THE MEDIATION EFFECT OF FEEDBACK ON LANGUAGE ANXIETY AND MOTIVATION TO LEARN ENGLISH: THE CASE OF HIGHER SECONDARY EFL LEARNERS
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Abstract
English serves as the language of instruction in higher education and research. Learning English is affected by several psychological and social variables. The study aimed to determine the effect of English language classroom anxiety and motivation to learn English in higher secondary students to explore the mediating role of feedback. The data was collected from 284 students studying in higher secondary schools and inter-colleges of 3 districts i.e. Sargodha, Mandi Baha Uddin and Khushab. A questionnaire was adopted based on the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale developed by Horwitz et al. (1986) and was used to collect data regarding the classroom anxiety of language learners. The feedback scale and Motivation to learn English language scale were developed by the researchers. Data analysis was conducted using disruptive and inferential statistical tools ie mean, standard deviation, t-test, and regression analysis to identify gender differences and the impact of language anxiety on students’ motivation to learn the English language. Process Macro was used to measure the mediation effect of feedback in the relationship between English language classroom anxiety and motivation to learn English. The results revealed that the students were experiencing high anxiety, though they were receiving positive feedback from their teachers and their motivation to learn English was also high. The findings also showed that females were experiencing more anxiety than males. Moreover, English class anxiety had an inverse effect on students’ motivation to learn English. Finally, it was discovered that language anxiety directly affected students’ motivation to learn English, but there was no mediating influence of positive feedback on the relationship between language anxiety and motivation to learn English. The analysis of the data suggests pedagogical implications regarding the importance of exploring ways of addressing anxiety issues through positive feedback and enhancing students’ motivation to learn English at higher secondary school level.
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