Bridging Pedagogy and Psychology: An Analysis of the Influence of Reading Strategies on Reading Anxiety

Abstract

Reading is a fundamental skill in English as a Second Language (ESL) learning that not only enhances vocabulary and grammar but also fulfills learners' metacognitive needs for affiliation, power, and achievement. However, ESL learners often experience reading anxiety that may interfere with their comprehension and academic performance. This quantitative research examined the reading strategies influence on reading anxiety among Malaysian tertiary-level ESL learners. A 5-point Likert-scale survey adapted from Miao and Vibulphol (2020), Zoghi (2012), and Amer et al. (2010) was administered to 236 participants across four different educational levels. The instrument consisted of two main sections: Section B measuring reading anxiety (21 items across top-down, bottom-up, and classroom anxiety dimensions with Cronbach's alpha = .942) and Section C assessing reading strategies (18 items which include global, problem-solving, and support strategies with Cronbach's alpha = .926). Findings showed that learners predominantly employed prediction as a global strategy, rereading as a problem-solving strategy, and bilingual processing as a support strategy. Reading anxiety manifested primarily through limited prior knowledge, difficulty identifying main ideas, vocabulary recall challenges, and grammar processing difficulties. Nevertheless, correlation analysis showed weak to nonexistent relationships between reading strategies and reading anxiety, suggesting these constructs operate independently. No significant differences in strategy use or anxiety levels were found across educational levels. The findings have important pedagogical implications, indicating that educators must adopt a dual approach that addresses both cognitive strategy development and affective anxiety management simultaneously, as strategy instruction alone does not reduce reading anxiety.