阅读焦虑对高中生英语阅读成绩的影响

1、 学号 20070401050101 密级 _ 兰州城市学院本科毕业论文 阅读焦虑对高中生英语阅读成绩的影响学 院 名 称：外国语学院专 业 名 称：英 语学 生 姓 名：白 婷指 导 教 师：崇兴甲 二一一年五月BACHELORS DEGREE THESIS OF LANZHOU CITY UNIVERSITYEffect of Reading Anxiety on High School Students English Reading ScoresCollege : School of Foreign LanguagesSubject : EnglishName : Bai TingDi

2、rected by : Chong XingjiaMay 2011郑 重 声 明本人呈交的学位论文，是在导师的指导下，独立进行研究工作所取得的成果，所有数据、图片资料真实可靠。尽我所知，除文中已经注明引用的内容外，本学位论文的研究成果不包含他人享有著作权的内容。对本论文所涉及的研究工作做出贡献的其他个人和集体，均已在文中以明确的方式标明。本学位论文的知识产权归属于培养单位。本人签名：_ 日期：_ContentsAbstract - i摘要-1. Introduction-11.1 Background of the Study - 11.2 Objective of the Study - 1

3、1.3 Significance of the Study-21.4 Overview of the Paper-22. Literature Review-32.1 Definition of Foreign Language Anxiety -32.2 Definition of Reading Anxiety-42.3 Previous Studies on Foreign Language Reading Anxiety-43. Research Design-53.1 Research Questions-53.2 Variables-53.3 Subjects-53.4 Metho

4、d and Instruments-63. 4. 1 Questionnaire-63. 4. 2 The Final Exam Paper-63. 5 Procedures-64. Results and Discussion-74.1 English Reading Anxiety of the Subjects-7 General State of Reading Anxiety-74.1.2 Classification of Reading Anxiety Groups-104.2 Performance on English Reading Test-114.3 Correlati

5、on Between Reading Anxiety and Performance-12 General Reading Anxiety and General Performance-12 Differences in Reading Anxiety of Different Performance Groups-135. Conclusion and Implications-145.1 Conclusion-145.2 Limitations-145.3 Implications-15References - iiAcknowledgement-Appendix-v AbstractW

6、e always acquire knowledge by reading, so reading plays a vital role in our daily life of language learning. A number of learner variables are generally said to influence the success or failure of language learning. Among these, foreign language reading anxiety has often been cited as one of the mos

7、t important affective variables. The paper investigated the effect of reading anxiety on English reading performance. Based on random sampling, 127 subjects were selected in the first senior middle school in Lin Ze. Employing SPSS 17.0 to classify and analyze the results of Foreign Language Reading

8、Anxiety Scale (FLRAS) and Reading Test Paper (the final exams of Jan. 2011). Based on the analysis of English reading anxiety and performance，the following correlation study of the two factors testifies that certain relations do exist among the two factors，i.e. there is a negative relation between r

9、eading anxiety and high school students reading scores. Furthermore, the effect of performance caused by high-anxiety and low-anxiety are significant. Moreover, reading anxiety has a different degree of negative influence on high scores group and low scores group. The results of this study can stimu

10、late English teachers to senior school students to the state of students English reading anxiety so that the negative influence of reading anxiety on performance can be reduced by appropriate teaching methods and the students interest in English reading can also be aroused gradually.Key words: readi

11、ng anxiety, senior middle school students, English reading scores 摘要我们通常都是通过阅读获取知识，因此，阅读在我们语言学习过程中显得尤为重要。外语学习中,影响学习者成败的变量很多。外语阅读焦虑就是其中重要的情感变量之一。本文通过调查127名普通高中的高三学生，研究了外语阅读焦虑对英语阅读成绩的影响。借用外语焦虑量表（FLRAS）和阅读测试卷(2011年期末英语试卷)完成数据采集，利用社会科学统计工具 (SPSS)17.0将得到的数据归类整理，得出高三学生存在很高的阅读焦虑感。通过相关性研究，证实了阅读焦虑和阅读成绩之间确实存在

12、相关关系，即阅读焦虑与阅读成绩负相关;并且阅读焦虑的高低对成绩造成的差异都是显著的,而且阅读焦虑对高分组和低分组负影响的程度各不相同。本文的研究结果可促使大学高中英语教师重视学生的阅读焦虑状况，降低阅读焦虑对学生成绩的负面影响，从而提升学生的英语阅读水平和兴趣，最终取得令人满意的阅读效果。关键词：阅读焦虑；高中生；英语阅读成绩1 Introduction1.1 Background of the StudyReading is one of the most important skills for English Foreign Language learners during the pr

13、ocess of English learning. Now that anxiety, a kind of affective factors，will affect Foreign Language learning, so it is not difficult to accept a hypothesis that anxiety would also occur in and influence the process of English reading. Saito et al. (1999) first put forward the concept of Foreign La

14、nguage reading anxiety, which was distinguished from the general FL anxiety. Furthermore， they designed the Foreign Language Reading Anxiety Scale (FLRAS).However, not much considerable attention has been paid to FL reading anxiety in FL teaching. And the limited studies on the FL reading anxiety ju

15、st focused on the relationship with reading scores (Chen, 2005: Saito et al., 1999; Sellers, 2000: Shi & Liu, 2006).In recent years, people pay more attention to the effect of emotional factors, no matter in the process of second language acquisition or foreign language teaching. Emotional anxiety i

16、nfluence directly the second language acquisition and hinder learners ability of language acquisition. The excellent teacher, textbook, teaching methods also can not help learners acquire a second language well if learners have strong effect of negative emotion. In many emotional factors, anxiety, r

17、egards the most influential factors, is paid attention by scholars both at home and abroad. From the current of high school English teaching situation in China, the teaching process still emphasize language knowledge and language skills except the learning emotion, and ignore an important reason tha

18、t students performance is confined by English learning barrier caused by foreign language learning anxiety.1.2 Objective of the StudyThis study wants to adopt the language anxiety and English reading, analyze the current high school students to read foreign language anxiety and the relationship betw

19、een the English reading scores, attempts to summarize and explore ways to overcome high school students anxiety. On the other hand, the result of this study benefit for high school students English reading scores. Through studying one of emotional factors of foreign language reading anxiety on high

20、school students, it will improve teaching methods, will practise the concept of the new curriculum reflecting the new curriculum standards, and will meet the high school English teaching materials and lay a good foundation. Reading is very important for our students, new curriculum standards is the

21、overall goal of high school English curriculum, it further clarify the purpose of English learning and develop autonomous learning and cooperative learning skills. According to the communication needs of high school students and the cognitive level, high school English teaching should focus on train

22、ing students the ability of the following areas: interpersonal communication in the appropriate use of English language ability; obtaining and processing information by the usage of English; analyzing problems in English and problem-solving ability and critical thinking ability (the Ministry of Educ

23、ation, 2003). Its ultimate purpose is able to use English as a tool to obtain and apply necessary information. Because of this, the corresponding entrance examinations, or PETS, on the reading comprehension test are a large proportion. Therefore, we know how to read the anxiety of Chinese learners w

24、ho regard English as a foreign language study, it not only has theoretical value but also has practical significance for teaching. The ordinary high school students will be conducted a survey study. 1.3 Significance of the StudyIn many researches, the object is almost the college students, and the f

25、oreign language anxiety learning researches are few, about the middle school students, especially for senior students in senior middle school. However, they face many pressures from the entrance exam, so they are a special group of English learners. Therefore, it is of special significance to resear

26、ch the reading anxiety of them. So, researching foreign language reading anxiety not only help people to read the anxietys characteristic, structure and causes, but also it is conducive to accurately diagnose students English reading anxiety and the source of anxiety state for foreign language teach

27、ers, and some put the corresponding loss development strategy to enhance the quality of teaching. From the current of high school English teaching situation in China, the teaching process still emphasize language knowledge and language skills except the learning emotion and ignore an important reaso

28、n that students English performance is confined by English learning barrier, caused by foreign language learning anxiety. From the view of the college entrance examination content, reading competence basically decide cloze, reading comprehension and contextual dialogue which totally possess 80 score

29、s among the 150 scores in the college entrance exam. Therefore, it is very important and imminent to study whether senior school students have reading anxiety and the relationship between reading anxiety and English reading performance. 1.4 Overview of the PaperThe thesis is made up of five parts. T

30、he first part introduces the background of the study, the purpose and significance of the study as well as organization of the thesis. Part two is a review of the literature. In this chapter, the author reviews the definitions of some important terms, studies concerning foreign language anxiety and

31、foreign language reading anxiety at home and abroad, and expounds the theoretical foundations of the study. Part three involves research methodology which includes research questions, participants, instruments and procedures of data collection and analysis. Part four is the results and discussion. I

32、n this chapter, the author analyzes the results of quantitative and qualitative research in details. Part five is conclusion. The author summarizes the major findings of the study and advances pedagogical implications for English reading teaching and learning. At the same time, the author points out

33、 the limitations of the study and puts forward some recommendations for future research.2 Literature Review2.1 Definition of Foreign Language Anxiety Among the affective explanations, recent attention has been paid to the role of anxiety, which is pervasive in language learning and considered to be

34、one of the most important and influential effective variables. FLA is linked directly to performing in the target language, so it is different from the one in general sense. Arnold (1999:8) holds that language anxiety is possibly the effective factor that most pervasively obstructs the language lear

35、ning process. From second language acquisition perspective, Maclntyre and Gardner (see Arnold, 1999: 59) see FLA as “the apprehension experienced when a situation requires the use of a second language with which the individual is not fully proficient”, which it has been characterized by “derogatory

36、self-related cognitive feelings of apprehension and psychological responses such as increased heart rate”. Horwitz and Cope (1986: 31) conceptualize FLA as “a distinct complex of self-perceptions, beliefs, feelings and behaviors related to classroom language learning arising from the uniqueness of t

37、he Language learning process.” In other words, it refers to the anxiety occurring when a learner is exposed to a foreign language situation. It ranks high among factors influencing second language acquisition, regardless of whether the setting is informal (learning language outside the classroom)or

38、formal (inside the language classroom).2.2 Definition of Reading AnxietyReading, on the surface, appears to be the component of foreign language performance least prone to anxiety effects. Reading, unlike speaking a foreign language, is primarily done privately with many opportunities for reflection

39、 and reconsideration, it is an individual act because the success of reading does not depend on a dynamic construction of meaning by two or more speakers. However, Satio et al. (1999) held that three aspects of foreign language reading would seem to have great potential for eliciting anxiety: unfami

40、liar scripts, unfamiliar writing systems and unfamiliar cultural material. With regard to unfamiliar writing systems, it seems likely that the less the learner can depend on the reliability of a specific system of sound-symbol correspondences, the more anxiety he or she will be experienced during re

41、ading. “In this case, the reader would experience anxiety as soon as he or she attempts to decode the script because the reader would immediately experience difficulty in processing the text” (Satio et al., 1999, p. 203). As for unfamiliar cultural, it seems to have an impact at a point in the readi

42、ng process that is less immediate than that of unfamiliar scripts and writing systems. When doing reading, the reader will first come across the symbols, decode them into sounds, associate the sounds with words, and then attempt to process the meaning of a text. “It is at the point when the reader r

43、ealizes that the words he or she has decoded do not constitute a comprehensible or logical message entity that one would expect anxiety to set in” (Satio et al., 1999, p. 203).2.3 Previous Studies on Foreign Language Reading AnxietyAs one of the most important factors that influence foreign language

44、 learning, anxiety of language has attracted more and more attention of researchers. Research on this has generally been considered important. However, many are about speaking and listening, much less on the relationship between reading anxiety and foreign language learning scores.In recent years so

45、me researchers have been studying the relationship between anxiety of foreign language reading and learning scores. Saito used his own FLCAS (Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale) to investigate 383 American students who were learning French, Russian and Japanese. His research expresses that rea

46、ding foreign language also brings about anxiety. Sellers (2000) research also tells that students anxiety decides how well their memories are, which is negative relevant with each other. Research on this in our country started late but developed quickly. Some researchers have been getting down to th

47、is study. Chen Suhongs (2005) research explains that students who are in the failing group are more anxious than those in the successful group. Deng Huan (2003) did the research on the relationship between learners anxiety and English reading efficiency, which objectively points out that anxiety can

48、 produce both active affect and negative affect. It emphasizes anxietys double effects, so only to adjust learners anxiety scientifically can be good to improve reading efficiency.All of these researches on anxiety of reading have proved that learners who study foreign language are with anxiety, whi

49、ch obviously influences their foreign language scores. Due to the importance of English reading ability to our Chinese students, improving anxiety becomes significant in the process of teaching. Teachers should recognize it sufficiently, and take effective actions to cope with students anxiety in th

50、e reading class in order to improve the development of students reading ability.3 Research Design3.1 Research QuestionsBased on the literature review, this study aims to determine whether reading anxiety have an effect on high school students reading scores and discover any differences of English re

51、ading anxiety in terms of different performance groups. To achieve this purpose, it expects to answer the following questions:1. Does foreign language reading anxiety have an effect on high school students reading scores and their relationship?2. Does reading anxiety have different degrees influence

52、 on different performance groups? 3.2 VariablesTwo variables exist in the present study. The first variable in this study is the state of English reading anxiety responded by the subjects. The measurement of the reading anxiety is Foreign Language Reading Anxiety Scale(FLRAS)，which contains 20 items

53、. The second variable is the scores on the reading comprehension paper performed by subjects.3.3 SubjectsThe target population of this study，a total of 127 third-year students in the first senior middle school of Lin Ze which is a common senior middle school in Gan Su province, is selected randomly

54、to participate in the study. All of them are preparing to attend the college entrance examination in 2011. They are from a class of science and a class of art. The ages of the subjects range from 16 to 20. All of them have learned English more than 6 years. Each of them is given a sequential number

55、for the convenience of study. The sampling procedure is intended to reflect the characteristics of Chinese senior student English reading anxiety, and their English reading performance.3. 4 Method and Instruments3. 4. 1 Questionnaire Questionnaire (see Appendix 2) is the Foreign Language Reading Anx

56、iety Scale (FLRAS) with 20 items developed by Saito et al (1999). In order to meet the practical need of the study，the FLRAS is slightly modified before it is administered to the subjects. It is translated into Chinese and the term“foreign language” in the original scale is replaced by“English”. The

57、 20 questions of FLRAS are answered on a five-Point Likert scale with five responses ranging from (1)“strongly disagree”(scale point 1) to (3)“neither agree nor disagree”(scale point 3) to (5)“strongly agree”(scale points).Some of the items (12，13，14，and18) on this instrument are key-reversed becaus

58、e they are expressed in opposite way compared with the other items, so that in all instances，a higher mark of FLRAS represents the higher anxiety in reading. 3. 4. 2 The Final Exam PaperFrom senior students final exam paper, the author select the part of reading comprehension about 40 scores among t

59、he total scores 150 for every students. The validity and reliability of this test have been verified. The final reading comprehension grade for each student served as an overall index of performance. The reading comprehension grades were the measure of reading achievement.3. 4 ProceduresThe time of

60、this study was decided in the last week of January 2011，a month after the beginning of the new term. The author collected the reading comprehension paper of the final exam this semester. The adapted scale was distributed to the subjects with the assistance of their English teachers. And then，all sub