Test anxiety in Kurdish EFL learners in basic schools in northern Iraq

Atheer Lateef Khammoo

Outline • Introduction• The aim of study• Research questions• Significance of the study• Methodology• Findings and discussion• Recommendations • Suggestions for Further Research

Introduction According to Davies et al (2006) the purpose of taking a language test is to determine a

person’s ability and/or knowledge of the language and to discriminate that person’s ability from that of other fields of knowledge.

Hedge (2008) states that testing is a kind of evaluation, which is typically used at the end of a stage of instruction for evaluating learner achievement.

Aydin (2013) defines anxiety as an unpleasant emotional state in which one feels powerless, uneasy and experiences tension about an expected threat.

Afzal et al (2012) describes test anxiety as a serious problem for learners because it hinders with their ability to think and do well throughout the tests.

Zaheri (2012) describes that test anxiety can be explained as physiological, cognitive, and emotional responses produced by stress experienced throughout the measurement and it is a sense has a negative role in the learners’ feelings towards cures.

The aim of studyThe current study will look at test anxiety behaviour of EFL students in basic schools in northern Iraq. It will try to synthesize the research findings on the sources, reasons and effects of test anxiety among Kurdish learners of English in basic schools in northern Iraq.

Research questions 1. What is the level of test anxiety among EFL learners in basic schools in

northern Iraq?

2. Are there any significant differences between groups of students based on

a. gender?b. grade levels?c. time of learning English?

3. Is there any statistical correlation between EFL learners’ test anxiety scores and their

a. grade levels?b. gender?c. time of learning English?d. English language scores?

Significance of the study This study will serve as a reference for teachers of English in

basic schools in northern Iraq as to why their students may be experiencing test anxiety.

It is hoped that it will provide relevant information on how test anxiety could be dealt with in relation to Kurdish EFL learners.

Methodology • The research design

– A survey study with a quantitative approach.

• Participants– 396 Kurdish EFL learners at the basic school in northern Iraq. – 7th , 8th and 9th graders in Khanik province.– 180 males, 216 females

• Data collection procedures: – Test Anxiety Scale TAS (Sarason, 1984)– TAS translated into Kurdish language in order to facilitate students’

understanding of the items

Methodology • Data analysis procedures:– Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 20.

– Mean scores, standard deviations, frequencies and percentages were calculated for all items.

– T-test, ANOVA and LSD tests to find out the significant differences based on the variables identified in the research questions.

– Correlation analysis was carried out to see if there were any significant correlations between TA and these variables.

Findings and Discussion (a)• The level of test anxiety among EFL learners in northern Iraq

– Overall, the learners have a moderate level of TA (M = 91.63, SD = 21.12).

• Distribution of participants and levels of TA

Level of TA Frequency Percentage

Low 141 35.6

Moderate 253 63.9

High 2 0.50

Total 396 100

Findings and Discussion (b)• TA levels according to components of TAS

– Four components: (a) Tension, (b) Worry, (c) Test-irrelevant thinking, and (d) Bodily symptoms.

– The main component of TA that affected the participants’ TA behaviours was tension.

Component Mean SD

Tension 2.52 1.38

Worry 2.41 1.47

Bodily Symptoms 2.26 1.31

Test-irrelevant Thinking

2.00 1.27

Findings and Discussion (c)• Levels of TA based on different variables

– Gender: Females reported that they felt less comfortable and self-confident while taking tests compared to males.

– Difference was significant although very small.

Gender N Mean SD

Male 180 91.62 21.12

Female 216 91.65 22.65

Total 396 91.63 21.94

Findings and Discussion (d)• Levels of TA based on different variables – Grade Level: 7th grade were the least anxious group about

taking tests – Significant differences between 7th graders and the other

two grades.

Grade Level N Mean SD

8th Grade 116 95.08 21.73

9th Grade 138 93.12 20.62

7th Grade 142 87.38 22.81

Total 396 91.63 21.94

Findings and Discussion (e)• Levels of TA based on different variables – English Score: The lower the score, the higher TA.

English Score N Mean SD

50-59 176 96.06 21.96

60-69 97 94.01 20.15

70-79 59 85.90 21.36

80-89 39 85.38 21.72

90-100 25 74.60 17.87

Total 396 91.63 21.94

Findings and Discussion (f)• Levels of TA based on different variables – Years of Learning English– Learners who studied English for less than 8 years were

found to have low levels of TA whereas learners who studied English more than 8 years had high levels of TA.

Years N Mean SD

10 + 54 99.41 21.18

4-5 46 94.11 19.94

8-9 183 92.69 20.93

6-7 113 85.20 23.21

Total 396 91.63 21.94

Findings and Discussion (g)• Relationship between TA and different variables

• A negative correlation between TA and the English scores• A positive correlation between TA and grade levels• A positive correlation between TA and years of learning

English

Grade Level

Gender English Score

Years of Learning

Pearson r .001 * 111 -.267** .123*

Sig. .027* .496 .000* .014*

N 396 396 396 396

Recommendations• EFL curriculum designers and language teachers should review

their principles for assessment and evaluation of learning in the basic schools .

• Teachers and parents should be aware that female students may need more assistance in dealing with symptoms of TA.

• Kurdish EFL learners should be made conscious of what TA is and training in overcoming TA should be part of the academic curriculum in the basic school program and as part of the psychological counselling unit.

• Students as the test takers should be sufficiently informed about the demands of the examination.

Suggestions for Further Research• This study was conducted with the basic school students only in one

particular region in northern Iraq. In other words, the scale used in this study can be applied to different groups of students from different basic schools in different regions in northern Iraq for comparison.

• Interviews with Kurdish EFL learners from different levels and different places might be more helpful to understand and find out the reasons, sources and effects of TA.

• Focusing on the EFL teachers’ attitudes toward TA may reveal important information regarding the role of the teachers in this process.

• Another suggestion can be made for further research to deal with the academic curriculum at the basic school in order to find out whether the general system has any influence on the experienced TA levels of EFL learners.

Thank you!