Blogging for reducing EFL learners’ writing anxiety: An experience of Barishal University, Bangladesh

Research has shown in writing English, Foreign Language (EFL) learners experience a considerable amount of anxiety which negatively influences their achievement and performances in language classrooms. In Bangladesh, learners’ foreign language anxiety is one of the main reasons behind learners’ failure in learning English but research on Bangladeshi learners’ writing specific anxiety is scant. Besides, no study has been done yet to find out the effectiveness of blogging in reducing the writing anxiety of the EFL learners of Bangladesh. So, this study aims to assess the writing anxiety of the undergraduates of the English department of Barishal University, Bangladesh, investigate the sources which trigger anxiety, and explore the effect of blogging in reducing their writing anxiety. This study was completed employing a mix-method research design and data revealed that EFL undergraduates of Barishal University suffered from moderately low to moderately high level of writing anxiety caused mainly for their lack of practice, lack of knowledge regarding different genres of writing, limited vocabulary stock, writing under time constraints, and fear of negative evaluation. Findings also showed that participants of this have a highly positive attitude towards blogging for reducing their writing anxiety in English.