The Influence Of Anxiety And Motivation On Grade 10 Students’ English Language Achievement In West Wollega Zone Oromia Region

Abstract

The aim of this investigation was to explore the influence of motivation and anxiety on grade 10 students’ English language achievement in West Wollega zone, Oromia region. Five secondary schools were randomly selected and 319 students and 17 English language teachers were involved in the study. Sample of students were selected using stratified sampling technique and availability sampling technique was engaged to select sample of English language teachers. The motivation scale, anxiety scale, English language test, and questionnaire were the data gathering tools used in the study. The researcher engaged the quantitative data analyzing methods- frequency, percentage, Pearson product moment correlation, and multiple regressions. Accordingly the following conclusions were made. Firstly, From analysis of frequency and percentage the researcher concluded that, to respond questions without preparation in English, Misunderstanding of every word the English language was saying, worrying about making mistakes, English language teachers’ correcting of every mistakes the students made, thinking as if the other students were better at English than them, Misunderstanding of what the English teacher was correcting, fear of other students’ laugh when to speak in English were identified as anxiety provoking situation among majority of the students in the five secondary schools. Secondly, from the person product correlation the researcher concluded that, the students’ English language class anxiety was moderately and negatively correlated with their English language test score mean. This means as students’ anxiety score mean increase their English language achievement decreases and vice versa. Thirdly, the researcher concluded that, students’ English language learning motivation was significantly and positively related to students’ English language test score. This means as students’ English language motivation increase their English language achievement also increase. Lastly, from the regression analyses the researcher concluded that, English language learning motivation and English language class anxiety were found to be significantly predicting grade 10 students’ English language test performance. Sixty point nine percent (60.9%) of students’ English language test performance was accounted for students’ English language class anxiety and their English language learning motivation .On the bases of the above conclusions the researcher suggested the following recommendations. English language teachers should check whether the students did enough preparation before asking students strange questions; English language teachers should teach students good test preparation to make them able to control test anxiety; Students must aware that making mistakes is normal in learning teaching process to decrease worrying about making mistakes; English language teachers should focus on rewarding students for their progress rather than focusing on criticizing them for their every mistakes.