Macro Skills Language Anxiety Among Pre-service Elementary Teachers in Mindanao State University–Sulu

Linguistic competence is a cornerstone of effective education, yet many aspiring teachers experience English language anxiety that can significantly hinder their professional growth. This study investigated the levels of anxiety across the four macro skills—listening, speaking, reading, and writing—among 100 pre-service elementary teachers at Mindanao State University–Sulu during the 2025–2026 academic year. Employing a descriptive-correlational research design and purposive sampling, the researchers collected data through demographic profiling and skill-specific anxiety assessments. Statistical analyses, including correlation tests, were utilized to evaluate the relationships between anxiety levels and various demographic variables. The findings revealed that respondents generally maintained a neutral level of anxiety regarding listening, speaking, and writing, while reporting low anxiety specifically in reading. Interestingly, demographic factors such as age, gender, and socioeconomic status showed no significant impact on anxiety levels within this specific cohort of students. However, correlation analysis uncovered moderate to high positive significant relationships among all four macro language skills. These results suggest that language anxiety is a multidimensional construct, where challenges or apprehension in one skill area likely exacerbate anxiety in others. Because these skills are fundamentally interconnected, a struggle in oral communication may correlate with higher stress in written tasks. Consequently, the study strongly recommends that teacher-training institutions implement targeted instructional strategies and comprehensive psychological support programs to bolster communicative confidence. By addressing these interconnected anxieties through specialized workshops, institutions can ensure that future educators are adequately prepared for the linguistic demands of the classroom, ultimately fostering a more effective, resilient, and confident generation of teaching professionals within the region.