A FLRAS-based Study On English Reading Anxiety Of Chinese High School Students

This study focuses on foreign language reading anxiety which is an important affective factor affects language learning. Different from general foreign language learning anxiety, reading anxiety as an apprehensive psychology is aroused because of learners’inappropriate foreign language reading methods and habits, deficiency in foreign language vocabulary and grammar knowledge, or disacquaintance in the history and culture background of the country, etc. In fact, reading is the main source of language input and accumulation, because compared with listening it is permanent and allows repeated consideration. Therefore, study on foreign language anxiety is meaningful for it help both learners and teachers learn about language learning process and sources that may trigger language reading anxiety.Foreign Language Reading Anxiety Scale (FLRAS) is designed by Satio, Horwitz and Garza(1999) to evaluate learners’foreign language reading anxiety. It is with good reliability and validity and has been applied extensively by language researchers. This thesis conducts survey on132high school students of Beijing Feng Tai No.2Middle School through FLRAS investigation, interview and observation. The results are as follows:Firstly, participants with different English learning expectations and reading motivations have significant difference in English reading anxiety level.Secondly, statistics show negative correlation between English reading anxiety and objective and subjective English test scores. Good English reading skills, habits and attitude could decrease English reading anxiety. Participants with general English learning years possess low English reading anxiety.Thirdly, there are differences in English reading anxiety level between focused classes and ordinary classes, boy students and girl students. The level of English reading anxiety also fluctuates through time.