| With a focus on improving learning outcomes, this research explored the relationship between foreign language classroom anxiety and English academic performance among 363 medical university students at a medical university in Taiwan. Instruments included a personal information survey, Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scales (FLCAS), and English academic performance survey. A purposive sampling strategy was employed, and analysis involved descriptive analysis, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression. Research data revealed that these medical university students' composite foreign language classroom anxiety had significant negative correlation with English academic performance, as did the subscales (communication apprehension, test anxiety, and fear of negative evaluation). Put together, independent variables of gender, major, study hours in English, and anxiety scale scores explained 13.6 % of the variances. In terms of the subscales, along with independent variables of gender, major, and study hours in English, they explained 14.5% of variances. Test anxiety was most significant in predicting English academic performance, explaining 2.19 % of the variance. While study time in English was not significant in predicting composite foreign language classroom anxiety, it did significantly predict the subscale of test anxiety explain 0.92% of the variance. Thus, less study yielded more foreign language classroom anxiety (especially in test anxiety) and subsequent lower English academic performance scores. These findings suggest that medical university teachers in Taiwan can reduce foreign language classroom anxiety by choosing other modes of student assessment to replace paper testing and by giving students more positive feedback. Additionally, medical university students can reduce test anxiety and improve their English academic performance by increasing time in study. |
