A Study On English Reading Anxiety Of Non-English Majors

Reading plays a vital role in language learning. Many factors are believed to influence reading efficiency. Among them, affect is considered to be a significant factor. Anxiety is an important aspect of affective variables.Since 1980s, researchers abroad, mainly using Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale developed by Horwitz, Horwitz and Cope in 1986, have made relatively deep studies on listening, speaking and test which are frequently regarded as the most anxiety-provoking for learners. Most researchers hold that reading is the least anxiety-provoking for learners. In 1999, Satio, Garza and Horwitz designed Foreign Language Reading Anxiety Scale which is used specifically to measure the learners'foreign language reading anxiety. They pointed out for the first time that foreign language reading anxiety is related to, but distinguishable from general foreign language anxiety, reading in a foreign language can be anxiety-provoking to some students. In China, the studies concerning anxiety primarily centered on general English anxiety. Few studies have been conducted on English reading anxiety of non-English majors. Therefore, it is of theoretical and practical significance to make a study in this field.Based on affective filter hypothesis and information processing theory, the author made a study on English reading anxiety of 202 non-English majors from two universities by employing quantitative and qualitative research methods. The results from quantitative research in this study are shown as follows:English reading anxiety is indeed related to, but distinguishable from general English anxiety, moreover, Foreign Language Reading Anxiety Scale is multi-dimensional; all non-English majors indeed are experiencing English reading anxiety to different degrees, no significant differences, in general, have been found in terms of gender, academic major and region; there exists significant negative correlations between reading anxiety and English achievement, a significant difference has also been found in English achievement between non-English majors with high- and low- reading anxiety; the levels of English reading anxiety of non-English majors are influenced by students'personal variables such as their perceptions of the difficulty of English reading and their self-perceived English reading ability. The qualitative research further confirms the findings of the quantitative research. Additionally, it has identified four potential sources which elicit reading anxiety of non-English majors: unfamiliar new words, unfamiliar text types and text contents, slow reading speed, and lack of efficient strategies.In light of the results of the study mentioned above, the author has advanced some feasible suggestions which can help non-English majors alleviate their English reading anxiety and improve their English reading proficiency. As for teachers, they should assist students to treat their reading anxiety correctly, create a low-anxiety reading classroom environment, and train reading strategies effectively. Simultaneously, teachers should also provide students with as many reading materials as possible. The materials should be appropriate to students'levels of study. This can help students boost their English reading confidence. As for students, they should enlarge their vocabulary and reading knowledge range and improve their cross-culture awareness so as to reduce their English reading anxiety and improve their English reading proficiency. Finally, the author points out the limitations of the study and puts forward some recommendations for future research in this area.