The Research Of Chinese Test Anxiety

Anxiety is one of the most important emotional factors when learning a second language. Its research has an important significance on teaching and learning a second language. Overseas this research is developing day by day, focusing on listening, speaking, reading, writing, and other various aspects. In the 1990’s, domestic study of Chinese students learning English as well as the study of the foreign students learning Chinese increased, but research that focuses in the psychology of foreign students learning Chinese is rather lacking. Through the "Chinese examination scale," this study measures the Nanjing University’s American undergraduates’ anxiety.The purpose of this study is to test the anxiety that is related to taking Chinese tests, the factors influencing anxiety, and to explore the correlation between Chinese test anxiety and performance. Through the analysis of the American undergraduate students’ Chinese language test anxiety, the development and coping strategies of testing anxiety will be understood. Based on Horwitz’s theory of second language classroom anxiety, Sarason’s second language test anxiety, and the findings of the test anxiety scale data, a conclusion of the characteristics of American undergraduate students Chinese test anxiety can be drawn.This paper uses empirical research such as questionnaires and individual interviews; includes a total of 80 valid questionnaires, an interview of a professor, a project manager, and eight students. SPSS20.0 software is used to analyze the questionnaire data statistics, combined with the test results and the interview content, and the analysis of the characteristics of Chinese language test anxiety and strategies.First is the introduction of second language learning and testing anxiety and how to test this anxiety. The second part is the development of the research objectives leading to the implementation of the questionnaire and interviews. The third part is the analysis of the Chinese test anxiety, measuring reliability and validity of the questionnaire, thus describing the overall situation of Chinese test anxiety. The fourth part is the related factors affecting anxiety in Chinese language tests in regards to gender, ethnic group, personality traits, Chinese proficiency level, and the time spent learning Chinese. The fifth part focuses on how American undergraduates and teachers deal with testing anxiety itself and how grades and testing anxiety are related. The sixth part concludes the findings and summarizes the strengths and weaknesses of the research.The study results show that many American students have widespread Chinese test anxiety. The numbers of low anxiety students and the secondary anxiety are equal while the number of high anxiety is quite less, accounting for approximately 7%. Of the time spent learning Chinese and the personality influencing the students’ testing anxiety, the anxiety of the students who learned Chinese for more than five years is lowest, but those who spent less than two years have higher test anxiety. Extroverted students’ test anxiety is generally highest and introverted students’ anxiety is usually lowest. Gender, ethnic group, and Chinese proficiency level have no significant correlations with testing anxiety. Highly anxious students have highest average scores. However for American undergraduates,there’s no significant correlation between anxiety and performance.Finally, this paper puts forward the corresponding teaching strategies that teachers should know in order to educate the students whom are affected by different conditions of anxiety, resulting from aspects such as classroom teaching, homework assignments, and test design. How to deal with students Chinese test anxiety varies person to person, while one of the most practical methods is that students better prepare for tests.