Understanding Foreign Language Anxiety and Achievement in Chinese Secondary EFL Learners: The Role of Behavioural Engagement

Abstract

Drawing up the control-value theory, the present study attempted to understand the relationships among Chinese secondary school students' English learning anxiety, behavioural engagement, and English performance. A total of 230 (113 males, 117 females) English as a foreign language (EFL) learners from one Chinese secondary school completed the academic anxiety scale and behavioural engagement scale. Participants final examination scores measured their English achievement. Structural equation model (SEM) analyses demonstrated that EFL-related anxiety could directly affect EFL achievement and indirectly via the mediator of behavioural engagement. EFL-related anxiety was able to explain 44.9% of the variance in behavioural engagement and 22.6% of the variance in English achievement. Implications for English education and limitations and directions for future studies are discussed.