English Learning Anxiety, Learner Engagement, And Intervention Strategies Among Chinese Undergraduates

This study determined the relationships among English learning anxiety, learner engagement, and intervention strategies to propose a language learning program to improve the teaching quality and learning effect among Chinese undergraduates. The research employed a descriptive quantitative method and selected 477 undergraduates from a Chinese university to participate in an online questionnaire survey. The research conducted a pilot test to ensure reliability. The findings indicated that women were more inclined to participate in the survey and the respondents decreased with higher grades. Liberal arts students had the highest participation due to the higher proportion of female students in liberal arts, science, and engineering. The results showed a positive and supportive attitude towards English learning anxiety, learner engagement, and intervention strategies among Chinese EFL undergraduates. Regarding English learning anxiety, it is found that anxiety in communication is higher than anxiety in the negative evaluation and English classroom, which implies that the language learner has anxiety in English learning, especially in communication. Cognitive and emotional engagement are more important than behavioral engagement. The findings suggest that cognitive and emotional engagement promotes English learning effectiveness far beyond behavioral engagement. Concerning intervention strategies, respondents considered classroom intervention to be more important than behavioral intervention and cognitive intervention. It was found that the higher the English learning anxiety, the lower the learning engagement; the higher the English learning anxiety, the higher the intervention strategies; and the higher the learner engagement, the lower the intervention strategies. Therefore, the study offered recommendations to various stakeholders. This includes policymakers, curriculum designers, college language teachers and learners. A language learning program has been proposed to strengthen language teaching and learning among Chinese undergraduates.