The Students’ Reading Anxiety in Foreign Language Classroom at Elementary School

Abstract

Reading anxiety in foreign language learning is a psychological phenomenon that can hinder students' learning processes. At SDN 100/II Bungo, this issue appears among fifth-grade students who avoid reading activities, such as refusing to read aloud, speaking in very low voices for fear of making mistakes, or pretending not to hear when called by the teacher. This study aims to identify the types of reading anxiety experienced by elementary school students in English learning. A qualitative approach was used, involving five students who showed symptoms of reading anxiety. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Horwitz et al.’s (1986) framework. The findings reveal three main types of reading anxiety: Communication Apprehension, which is the most dominant and relates to fear of ridicule when reading aloud; Test Anxiety, shown through forgetting material during exams; and Fear of Negative Evaluation, reflected in embarrassment when corrected and avoidance of participation. These results highlight the need for a supportive classroom environment to reduce anxiety.