LEVEL AND CAUSES OF PRE-UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ ENGLISH TEST ANXIETY: A CASE STUDY ON MINDANAO STATE UNIVERSITY
Keywords:
Test Anxiety, Second Language Anxiety, Second Language Learning, English PerformanceAbstract
The Pre-University Center (PUC) in Mindanao State University-Main Campus (MSU), Marawi City, accommodates students who failed in the MSU-System Admission and Scholarship Examination (MSU-SASE) to undergo a bridging program in preparation for college. This study was conducted due to the researcher’s concern on pre-university students’ low performance in English, both new enrollees and repeaters. A modified test anxiety questionnaire identified the students’ experiences with test anxiety and indicated their test anxiety level. The second part of the questionnaire asked students to write in detail the reasons why they have anxiety towards tests in English. The data revealed that whether or not students are new enrollees, they still have the tendency to fail in English exams when they have moderate and high levels of text anxiety. Moreover, they revealed that factors such as parents’ high expectations, worry about test results, linguistic incompetence and negative perception on English, time pressure, and inadequate preparation are the main causes of their anxiety. Significant recommendations are offered to solve this impediment to students’ learning and success in going to college.
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