The Significant Difference In Language Anxiety Based On Gender In English Language Classroom At Politeknik Hulu Terengganu

Abstract

Many research studies have attempted to provide explanations for why certain Malaysian students consistently fail to meet the learning objectives of English as a Second Language (ESL). The presence of anxiety is a significant obstacle to the difficulties faced when learning the English language. Concerning this, the present study aims to find out the foreign language anxiety level of the students based on gender and to investigate any significant difference in language anxiety based on gender in the English language classroom. To achieve this purpose, a quantitative study was conducted among 123 Politeknik Hulu Terengganu students. A structured questionnaire based on the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) developed by Horwitz, Horwitz, and Cope (1986) was used to gather responses. Data analysis on the FLCAS items was analysed using SPSS 22.0. The data were analysed using an independent sample T-Test, and the descriptive statistics for FLCAS were based on mean and standard deviation. The findings revealed that both males and females have a moderate level of second language anxiety, and the most recent study found that female students were markedly more anxious than their male counterparts. Thus, there was a significant difference between the learners’ language anxiety based on gender. The findings from this study provide pedagogical implications for ESL practitioners and could potentially assist educators in improving their teaching and learning process to enhance students’ performance. The outcomes of this study are expected to have significant educational consequences for instructors teaching English as a second language at the polytechnic.