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CHAPTER 1
THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE
Introduction
The anxiety in foreign language is one of the factors that affect one’s achievement
in learning the English language (Dordinejad & Ahmadabab, 2017). English language
usage has been continuously expanding worldwide and this resulted in an increasing
number of people who aspire to learn and have excellent communication skills
(Hashemi, 2016). Elaldi (2018) affirmed language anxiety usually occurs to those
students who experience negativities in the language context.
According to Abbasi (2017), language anxiety originates from the inner-self of the
students who learn English. It may occur or may be experienced due to the
linguistic difficulties of learning the English language. Speaking and
communicating in public can cause anxiety (Rajanthan et al., 2018). Therefore, some
English learners face difficulties regarding communication with other people.
However, speaking in the foreign language in both social and academic contexts
seems to be challenging activities for the learners in adequately expressing their
personality and ideas. It is not easy for them to have excellent communication
skills. The more friendly and informal the language classroom environment, the less
it is likely to be anxiety provoking.
As cited by Chang & Tsai (2015), motivation represents the most appealing variables
used to explain the differences in learners during language learning, and it is one
of the significant factors that impact the success in learning the language.
Motivation is the
springboard of success in learning the language. Students who lack motivation are
impotent to persevere in achieving success during the difficulties to learn
language. The study of Saranjaj (2016) stated that motivated learners have the
willingness to achieve language-learning goals.
There are many ways to motivate each student to learn in English language like,
learning strategies which can assist learners to address, direct, determine, and
guide their learning process. The most essential used strategies involve using
electronic dictionaries and vocabularies to encounter new English words. Applying
some strategies can develop students to pursue to learn more words. English is
needed in the workplace for employees to develop a high level of English skills in
business communication. As cited by Dornvei (2014), motivation represents one of
the most appealing variables to explain the differences in learners during language
learning and motivation is one of the most critical factors that impact the rate
and success in learning the language.
In the school setting, there is a tendency for students to judge other students if
they commit wrong grammar and this can be the reason why students are determined in
learning the English language.
A study on factors that may cause variation in gender by Yih, Chin, & Ling (2017)
investigated the role of gender in English language anxiety among tertiary students
and found that males are slightly more anxious than females.
A study of students in Taiwan revealed that most of the time students remained
quiet throughout an entire class. They did not ask questions and were not willing
to answer the questions unless teacher asked them. The teacher would only receive
responses when they directly asked the students individually, and students got
nervous when called to respond. Several students were under a lot of pressure and
anxiety which contributed to their lack of learning English (Chang & Tsai, 2015).
This study was conducted due to the observations done by the researchers. The
researchers found that students are inclined to speak English and may influence
others to also speak in English. However, fear of committing mistakes in grammar
triggers language anxiety.
In Gingoog City Comprehensive National High School, memorandum no. 54 s. 2018,
entitled “Reiterating the Policy of Using English and Filipino as Medium of
Instruction,” was implemented. This was based on Department of Education Executive
Order No. 210 (“Establishing the Policy to Strengthen the Use of English as a
Second Language in the Educational System”) which ordered schools to make English
the primary medium of instruction in all public institutions of learning at the
secondary level except for Filipino and Araling Panlipunan subjects wherein
Filipino is the medium of instruction. “There is a need to develop the aptitude,
competence and proficiency of our students in English language usage to maintain
and improve their competitive edge in emerging and fast-growing local and
international industries, particularly in the area of information and
communications technology,” this Executive Order emphasized.
This paper sought to determine whether student’s anxiety in English language
affects their motivation in learning the second language considering their sex.
This study is significant to the teachers for it will provide information about how
students are communicating in class and how they are motivated to learn the English
language. This study will also help students to find out if they are anxious in the
English language, and if their anxiety impacts their motivation in learning the
language.
 
Theoretical and Conceptual Framework
This research study is anchored on the following theories namely, Gender Theory of
Baumeister & Sommer (1997), Hortwitz, Hortwitz & Cope’s Theory of Foreign Language
Anxiety (1986), Motivation Theory of Gardner (1985), and Self-determination Theory
of Deci & Ryan (1985).
According to Baumeister & Sommer’s Gender Theory (1997) there are some differences
between male and female with regards to the second language learning. Research
studies have shown that gender differences affect students’ academic interest needs
and achievements. Anxiety has an essential factor and influence on second language
learning particularly in speaking skills. Males and females have a different
development of their verbal ability. Gender is one of the factors that can affect
the anxiety in second language learning particularly on language speaking skills.
Prince (1991) pointed out that there is a relationship between foreign language
anxiety and gender. Prince did an interview where she reviewed ten (10) students,
and stated that there are effects concerning the relationship between foreign
language anxiety and genders. Some researcher also claim that males have the higher
anxiety level in foreign language learning, in the classroom than the girls, while
others argued that females did.
Hortwitz, Hortwitz & Cope’s Theory of Foreign Language Anxiety (1986) define
foreign language anxiety as a different and complicated construction of beliefs,
self-perceptions, feelings, and behaviors that are relate to classroom language
learning. They claim that anxiety in the foreign language should be anxiety that is
situation-specific which began from the great formal learning of a foreign
language. The theory also states that students with general anxiety are more
anxious in foreign language learning. 
The Motivation Theory of Gardner (1985) defines motivation as “The combination of
the effort plus desire to achieve the goal of learning the language plus favorable
attitudes towards learning the language”. Together with his colleagues, they
planned a deal of research about the language learning motivation within a
framework of the socio-educational model. There are two significant orientations
that deal with the positive approach towards the specified language group and the
desire to be identified by the numbers from the particular group. Instrumental
orientation highlights to accomplish a practical goal.
According to Deci & Ryan (1985), Self-determination Theory is commonly crucial in
motivation research. These orientations are divided into three categories;
intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and motivation. Intrinsic motivation
refers to willingly indulge in activities for imminent pleasure and interest
decided from participation. On the other hand, extrinsic motivation is more on
doing activity for the instrumental purpose. If neither extrinsically nor
intrinsically motivated, learners may undergo the feeling of incompetence to be
involved at something or vulnerable in regards to the outcome. The concept of
“learned helplessness” corresponds to motivation.
Provided with the aforementioned theories and concepts, Figure 1 below highlights
the interplay of the variables of the study. It is assumed that the students’
anxiety in the English language has an impact on the motivation to learn English.
 
Sex
 
 
 
 
Anxiety in English Language Learning
Motivation in English Language Learning
 
Figure1. Schematic Presentation showing the Interplay of the Variables in the Study
 
Statement of the Problem
The main problem of this research is to assess the level of the anxiety and
motivation in learning the English language of the senior high school students in
Gingoog City Comprehensive National High School during the first semester of the
school year 2019-2020.
Specifically, it sought to answer the following questions:
1. How are the respondent characterized in terms of their sex?
2. How do the respondents assess their anxiety in English language?
3. What is the level of the respondent’s motivation in learning English?
4. Is there a significant difference in anxiety in English language learning
concerning their sex?
5. Is there a significant difference in the students’ motivation in learning
English language in terms of their sex?
6. Does the students’ anxiety affect their motivation in learning English?
 
Hypothesis
           Problem 1 to 3 is hypothesis free. However, for the problems 4 to 6 the
following hypotheses were tested 0.05 level of significant using SPSS14.
           H04: there is no significant difference in the anxiety in the English
language regarding the student’ sex.
H05: There is no significant difference in the students’ motivation in learning
English language considering the respondents’ sex.
H06: The students’ anxiety in English language learning does not affect their
motivation in learning English.
 
The Significance of the Study
The results of the study benefit the following:
Teacher: This paper will be beneficial for the teacher because it will provide them
with information about student’s anxiety and motivation in learning English. This
paper will let them think about the possible strategies in teaching that may help
the students’ concern in the English language.
Students: The study will help the students be aware that they may be suffering from
anxiety in English and how it may affect their willingness to learn from it.
Future researchers: This research will serve as a reference for future related
studies and will become a source of information for other relevant studies.
 
 
Scope and Limitations
This research study sought to determine the factors that affect the students’
language anxiety and their motivation to learn English language. The factors were
limited to the students’ motivation to learn English and students’ level of anxiety
in learning the language.
The primary respondents of this study were the senior high school students of
Gingoog City Comprehensive National high School composed of the different strands
namely Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS), Accountancy and Business Management
(ABM), Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM), General Academic Strand
(GAS), and Technical Vocational Livelihood (TVL).
Definition of Terms
The following terms were operationally defined to achieve a better understanding of
the study:
Anxiety – It is operationally defined as a feeling of tension, apprehension,
nervousness and worry in English class of the senior high school students in
Gingoog City Comprehensive National High School.
Motivation - In this study, it is the act of being eager to work.
Sex- The state of being male and female according to physiology.