Writing Anxiety in an EFL Recount TextClassroom: A Case Study of Eighth-GradeStudents
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26555/ad5t3f14Keywords:
Case study, EFL junior high school students, Recount text, Writing anxietyAbstract
This qualitative case study examines the writing anxiety experienced by eighth-grade students during an English recount-text writing lesson at SMP Negeri 3 Pakem, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, focusing on how three focal students display cognitive, somatic, and avoidance-related anxiety while composing a recount text about Indonesian Independence Day celebrations. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with three eighth-grade students and their English teacher, non-participant classroom observation, and a five-dimension self-assessment writing questionnaire, then analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. The findings reveal that limited vocabulary and grammatical uncertainty were the most frequently reported sources of anxiety, manifesting behaviorally as delayed writing onset, reliance on translation applications, and dependence on peers. A marked gap emerged between students' moderate self-ratings and the more serious errors documented during observation, suggesting limited metacognitive awareness of their own writing weaknesses. Contextual factors, including a supportive teacher-student relationship, freedom to choose personally relevant topics, and visually engaging series of pictures, appeared to ease anxiety, though the series of pictures alone did not eliminate hesitation to write. The study recommends combining visual scaffolding with explicit vocabulary instruction, sustained teacher rapport, and low-stakes practice to reduce writing anxiety among junior high school EFL learners.
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