Investigating the Perceived Relationship between Chinese University Students’ English Language Anxiety and English Academic Performance: A Case Study at Gansu University of Political Science and Law

This case study investigates English language anxiety (ELA) among 34 English-major undergraduates at the School of Foreign Studies, Gansu University of Political Science and Law, China. Using a mixed-methods approach, this study employs the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) to measure the levels of perceived ELA, and the open-ended questions to explore the perceived relationship between ELA and English academic performance. Data analysis involves descriptive statistics for quantitative data and thematic analysis for qualitative data, employing SPSS Version 28.0. Data reveal the overall level of ELA among students is moderate (M>2.50, M=2.61). Furthermore, students experience the highest levels of test anxiety (M=2.74), followed by communication apprehension (M=2.61), with fear of negative evaluation ranking the lowest (M=2.50). Statistical analysis demonstrates no significant difference in ELA levels between genders (p=0.925, p>0.05), among educational background in high school (p=0.337, p>0.05), or across different academic years (f=2.604, p=0.087, p>0.05). However, there is a perceived negative relationship between ELA and English academic performance. These findings suggest that administrators and instructors at the School of Foreign Studies should recognise that students experience ELA and take action to assist highly anxious students in reducing their language anxiety.