Understanding Classroom Foreign Language Learning Anxiety: A Case Study of British Literature in a Mainland China University Context

• Published in: SAGE open Vol. 15; no. 3
• Main Authors: Wang, Feng, Xu, Rongrong, Lin, Zhong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: SAGE Publishing 01.07.2025
• ISSN: 2158-2440; 2158-2440
• DOI: 10.1177/21582440251359009

Despite the increasing empirical research on the psychological dimensions of language learning, Foreign Language Learning Anxiety (FLLA) remains comparatively underexplored, particularly in subject-specific academic contexts. This mixed-methods case study investigates FLLA among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners in British literature classrooms at a university in northwestern Mainland China. The primary research objectives are to assess the prevalence of FLLA and identify its underlying causes in this academic context. Quantitative data were collected using an adapted British Literature Classroom Anxiety Scale (ELCAS), based on the established Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS), and analyzed via SPSS. Additionally, semi-structured interviews were conducted to gain deeper insights into the determinants of anxiety, with thematic analysis used to identify internal and external factors contributing to FLLA. The results indicate that 97.44% of participants experience moderate to high levels of anxiety, with key sources including communication apprehension, fear of negative evaluation, and test-related stress. Course-specific challenges, self-perceptual issues, and classroom and examination environments were identified as major contributing factors. These findings provide critical insights for developing strategies to mitigate FLLA in diverse EFL settings, recognizing the complex and context-sensitive nature of anxiety in contemporary language instruction. Dealing with nervousness in learning British literature: A study of foreign language anxiety in a Chinese University setting In recent years, there has been a lot of study on how learning languages can affect students psychologically, but there hasn’t been as much focus on the specific anxiety tied to learning foreign languages. Previous studies mainly looked at the general worry students feel when doing language tasks, especially speaking, without really diving into how this anxiety plays out in different subjects, like literature. This investigation took a closer look at English-speaking students in China who are learning about British literature. By using a specially tailored survey and conducting interviews, the study aimed to understand how common this anxiety is and what causes it among these students. The findings showed that nearly all students (over 97%) felt a medium to high degree of anxiety in their British literature classes. This stress came from things like the fear of speaking up, worrying about others’ opinions, and stress from tests. The study also found that the difficulty of the course, how students see themselves, and the classroom and test settings could make this anxiety worse. These insights suggest it’s important to find ways to reduce this kind of stress in foreign language classes, taking into account the complex nature of learning anxiety and the various factors that contribute to it.