Arab World English Journal (November 2018) Theses ID 214 Pp. 1-58
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/th.214
Author: Aljowharah Khaled Alsaleh
Thesis Title: Investigating Foreign Language Reading Anxiety among Imam Mohammad Ibn
Saud Islamic University and Majma’ah University English Language Major Students
Subject/major: Linguistics
Institution: College of Languages and Translation, Al-Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, KSA
Degree: MA Linguistics
Year of award: 72017
Supervisor: Dr. Awad Alshehri
Keywords: language anxiety, reading anxiety, reading comprehension, reading anxiety in
Second/foreign language learning.
Abstract:
The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between foreign language anxiety and reading anxiety, and the effect of reading anxiety on reading comprehension among first level English language major students. The study shed light on whether different levels of anxiety result in different reading comprehension performances, and whether reading comprehension performance differs across different language learning environments where the educational level is different. Sixty female students completed the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale, the Foreign Language Reading Anxiety Scale and a reading comprehension test. These students were English majors and were in their first year at Majma’ah University and Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University. The results revealed that students in both universities experienced a moderate level of language anxiety and reading anxiety. In addition to the investigation of the level of reading anxiety, the main sources of foreign language reading anxiety, according to the students, were the difficulty in understanding the meaning of new words in a reading passage, the difficulty in pronunciation, reading long passages, the fear of making mistakes in front of the teacher and the classmates, unfamiliar scripts and the feeling of shyness. There was a non-significant correlation between general language anxiety and second language reading. The reading comprehension test scores showed that IMBSU students had significantly greater reading comprehension test scores than MU students, and MU students had significantly greater reading anxiety than IMBSU students. Finally, recommendations and suggestions are presented at the end of the results section of this study
Cite as: Alsaleh, A.K. (2017). Investigating Foreign Language Reading Anxiety among Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University and Majma’ah University English Language Major Students. College of Languages and Translation, Al-Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, KSA (Master Thesis). Retrieved from Arab World English Journal (ID Number: 214 November 2018, 1-58. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/th.214