English Language Anxiety and Academic Performance of Junior High School Students

Language anxiety continues to challenge second-language English learners in the Philippines. This study examined how foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA) predicts students’ English performance in selected public secondary schools in Isabela, Philippines. It aimed to measure anxiety across three domains (i.e., communication apprehension, test anxiety, and fear of negative evaluation) and to determine how these predict English grades. A descriptive predictive design was used on 346 Junior High School students who answered a standardized FLCA questionnaire. Data were analyzed through Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) using SmartPLS v4. Results showed moderate anxiety across domains and generally very satisfactory English performance (M = 88.29, SD = 2.92). Test anxiety showed the strongest negative correlation with academic grades (r = –.25). Language anxiety also significantly predicted a decrease in overall performance (β = –0.265, R2=7.5%) but with a weak effect size (f2=0.02), potentially due to grade inflation practices in the country. The findings show that language anxiety remains a consistent factor influencing academic performance. The study recommends reducing external pressure on students’ language assessments and promoting positive classroom feedback that supports student confidence and participation in English learning.