English Language Anxiety Among Junior High School Students In A Rural Public High School

Abstract

This study investigated the level of English Language Anxiety (ELA) among Junior High School students in a rural public high school, Philippines. Utilizing a descriptive-inferential methods design, the research first quantified ELA levels across communication apprehension, test anxiety, and fear of negative evaluation using the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) with 54 student-respondents. Subsequently, rooted in Horwitz et al.'s (1986) Foreign Language Anxiety theory and Krashen’s (1982) Affective Filter Hypothesis, the findings indicate moderate levels of ELA across all measured dimensions, with limited English exposure outside school. The study suggests no significant relationship between ELA and academic performance, highlighting the need for tailored interventions to enhance students' communicative competence in English.