How Overcoming Anxiety Can Enhance English Language Performance: A Meta-Analysis (Poster 48)

• In Event: Sunday Poster Session 11:25 am
  In Poster Session: Motivation and Learning Across Learning Environments

Abstract

Our paper examined the relationship between English language anxiety and language performance based on 22 studies (N=22; 45 effects) conducted between 1986 and 2021. There were three moderators in meta-analysis: grade level, writing performance, types of performance measurements. The average correlation between English language anxiety and performance was r=-.32, 95% CI [-0.4000, -0.2431]; moderator analyses revealed that the correlation between English language anxiety and performance was constant across grade levels. Writing performance was not a significant moderator. However, self-perceived performance scores yielded a statistically significant stronger negative relationship with English language anxiety. To the best of our knowledge, this is the only meta-analysis that investigates English language anxiety and performance without pooling results from second language learning results.

Authors

• Lina Shu, Texas A&M University

• Xuan Zhou, Texas State University

• Sandra T. Acosta, Texas A&M University