In the master's thesis, we have studied the correlation between foreign language classroom anxiety and foreign language reading anxiety in connection with gender and learning achievement. We have provided guidelines for teachers and pupils tackling anxiety in the classroom. Foreign language classroom anxiety often has a negative impact on foreign language learning. Today, the ability to read in a foreign language has become one of the elementary conditions for communication and development at all levels of education, as well as for the employment opportunities of all people. From students' achievements in the National assessment of English knowledge of 6th grades (2017) we can notice that reading of longer texts can cause problems for students, especially when they need to conclude from the context, read in detail and look for details. Anxiety is one of the key factors which can hinder the reading process, especially when students have to read in a foreign language.
In the theoretical part of the master's thesis, we have presented foreign language classroom anxiety with a special emphasis on the foreign language reading anxiety. There are some known studies about linking these types of anxiety in foreign literature, but we did not find such research in Slovenia.
In the empirical part of the master's thesis, we have presented the results of the research carried out in April and May 2018 at three selected elementary schools from the Gorenjska region. The study included 209 6th grade male and female students. In order to study the degree of anxiety in English lessons, we used the FLCAS questionnaire (Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale; Horwitz, Horwitz in Cope, 1986), and in order to study the degree of foreign language reading anxiety in English, we used FLRAS questionnaire (Foreign Language Reading Anxiety Scale; Saito, Gorza and Horwitz, 1999). Foreign language reading anxiety in English language among our students is actually different from foreign language classroom anxiety, which is demonstrated by the different distribution of students by the degree of foreign language reading anxiety in English and the distribution of students by the degree of foreign language classroom anxiety in English. Students have reported on a higher degree of foreign language reading anxiety compared to the degree of foreign language classroom anxiety. We have found correlation between the two types of anxiety in connection with gender of the respondents and their grade in English language from the previous school year. The research has showed that half of the students experienced moderate or very strong anxiety both in English lessons and in reading in English. Boys experience a higher degree of both types of anxiety than girls, but the difference is not statistically significant. The degree of anxiety, both in English lessons and in reading in English, in students with a final grade of 5 from the previous school year, can be described as moderate, while in students with lower grades it can be described as low.
Since various circumstances and situations can cause anxiety in a student, it is important that students are able to cope with anxiety effectively. For this reason, we have briefly presented the strategies for tackling foreign language anxiety for students, as well as guidelines for teachers to develop these strategies in students.
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