Assessing English Language Learning Anxiety Among Nursing Students

Abstract

Foreign language anxiety represents a significant affective barrier to successful language learning, particularly among nursing students who need English competence for professional communication within an increasingly international healthcare environment. This study investigated the level of English language learning anxiety among nursing students and examined classroom situations that generated the highest and lowest levels of anxiety. A quantitative descriptive approach was applied to 30 nursing students. Data were obtained through a 33-item questionnaire adapted from the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) developed by Horwitz, Horwitz, and Cope (1986). The questionnaire employed a five-point Likert scale ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree. The data were analyzed descriptively by calculating item-level mean scores and grouping the results into low, moderate, and high anxiety categories. The findings revealed a moderate overall level of English language learning anxiety, reflected by an average score of 3.21 out of 5.00, corresponding to approximately 106 of 165 points. The highest anxiety occurred during unprepared speaking, fear of course failure, and comparison with more proficient peers. Lower anxiety was associated with interaction with native speakers and limited test-preparation pressure. The findings indicate that anxiety is primarily performance- and evaluation-oriented, highlighting the need for supportive, scaffolded speaking activities and low-stakes assessment practices in English for Nursing instruction.