Role of English Language Anxiety in Self Efficacy, Fear of Negative Evaluation and Communication Competence Among Undergraduate Students of Kolkata

Abstract

English is a universally accepted language that serves as an important means of communication worldwide. In India, government schools have regional languages as their primary mode of instruction, making English a second language. The English language plays a pivotal role in shaping a student's overall psychological development. Thus, a lack of adequate exposure to English-language instruction may pose barriers later on in various spheres of life. The present study aimed at investigating the role of English language anxiety in self-efficacy, fear of negative evaluation, and communication competence among undergraduate students of Kolkata who had completed their schooling from Bengali medium schools. A quantitative research design was employed using correlation and regression analysis. Offline data were collected from various colleges in Kolkata. The sample consisted of 84 undergraduate students, both male and female, aged between 18 and 24 years. The tools used for data collection were translated in Bengali. The tools were English Language Anxiety Scale, Generalized Self Efficacy Scale, Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale, and Self Perceived Communication Competence Scale. The obtained results revealed that English language anxiety was significantly negatively correlated with self-efficacy and communication competence, whereas it was significantly positively correlated with fear of negative evaluation. Furthermore, regression analysis revealed that English language anxiety significantly predicted self-efficacy (11.5%), fear of negative evaluation (14.5%), and communication competence (21.6%). The study concludes with the need for effective English language training programs, social skills training, and counselling services to facilitate students’ psychosocial development and future academic prospects.