"Examining Anxiety in Language Classrooms: A

Comparison of Bachelor of English and Bachelor of

Urdu Students"
#M. Irtaza Bashir 15546 #Ali Irtaza 14547 #M.Rabeel 15466 #M.Asif 15472

Abstract
Language learning can often be a stressful experience, particularly for students
who are required to communicate in the target language. This study aimed to
examine anxiety levels among students in a bachelor of English program and a
bachelor of Urdu program. A sample of 30 students from each program was
surveyed using the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) and
(SPSS) tool for analysis. Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS)
by Horwitz et al. (1986).Results showed that students in the bachelor of English
program had significantly higher levels of state anxiety than students in the
bachelor of Urdu program. However, there is a significant difference in scores
between the two groups. These findings highlight the importance of considering
the impact of language background and prior language exposure on language
learning anxiety and suggest that the language of instruction may play a role in
students' experience of anxiety in language classrooms. Future research should
explore the causes of these differences and investigate strategies for reducing
anxiety among language learners. Anxiety in language learning has been
recognized as a major concern for language learners, as it can negatively impact
their language proficiency and overall language learning experience.
Understanding the sources of anxiety and the factors that contribute to it is
essential for language teachers and educators to provide effective support to
students and to promote a positive language learning environment. This study
contributes to the current knowledge base by comparing levels of anxiety
experienced by Bachelor of English and Bachelor of Urdu students, and
provides a useful starting point for further research on anxiety in language
classrooms.
Introduction
Language anxiety has been investigated by researchers in different contexts in
Pakistan. However, there has been a lack of a systematic study on the same
issue. Therefore; we have designed this study to investigate and explore foreign
language learning anxiety among Riphah International students in a systematic
way.

Research on language anxiety in Pakistan has been revealing in different

contexts. Some of the research studies by Pakistani researchers (Adeel, 2011;
Awan et al., 2010; Mari et al., 2012) have contributed in the existing literature
and have paved the way for new researchers to continue research on the same
area of interest in different contexts. The present study indicates that students
from underdeveloped areas feel moderately high level of anxiety. However, a
limited literature addresses the issue systematically. This issue was also
highlighted in the study of Zahid and Ghani (2014) that learners from
underdeveloped areas experience anxiety in English. Recently, Gopang et al.
(2015) have reported speaking anxiety as moderate among undergraduate
students in Pakistan. His study reported nervousness of learners in speaking
English in the classroom. Research on language anxiety in Pakistan has been
revealing in different contexts. Some of the research studies by Pakistani
researchers (Adeel, 2011; Awan et al., 2010; Mari et al., 2012) have contributed
in the existing literature and have paved the way for new researchers to continue
research on the same area of interest in different contexts. Recently, Gopang et
al. (2015) have reported speaking anxiety as moderate among undergraduate
students in Pakistan. His study reported nervousness of learners in speaking
English in the classroom. Wei (2013, 2014) continuously researched foreign
language anxiety among Chinese students. He used the foreign language
classroom anxiety scale to investigate anxiety level of Chinese Bouyei college
English foreign language learners. His research indicated a medium level of
anxiety. Learners equally experienced communication anxiety, fear of negative
evaluation and test anxiety in the foreign language classroom.
Anxiety is a common experience among language learners, and its impact on
their language development and performance is widely recognized. The
language classroom is a setting where students are expected to interact with
their peers, teachers, and the language itself, and this can cause feelings of
nervousness, insecurity, and stress. These feelings of anxiety can have a
significant impact on the learner's language proficiency, motivation, and overall
experience of learning a new language. The purpose of this research is to
examine anxiety in language classrooms, with a focus on comparing the
experiences of Bachelor of English and Bachelor of Urdu students. The study
will compare the levels of anxiety experienced by these two groups of students
and explore the factors that contribute to their experience of anxiety in the
language classroom. The research will also examine the impact of anxiety on
language performance and the strategies that students use to manage their
anxiety.

The importance of this research lies in its contribution to our understanding of

anxiety in language learning, and its potential to inform the development of
effective support strategies for language students. With the increasing demand
for English language proficiency worldwide, understanding the experiences of
language learners and the challenges they face is essential. By exploring the
experiences of Bachelor of English and Bachelor of Urdu students, this research
will provide valuable insights into the impact of anxiety on language learning
and the strategies that students use to overcome it. The research design for this
study will be qualitative, using semi-structured interviews to gather data from a
sample of Bachelor of English and Bachelor of Urdu students. The data
collected will be analyzed using a thematic analysis approach, and the findings
will be presented in the form of themes and sub-themes.

In the next section, a review of the literature on anxiety and language learning
will be presented, highlighting the key concepts and theories related to this
topic. This will be followed by a description of the research design and method,
and the results of the data analysis. Finally, the conclusions of the study and
recommendations for future research will be presented.
The findings of this study will contribute to our understanding of the impact of
anxiety on language learning, and inform the development of effective support
strategies for language students.

Methodology

Foreign Language
Classroom Anxiety
Scale (FLCAS)
The present study
employed the FLCAS
questionnaire
(Horwitz et al., 1986)
as a research tool for
collecting data. It is
based on 33
statements; with a
five-point Likert scale
ranging from
‘strongly agree 5) to
strongly disagree 1).
And the instrument
has been proved valid
and reliable with an
alpha coefficient
of .93,
and an eight week
test- retest coefficient
of .83 (Horwitz, 1991;
Horwitz et al, 1986).
Interestingly enough,
a
Cronbach’s alpha
coefficient of .94 was
also reported in the
study of Aida (1994)
who used sample of
96
students in the 2nd
year of a Japanese
course. This implies
that the instrument is
reliable and valid for
further
studies on the foreign
language classroom
anxiety (see for
validity, Horwitz,
1991).
Foreign Language
Classroom Anxiety
Scale (FLCAS)
The present study
employed the FLCAS
questionnaire
(Horwitz et al., 1986)
as a research tool for
collecting data. It is
based on 33
statements; with a
five-point Likert scale
ranging from
‘strongly agree 5) to
strongly disagree 1).
And the instrument
has been proved valid
and reliable with an
alpha coefficient
of .93,
and an eight week
test- retest coefficient
of .83 (Horwitz, 1991;
Horwitz et al, 1986).
Interestingly enough,
a
Cronbach’s alpha
coefficient of .94 was
also reported in the
study of Aida (1994)
who used sample of
96
students in the 2nd
year of a Japanese
course. This implies
that the instrument is
reliable and valid for
further
studies on the foreign
language classroom
anxiety (see for
validity, Horwitz,
1991).
Foreign Language
Classroom Anxiety
Scale (FLCAS)
The present study
employed the FLCAS
questionnaire
(Horwitz et al., 1986)
as a research tool for
collecting data. It is
based on 33
statements; with a
five-point Likert scale
ranging from
‘strongly agree 5) to
strongly disagree 1).
And the instrument
has been proved valid
and reliable with an
alpha coefficient
of .93,
and an eight week
test- retest coefficient
of .83 (Horwitz, 1991;
Horwitz et al, 1986).
Interestingly enough,
a
Cronbach’s alpha
coefficient of .94 was
also reported in the
study of Aida (1994)
who used sample of
96
students in the 2nd
year of a Japanese
course. This implies
that the instrument is
reliable and valid for
further
studies on the foreign
language classroom
anxiety (see for
validity, Horwitz,
1991).
Foreign Language
Classroom Anxiety
Scale (FLCAS)
The present study
employed the FLCAS
questionnaire
(Horwitz et al., 1986)
as a research tool for
collecting data. It is
based on 33
statements; with a
five-point Likert scale
ranging from
‘strongly agree 5) to
strongly disagree 1).
And the instrument
has been proved valid
and reliable with an
alpha coefficient
of .93,
and an eight week
test- retest coefficient
of .83 (Horwitz, 1991;
Horwitz et al, 1986).
Interestingly enough,
a
Cronbach’s alpha
coefficient of .94 was
also reported in the
study of Aida (1994)
who used sample of
96
students in the 2nd
year of a Japanese
course. This implies
that the instrument is
reliable and valid for
further
studies on the foreign
language classroom
anxiety (see for
validity, Horwitz,
1991).
The present study employed the FLCAS questionnaire (Horwitz et al., 1986) as
a research tool for collecting data. It is based on 33 statements; with a five-point
Likert scale ranging from ‘strongly agree 5) to strongly disagree 1). And the
instrument has been proved valid and reliable with an alpha coefficient of .93,
and an eight week test- retest coefficient of .83 (Horwitz, 1991; Horwitz et al,
1986). Interestingly enough, a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of .94 was also
reported in the study of Aida (1994) who used sample of 96 students in the 2nd
year of a Japanese course. This implies that the instrument is reliable and valid
for further studies on the foreign language classroom anxiety (see for validity,
Horwitz, 1991).
The study will target students pursuing Bachelor of English and Bachelor of
Urdu courses in language classrooms. The sample size for this study will be
determined through a power analysis and will be selected through a convenience
sampling method. Participants will be informed about the purpose of the study
and will be asked to voluntarily participate. Informed consent will be obtained
from all participants.

Data collection will involve administering the FLCAS to the selected sample of
students. The FLCAS is a self-report questionnaire that measures the level of
anxiety experienced by students in a foreign language classroom. The
questionnaire consists of 25 items, each rated on a 5-point Likert scale, with
higher scores indicating higher levels of anxiety. The questionnaire will be
administered to 30 participant from each group and participants will be given
adequate time to complete the questionnaire.

 Departments No of Respondents
1. Bachelor of English 30
2. Bachelor of Urdu 30

The data collected from the FLCAS will be analyzed using (SPSS) descriptive
statistics to determine the mean and standard deviation for the sample of
Bachelor of English and Bachelor of Urdu students

In this study, SPSS will be used to analyze the data collected from the Foreign
Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) that was administered to the
sample of Bachelor of English and Bachelor of Urdu students. The data will be
entered into SPSS, and descriptive statistics such as mean and standard
deviation will be calculated for each group of students.

The results of this study will provide valuable information about the levels of
anxiety experienced by students in language classrooms and will help educators
and researchers understand the impact of anxiety on language learning. The
findings of this study will also provide insights into the factors that contribute to
anxiety in language classrooms and may lead to the development of
interventions to reduce anxiety levels and improve language learning outcomes.
Results

The Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) measures anxiety in

foreign language classrooms. The scale consists of 25 items that assess feelings
of tension, self-consciousness, and fear of negative evaluation in the foreign
language classroom. The Score criteria according to these questionaires is

4 = “Strongly Agree” (Severe Anxiety)

3 = “Agree” (Moderate to Severe Anxiety)

2 = “Neither Agree nor Disagree” (Mild to Moderate Anxiety)

1 = “Disagree” (No Anxiety)

0 = “Strongly Disagree” (Fully Confident)

Table 1: Bachelor of English

As the result shows that majority of students are facing more anxiety in
classroom as 15% participants have “Severe Anxiety” in class room (4=
“Strongly Agree”), 35% participants have “Moderate to Severe Anxiety” (3 =
“Agree”), 25% participants have “Mild to Moderate Anxiety”(2 = “Niether
Agree nor Disagree”, 17% participants have “No Anxiety” (1= “Disagree”),
8% participants are fully confident and have no anxiety issues (0= “ Fully
Confident”).These results are base on very single student response to every
single questionnaire and then calculated with the help of SPSS.