The Predictive Roles of Foreign Language Anxiety, Enjoyment, and Boredom on Chinese Students' English Achievements

This study examines the predictive roles of foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA), foreign language enjoyment (FLE), and foreign language boredom (FLB) in English achievement among Chinese senior high school students. Despite extensive research on anxiety in language learning, less attention has been given to boredom, and the combined effects of these three emotions on English achievement remain under-explored, particularly among high school students in China. To address these gaps, a sample of 142 students from Guangzhou was surveyed using questionnaires to assess their emotional experiences and English achievement. The research found that FLE exhibited a positive correlation with academic performance, while FLCA and FLB showed negative associations. Notably, FLE was the most significant predictor of English achievement, followed by FLCA and FLB. Gender differences were observed, with male students reporting significantly higher levels of environmental enjoyment, while female students experienced significantly greater communication anxiety. On this basis, this paper offers suggestions on how to enhance senior high school students’ FLE while mitigating FLCA and FLB, thereby promoting more effective and sustained English learning.

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