Journal of English Language Teaching

Examining Language Anxiety in Secondary Students: A comparative Study

Dr. Bhaskar Chaudhary

Faculty of Education, SSJ University Campus, Almora, Uttarakhand

Nivedita Shah

PG Scholar, SSJ University Campus, Almora, Uttarakhand

Dr. Mamta Aswal

Faculty of Education, SSJ University Campus, Almora, Uttarakhand

Keywords: English language usage anxiety, senior secondary students, gender differences

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Abstract

This research paper explores the phenomenon of English Language Usage Anxiety (ELUA) among senior secondary students in Almora City, Uttarakhand. Despite the increasing importance of English language proficiency in the globalized world, a large number of students face challenges in developing fluency and confidence in English. The study aims to investigate the level of ELUA among senior secondary students, explore potential gender differences in ELUA, compare ELUA levels between English and Hindi medium students, examine the influence of family backgrounds, and analyze the relationship between ELUA and gender. The study adopts a descriptive survey method in which data was collected from 200 senior secondary students from English and Hindi medium schools. A self-designed tool was used to measure the variables under study. The findings reveal that girls and Hindi medium students tend to have higher levels of anxiety compared to boys and English medium students, respectively. However, no significant differences were observed based on family type or the educational status of family members. The results highlight the need to address anxiety among students, particularly girls and those in Hindi medium schools and develop targeted interventions to alleviate language-related anxiety.

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