Home⇛International Journal of Multidisciplinary: Applied Business and Education Research⇛vol. 6 no. 9 (2025)

From Fear to Fluency: How Anxiety Influences ESL Students’ Classroom Performance

Caryl Joy I. Empuerto | Alyssa Marie D. Luces | Anna Bhea Y. Hernandez | Isaac G. Montero | Hyra Lecka F. Palmon | John R. Orbista

Discipline: Childhood and Youth Studies

 

Abstract:

This quantitative study investigated the impact of foreign language anxiety on classroom participation among English as a Second Lan-guage (ESL) students at Aklan State University, Banga Campus. Uti-lizing the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) by Horwitz, Horwitz, and Cope (1986), the research investigated four primary components of anxiety: communication apprehension, test anxiety, fear of negative evaluation, and anxiety about comprehen-sion. A total of 43 first-year and second-year students of the Bache-lor of Secondary Education (BSEd) major in English participated in the study. Data were collected through standardized Likert-scale questionnaires and participation checklists and analyzed using SPSS Version 16 to determine correlations between anxiety levels and student engagement. Findings revealed that most participants experienced moderate to high levels of anxiety, with classroom par-ticipation and fear of negative evaluation being the most significant factors affecting their participation. A statistically significant in-verse relationship was found between anxiety and student partici-pation—higher anxiety levels were associated with reduced class-room engagement. Communication apprehension and fear of nega-tive evaluation emerged as the strongest predictors of avoidance behaviors, such as reluctance to speak in class or volunteer re-sponses. Although comprehension-related anxiety was less promi-nent, it still contributed to overall emotional discomfort. The study concluded that psychological barriers—rather than linguistic abil-ity alone—played a central role in limiting student participation in ESL classrooms. The results underscored the need for emotionally supportive teaching strategies and classroom environments that minimize anxiety and encourage active participation. These find-ings offer critical implications for educators, administrators, and re-searchers aiming to enhance ESL instruction and reduce affective obstacles to language acquisition.



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