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Writing Anxiety and Language Learning Motivation: Examining Causes, Indicators, and Relationship

Received: 11 September 2016     Accepted: 26 October 2016     Published: 30 November 2016
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Abstract

The affective domain has already received great attention from researchers as evidenced by a large body of literature made since its conception. This paper aims to draw a connection between writing anxiety and motivation, which are both affective variables associated to language learning. Using mixed-methods design, data were collected from 60 students who finished a one-semester English class in the Pre-University Center, Mindanao State University-Marawi, Philippines. Data revealed that students had low writing anxiety. They reported during the interviews that, despite their low anxiety level, there are still reasons for their writing anxiety such as grammar, evaluation, and topical knowledge. They also had a high level of instrumental and integrative motivation. They appreciated the instrumental function and contributions of the English subject, the communicative activities, and the instructor teaching the subject. The correlation and regression analyses revealed that as language learning motivation increases, writing anxiety level decreases. It led to the conclusion that writing anxiety can be lessened through motivating students to learn English. Based on the findings, English teachers should put premium on motivation in their classrooms by being effective role models to students, inspiring students to write in order to learn and to learn in order to write, appreciating their writing outputs, and exposing them to real life applications of the English macroskills.

Published in Communication and Linguistics Studies (Volume 2, Issue 1)
DOI 10.11648/j.cls.20160201.12
Page(s) 6-12
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2016. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

English as a Second Language, Writing Anxiety, Language Learning, Language Learning Motivatio

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  • APA Style

    Jerryk C. Alico. (2016). Writing Anxiety and Language Learning Motivation: Examining Causes, Indicators, and Relationship. Communication and Linguistics Studies, 2(1), 6-12. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cls.20160201.12

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    ACS Style

    Jerryk C. Alico. Writing Anxiety and Language Learning Motivation: Examining Causes, Indicators, and Relationship. Commun. Linguist. Stud. 2016, 2(1), 6-12. doi: 10.11648/j.cls.20160201.12

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    AMA Style

    Jerryk C. Alico. Writing Anxiety and Language Learning Motivation: Examining Causes, Indicators, and Relationship. Commun Linguist Stud. 2016;2(1):6-12. doi: 10.11648/j.cls.20160201.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.cls.20160201.12,
      author = {Jerryk C. Alico},
      title = {Writing Anxiety and Language Learning Motivation: Examining Causes, Indicators, and Relationship},
      journal = {Communication and Linguistics Studies},
      volume = {2},
      number = {1},
      pages = {6-12},
      doi = {10.11648/j.cls.20160201.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cls.20160201.12},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.cls.20160201.12},
      abstract = {The affective domain has already received great attention from researchers as evidenced by a large body of literature made since its conception. This paper aims to draw a connection between writing anxiety and motivation, which are both affective variables associated to language learning. Using mixed-methods design, data were collected from 60 students who finished a one-semester English class in the Pre-University Center, Mindanao State University-Marawi, Philippines. Data revealed that students had low writing anxiety. They reported during the interviews that, despite their low anxiety level, there are still reasons for their writing anxiety such as grammar, evaluation, and topical knowledge. They also had a high level of instrumental and integrative motivation. They appreciated the instrumental function and contributions of the English subject, the communicative activities, and the instructor teaching the subject. The correlation and regression analyses revealed that as language learning motivation increases, writing anxiety level decreases. It led to the conclusion that writing anxiety can be lessened through motivating students to learn English. Based on the findings, English teachers should put premium on motivation in their classrooms by being effective role models to students, inspiring students to write in order to learn and to learn in order to write, appreciating their writing outputs, and exposing them to real life applications of the English macroskills.},
     year = {2016}
    }
    

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    T1  - Writing Anxiety and Language Learning Motivation: Examining Causes, Indicators, and Relationship
    AU  - Jerryk C. Alico
    Y1  - 2016/11/30
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    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cls.20160201.12
    DO  - 10.11648/j.cls.20160201.12
    T2  - Communication and Linguistics Studies
    JF  - Communication and Linguistics Studies
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    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cls.20160201.12
    AB  - The affective domain has already received great attention from researchers as evidenced by a large body of literature made since its conception. This paper aims to draw a connection between writing anxiety and motivation, which are both affective variables associated to language learning. Using mixed-methods design, data were collected from 60 students who finished a one-semester English class in the Pre-University Center, Mindanao State University-Marawi, Philippines. Data revealed that students had low writing anxiety. They reported during the interviews that, despite their low anxiety level, there are still reasons for their writing anxiety such as grammar, evaluation, and topical knowledge. They also had a high level of instrumental and integrative motivation. They appreciated the instrumental function and contributions of the English subject, the communicative activities, and the instructor teaching the subject. The correlation and regression analyses revealed that as language learning motivation increases, writing anxiety level decreases. It led to the conclusion that writing anxiety can be lessened through motivating students to learn English. Based on the findings, English teachers should put premium on motivation in their classrooms by being effective role models to students, inspiring students to write in order to learn and to learn in order to write, appreciating their writing outputs, and exposing them to real life applications of the English macroskills.
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Author Information
  • Senior High School, Mindanao State University, Marawi City, Philippines

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