Exploring Reasons for Writing Anxiety: A Survey

Abstract

Worldwide research has identified a sort of anxiety which is often associated with second language learning. MacIntyre and Gardner (1994: 284) described second language anxiety as “the feeling of tension and apprehension specially associated with second language contexts, including speaking, listening, and writing”. Experts on ELT (English Language Teaching) claim that writing is indeed a difficult skill to acquire. Learning to write is a long-term process. The progress of students is painfully slow. Despite years of learning English, students fail miserably. Teaching and learning writing involve stressful situations. The main concern of the teacher is to make the students communicate effectively. It is crucial to establish a learning environment where students can write in their second language without embarrassment. Hence the researcher sought to observe the various levels of writing skills of students belonging to different arts and science colleges in Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli, and analyzes the causes for writing anxiety.