Influence of Language Anxiety and Prior Knowledge on EFL Students’ Performance in Essay Writing

نوع المستند : المقالة الأصلية

المؤلف

المستخلص

          Recent research efforts in teacher education have focused on innovative instructional delivery with little attention to learner-related variables such as language anxiety and prior- knowledge that can affect learning outcomes in English essay writing. Notwithstanding these interventions, the problems of mass failure and poor quality of essays still persist among EFL students majoring English language. Therefore, the current study examined the relationship between language anxiety and prior knowledge on EFL students’ performance in essay writing. The research adopted a descriptive research design of survey type. Data were collected using two research instruments: Language Anxiety and Prior Knowledge Questionnaire and an Achievement Test in Expository Writing. Three hypotheses were tested at a 0.05 level of significance, and 350 students were randomly selected. The results showed that there were significant relationship between the independent variables and students’ achievement in expository essay writing.

الكلمات الرئيسية


D. H. Jonassen and B. L. Grabowski, Handbook of Individual Differences, Learning and Instruction, Lawrence ErlbaumAssociates, Inc, Mahwah, NJ, USA, 1993.
-  D. O. Fakeye and E. Ayede, “Teachers’ questioning behaviour and instructional organisation as correlates of students’ achievement in english language,” Global Journal of Human Social Sciences Linguistics & Education, vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 13–22, 2013.
-  K. William and M. Andrade, “Foreign language learning anxiety in Japanese EFL university classes: causes, coping and locus of control,” Electronic Journal of Foreign Language Teaching, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 181–191, 2008.
-  L. Wenk, !e Importance of Engaging Prior Knowledge, Hampshire College Center for Teaching and Training, Amherst, MA, USA, 2017.
-  Olagbaju O. O. and Jimoh N. O., “Language exposure and subject familiarity as correlates of senior secondary school students’ achievement in narrative writing,” Technium Social Sciences Journal, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 98–106, 2020.
- D. P. Dewey, R. K. Belnap, and P. Steffen, “Anxiety: stress, foreign language classroom anxiety, and enjoyment during study abroad in Amman, Jordan,” Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 38, pp. 140–161, , Cambridge, UK, 2018.
- E. Horwitz, “Language anxiety and achievement,” Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, Cambridge University Press,vol. 21, pp. 112–126, , Cambridge, UK, 2001.
- E. S¸enel, “Foreign language anxiety of students studying English language and literature: a sample from Turkey,” Educational Research and Reviews, vol. 11, no. 6, pp. 219–228, 2016.
- Federal Republic of Nigeria, National Policy on Education (Revised), NERDC Press, Abuja, Nigeria, 2013.
- G. Spielmann and M. L. Radnofsky, “Learning language under tension: new directions from a qualitative study,” !e Modern Language Journal, vol. 85, no. 2, pp. 259–278, 2001.
- K. O. Ogunyemi and O. O. Olagbaju, “Effects of assertive and aggressive communication styles on students’ self-esteem and achievement in english language,” Cross-Cultural Communication, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 96–101, 2020.
 - L. Honggand, “New insights into language anxiety: theory, research and educational implications,” ELT Journal, vol. 73, no. 1, pp. 105–107, 2019.
- M. J. Riasati, “Language learning anxiety from EFL learners’ perspective,” Middle-East Journal of Scientific Research, vol. 7, no. 6, pp. 907–914, 2011.
- Meziobi, K. A, and Meziobi, K. C. (2014). Teacher Education Curriculum and Teaching at the tertiary Education level in Nigeria. In U.M. Ivowi (ed) Curriculum and teaching in Nigeria Lagos: Foremost Educational Services Ltd.
- O. O. Olagbaju, !e Challenges of Using Nigerian Languages in Modern Education, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria,2009.
- R. A. *ompson and B. L. Zamboanga, “Prior knowledge and its relevance to student achievement in introduction to psychology,” Teaching of Psychology, vol. 30, no. 2, pp. 96–101, 2003.
 - R. Star, B. Rittle-Johnson, K. Lynch, and N. Perova, “The role of prior knowledge in the development of strategy flexibility: the case of computational estimation,” ZDM—International Journal of Mathematics Education, vol. 41, no. 5, pp. 569–579, 2009.
- S. Donkaewbua, “Developing an anxiety in vocabulary learning through listening scale,” International Journal of Language and Linguistics, vol. 3, no. 6, pp. 60–71, 2016.
- T. Akinborewa and O. O. Olagbaju, Simplified Composition Workbook, Joytal Printing Press, Ibadan, Nigeria, 2010.
- West African Examination Council, “English language: WAEC highlights candidates’ weaknesses in WASSCE exams,” Daily Independent, 2020.
- West African Examinations Council, Chief Examiners’ Report for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), WAEC Press, Lagos, Nigeria, 2019.
-         Biggs, J; and Tang, C. (2011). Teaching for quality learning at university. England: Open university Press.
-         Maduabuchi, C.H. (2006). Effects of Literature Circles and collaborative learning strategies on students’ comprehension of poetry. Ebonyi State University Journal of Education. 4(2), 184-194.