Skill-specific language anxiety and coping strategies in Philippine virtual English classrooms

Abstract

Language anxiety has been widely examined in face-to-face classrooms since the 1980s, yet comparatively limited attention has been given to second language anxiety in online learning environments, particularly in the post-pandemic educational context. This descriptive-correlational study investigated second language anxiety across the four core English language skills and the coping strategies used by junior high school students in virtual English classrooms. The participants were 217 junior high school students enrolled in online English classes. Data were collected using structured questionnaires adapted from the Second Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (SLCAS) and a coping strategies measure. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent-samples t-tests, and Spearman’s rho correlation analysis. The findings showed that students experienced moderate levels of anxiety in speaking (M = 3.46), writing (M = 3.91), and listening (M = 3.93), while reading anxiety was reported at a high level (M = 4.35). Although descriptive differences were found between male and female students in their anxiety levels and coping strategy use, the correlation results indicated that these differences were not statistically significant. Positive thinking emerged as the most frequently used coping strategy for managing language anxiety in online English learning. These findings suggest that language anxiety in virtual classrooms remains a relevant pedagogical issue, especially in relation to reading. The study highlights the need for English teachers to design supportive, engaging, and flow-oriented virtual learning environments that can reduce anxiety and promote students’ confidence across language skills.