, 251-257.

MacIntyre, P. D., & Gardner, R. C. (1994). The subtle effects of language anxiety on cognitive processing in the second language learning. Language learning, 44, 283-305

Thompson, M. O. (1980). Classroom techniques for reducing writing anxiety: A study of several cases. Paper presented at the annual conference on College Composition and Communication, Washington, D.C. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 188 661).

Tsui, A. (1995). Introducing classroom interaction. London: Penguin.

Tsui, A. B. M. (1996). Reticence and anxiety in second language learning. In K. M. Bailey & D. Nunan (Eds.). Voices from the language classroom (pp.145-168). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

13

Young, D. J. (1992). Language anxiety from the foreign language specialist's perspective: Interviews with Krashen, Omaggio, Hadley, Terrell, and Rardin. Foreign Language Annals, 25, 157-172.

14

Appendix C: Cuestionario

Elegí la opción con la que más te identifiques. (Trata de ser sincero al responder ya que esta información será usada para una futura investigación)

1. Cuando escribo primero pienso en español y luego lo transfiero al inglés. A B C Siempre A veces Nunca

2. Cuando escribo una composición la narro, como si estuviera hablando a un tercero. A B C Siempre A veces Nunca

3. Antes de empezar a escribir hago un esquema con las ideas principales. A B C Siempre A veces Nunca

4. Los esquemas son útiles para organizar lo que uno escribe. A B C Siempre A veces Nunca

5. El factor tiempo es una presión al momento de escribir en un examen. A B C Siempre A veces Nunca

6. Tengo el vocabulario suficiente para expresar mis ideas. A B C Siempre A veces Nunca

7. Cuando escribo puedo transmitir todo lo que quiero expresar. A B C Siempre A veces Nunca8. Cuando tengo que escribir una composición en clase y con nota no me arriesgo a usar el vocabulario recientemente aprendido por miedo a cometer errores. A B C Siempre A veces Nunca9. Cuando estoy por empezar a escribir una composición en un examen me pongo tan nervioso que mi mente se pone en blanco. A B C Siempre A veces Nunca

10. Escribir implica un proceso de creación que tiene estructuras y estilos particulares. A B C Siempre A veces Nunca11. Cuando escribo una composición pienso en lo que mi profesora puede llegar a comentar. A B C Siempre A veces Nunca12. Cuando tengo que escribir de un tema que no me gusta, o del que no tengo mucho conocimiento el proceso de escribir se me hace tedioso y complejo. A B C Siempre A veces Nunca

15

Appendix D : Second Language Writing Anxiety Inventory (developed by Cheng, 2004)

Read the statements below very carefully. For each statement, among the choices 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 circle the most suitable one for you. As the findings of this test are going to be used in for research, we kindly request you be honest while answering the questions.

1. I feel my heart pounding when I write English compositions under time constraint.

1 2 3 4 5I strongly disagree I disagree I have no strong I agree

I strongly agreeFeelings either way

2. While writing English compositions, I feel worried and uneasy if I know they will be evaluated.



3. I often choose to write down my thoughts in English.1 2 3 4 5

I strongly disagree I disagree I have no strong I agreeI strongly agree

Feelings either way4. I usually do my best to avoid writing English compositions.



5. My mind often goes blank when I start to work on an English composition.1 2 3 4 5


Feelings either way

6. I tremble or perspire when I write English compositions under time pressure.



7. If my English composition is to be evaluated, I would worry about getting a very poor grade.



8. I do my best to avoid situations in which I have to write in English.1 2 3 4 5


Feelings either way

16

9. My thoughts become jumbled when I write English compositions under time constraint.



10. Unless I have no choice, I would not use English to write compositions.1 2 3 4 5


Feelings either way

11. I often feel panic when I write English compositions under time constraint.



12. I am afraid that the other students would deride my English composition if they read it.



13. I freeze up when unexpectedly asked to write English compositions.1 2 3 4 5


Feelings either way

14. I would do my best to excuse myself if asked to write English compositions.



15. I usually feel my whole body rigid and tense when write English compositions.



16. I am afraid of my English composition being chosen as a sample for discussion in class.



17

Appendix E: Post-Test Interview

1. ¿Cuando te sentís ansioso: antes o durante el examen?

2. ¿Por qué crees que los alumnos se sienten ansiosos al hacer una composición? ¿Cuáles fueron los factores que te presionaron cuando estabas haciendo el Mid–Term Test? (¿El tiempo? ¿Sentir la presencia del docente, es decir que te está controlando? ¿Sino qué otro factor?)

3. ¿Cuándo tus compañeros entregan el examen y a vos te falta terminar, te pones nervioso?

4. ¿Estás satisfecho después de haber hecho esta composición en clase? (Seguís pensando en qué podrías haber hecho, ¿o como podrías haber mejorado tu producción escrita? ¿En qué aspectos? )

5. ¿Cuál crees que es tu resultado del test? ¿Por qué?

.

18

The effect of test-anxiety on EFL entrants’ written

performance at ESI

Purpose:

To get a panorama of learners’ beliefs associated with writing.

To examine the possible correlation between test-anxiety and written

performance.

Research questions:

1. What are students’ beliefs and attitudes towards written tests

(compositions)?

2. How does test-anxiety affect written performance on first-year

students at Escuela Superior de Idiomas (ESI) in General Roca,

Argentina?

Subjects:

The participants will be entrants of English I course at ESI from the year

2008. They will be selected at random.

Design:

In order to analyze the data, we will attempt to adopt an analytic

perspective. We will carry out an inductive study.

Data collection procedure:

Diagnostic tests

In-class compositions and the two term exams

Two questionnaires

A post-test interview

Anticipated outcomes:

As regards our first question, we may find several beliefs such as time as a

negative variable in test situations or fear of others’ evaluation, especially

teachers’ judgments.

As regards our second research question, we will probably find a negative

correlation between test-anxiety and learners’ written scores. In this sense,

19

we may suggest this variable plays a negative role when writing

composition in exam instances.

20

Documents

Test Anxiety by Prego Levio