Exploring second language students’ language assessment literacy: impact on test anxiety and motivation
IntroductionThis research aims to investigate the impact of students’ language assessment literacy (LAL) on their cognition. The study specifically examines how different levels of LAL influence two critical factors: test anxiety and motivation to learn a second language.MethodsTo achieve the resear...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1289126/full |
| _version_ | 1797305422561935360 |
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| author | Fanrong Weng Xingnan Liu |
| author_facet | Fanrong Weng Xingnan Liu |
| author_sort | Fanrong Weng |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionThis research aims to investigate the impact of students’ language assessment literacy (LAL) on their cognition. The study specifically examines how different levels of LAL influence two critical factors: test anxiety and motivation to learn a second language.MethodsTo achieve the research objectives, a questionnaire was administered to a sample of 415 university students in China. The questionnaire utilized a five-point Likert scale to assess students’ levels of LAL, test anxiety, and motivation to learn a second language. Descriptive data were examined to reveal students’ proficiency in LAL, along with their levels of test anxiety and motivation. Multilevel regression analyses were performed using Mplus to investigate whether students’ LAL proficiency can predict their levels of test anxiety and motivation.ResultsThe findings indicated that the participating students had a proficiency level of approximately 60% in the content of the LAL questionnaire. The analysis further revealed the relationships between specific dimensions of LAL and both test anxiety and second language motivation. The multilevel regression analysis suggested that theoretical knowledge about language and language learning, the understanding of the impact and social value of language assessments, and the uses of assessments to enhance learning, positively predicted students’ extrinsic motivation. Furthermore, students’ understanding of the uses of assessments to learn and their theoretical knowledge about language learning were identified as positive predictors of intrinsic motivation. Additionally, it was observed that students’ LAL did not significantly predict test anxiety.DiscussionThese findings emphasize the significance of enhancing students’ LAL due to the identified relationships between LAL dimensions and motivation to learn a second language. The study suggests pedagogical implications for improving LAL, with a focus on specific dimensions that positively impact students’ motivation. The absence of a significant relationship between LAL dimensions and test anxiety prompts further exploration and consideration of additional factors influencing students’ anxiety in language assessments. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T00:25:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-532d32c034dc40daa9b1df79b429933f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T00:25:40Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-532d32c034dc40daa9b1df79b429933f2024-02-15T16:59:56ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782024-02-011510.3389/fpsyg.2024.12891261289126Exploring second language students’ language assessment literacy: impact on test anxiety and motivationFanrong Weng0Xingnan Liu1Department of English, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao SAR, ChinaIndependent Researcher, Fuzhou, ChinaIntroductionThis research aims to investigate the impact of students’ language assessment literacy (LAL) on their cognition. The study specifically examines how different levels of LAL influence two critical factors: test anxiety and motivation to learn a second language.MethodsTo achieve the research objectives, a questionnaire was administered to a sample of 415 university students in China. The questionnaire utilized a five-point Likert scale to assess students’ levels of LAL, test anxiety, and motivation to learn a second language. Descriptive data were examined to reveal students’ proficiency in LAL, along with their levels of test anxiety and motivation. Multilevel regression analyses were performed using Mplus to investigate whether students’ LAL proficiency can predict their levels of test anxiety and motivation.ResultsThe findings indicated that the participating students had a proficiency level of approximately 60% in the content of the LAL questionnaire. The analysis further revealed the relationships between specific dimensions of LAL and both test anxiety and second language motivation. The multilevel regression analysis suggested that theoretical knowledge about language and language learning, the understanding of the impact and social value of language assessments, and the uses of assessments to enhance learning, positively predicted students’ extrinsic motivation. Furthermore, students’ understanding of the uses of assessments to learn and their theoretical knowledge about language learning were identified as positive predictors of intrinsic motivation. Additionally, it was observed that students’ LAL did not significantly predict test anxiety.DiscussionThese findings emphasize the significance of enhancing students’ LAL due to the identified relationships between LAL dimensions and motivation to learn a second language. The study suggests pedagogical implications for improving LAL, with a focus on specific dimensions that positively impact students’ motivation. The absence of a significant relationship between LAL dimensions and test anxiety prompts further exploration and consideration of additional factors influencing students’ anxiety in language assessments.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1289126/fulllanguage assessment literacytest anxietymotivationsecond language learninghigher educationmultilevel analysis |
| spellingShingle | Fanrong Weng Xingnan Liu Exploring second language students’ language assessment literacy: impact on test anxiety and motivation Frontiers in Psychology language assessment literacy test anxiety motivation second language learning higher education multilevel analysis |
| title | Exploring second language students’ language assessment literacy: impact on test anxiety and motivation |
| title_full | Exploring second language students’ language assessment literacy: impact on test anxiety and motivation |
| title_fullStr | Exploring second language students’ language assessment literacy: impact on test anxiety and motivation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring second language students’ language assessment literacy: impact on test anxiety and motivation |
| title_short | Exploring second language students’ language assessment literacy: impact on test anxiety and motivation |
| title_sort | exploring second language students language assessment literacy impact on test anxiety and motivation |
| topic | language assessment literacy test anxiety motivation second language learning higher education multilevel analysis |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1289126/full |
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