The links between foreign language reading anxiety and reading performance in Hong Kong Chinese children learning English as a foreign language

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between foreign language reading performance and foreign language reading anxiety. It also investigated the underlying physiological mechanism of foreign language reading anxiety in Chinese children learning English as a foreign language (EFL). Study 1 included 102 Chinese primary fourth graders (mean age = 10.04 years) in Hong Kong. A self-reported foreign language reading anxiety scale (FLRAS), English reading tests and a nonverbal reasoning test were administered to children individually. Children's English word-level reading performance was assessed through a word reading task and a nonword reading task. A composite word reading z-score was computed based on the two word-level reading tasks. Children's English text-level reading performance was assessed through a passage comprehension task. Results showed that children's self-reported FLRAS score was negatively correlated with their English reading performance on both word and text levels. Results from hierarchical regression analyses showed that FLRAS predicted children's English reading performance on both word and text levels, after controlling for the effects of age, gender, and nonverbal reasoning skill. Based on the children's self-reported FLRAS scores, 32 children (20 low-FLRAS; 12 high-FLRAS) were included in Study 2. They completed a nonverbal reasoning task—a control task that provided a baseline measurement for comparison—and an English reading comprehension task with their physiological responses monitored during the process. Their heart rate (HR) and skin conductance response (SCR) which indexed sympathetic nervous activity were recorded, and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) was analyzed as an index of parasympathetic nervous activity in the autonomic nervous system. Children's performances in English reading assessments in Study 1 were also included in the analyses of Study 2. After the physiological arousal level in the control task was accounted for, children's physiological arousal level elicited by the English reading comprehension task was found to be significantly higher in the high-FLRAS group than in the low-FLRAS group, as indicated by HR and SCR. Also, it was found that FLRAS correlated positively only with HR and SCR but not with RSA, suggesting that foreign language reading anxiety has a direct relationship with the sympathetic but not the parasympathetic nervous system. In addition, a significant negative relationship was found between children's English word-level reading performance and their physiological arousal level indexed by HR. After controlling for the effects of age, gender and nonverbal reasoning skill, HR was found to be a marginally significant predictor of children's English word-level reading performance as indicated by the composite word reading z-score. This study has demonstrated the effectiveness of self-reported FLRAS in predicting foreign language reading performance and distinguishing between children with different physiological responses when reading in English. This study has extended past research by examining the relationship between foreign language reading anxiety and foreign language reading performance on both word and text levels in Chinese EFL children. It is the first study that examined the underlying physiological mechanism of foreign language reading anxiety by adopting a real-time measurement of physiological responses in Chinese EFL children during an English reading task. The findings suggest using physiological indicators to measure foreign language reading anxiety objectively. The findings also suggest reducing children's physiological arousal may reduce their foreign language reading anxiety and improve their foreign language reading performance.

Date of Award	2 Oct 2015
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	City University of Hong Kong
Supervisor	Wing Yin CHOW (Supervisor)