A Study On The Correlation Between English Learning Anxiety And English Achievement Of Non-English Major Postgraduates

As one of the most important affective variables of foreign language acquisition,anxiety has always been highly focused by educators and researchers.In China,middle school students and undergraduates are the main research subjects about English learning anxiety,while full-time postgraduate students rarely draw the attention of researchers.Postgraduates are professional researchers specially cultivated by a country.With enrollment expansion,postgraduates have become a huge group.Due to the strict regulations in the syllabus for postgraduate students' English learning,and the particularity of the postgraduate students,English learning anxiety in this group and the causes of anxiety are worth exploring.The present study is designed to explore the following questions:(1)What is the current situation of English learning anxiety among postgraduates?(2)Is their anxiety related to their English learning achievement? If yes,what are the correlations between anxiety level and English learning achievement of postgraduates?(3)Is there any correlation between anxiety level and gender,major as well as school background?(4)What are the potential sources of postgraduates' English learning anxiety?The subjects of this study are composed of 204 second-year postgraduate students in North University of China.The number of male students is 104,and that of female students is 100.The 204 participants include 97 liberal arts students,and 107 science and engineering students.To fulfill research purpose,this study adopts a combination of quantitative and qualitative methodologies.Horwitz,et al.(1986)' s Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scales(FLCAS)containing the students' background information works as the questionnaire.The CET-6 scores obtained in December,2018 is used to assess their English learning achievement.The data collected from questionnaire is calculated in the SPSS 23.0.Semi-structured interviews are used to collect qualitative data from participants who are chosen from the respondents of the questionnaire according to their anxiety level,school background,major and gender to further complement the quantitative results.It aims to explore the potential sources and associated factors of English learning anxiety.The research findings indicate:(1)non-English major postgraduates experience low level of English learning anxiety.(2)By means of correlation analysis,postgraduates' English learning anxiety is significantly negatively correlated to theirEnglish achievement.Through regression analysis,postgraduates' English learning anxiety has a significantly negative effect on English achievement.(3)Gender difference is not significant on the English learning anxiety level,while female students are slightly more anxious than male students.The anxious level of science and engineering postgraduates is a little lower than that of arts postgraduates,but the difference between English learning anxiety and majors is not statistically significant.Postgraduates with different school backgrounds have no significant differences on their anxiety level.The anxious level of urban school graduates is the highest,while the anxious level of county school graduates is the lowest.(4)Being called to answer questions in English class,boring content in English class,reading major-related English literature,writing English abstract,and doing the translation,lack of diversified English learning strategies,taking English tests,participating in international academic conferences or professional forums,the ineffective interaction among learners,English requirement of future jobs are the sources of English learning anxiety.Personal features,social and cultural elements and regional differences are important influential factors of postgraduates' English learning anxiety.The present study not only enriches the research findings of foreign language anxiety,but also provides significant implication for postgraduate English teaching.It is sincerely hoped that the present study will draw attention from linguistic researchers and educational specialists engaged in postgraduates' English teaching for the purpose of helping postgraduates to overcome their English learning anxiety and improve their English efficiency.