Understanding Classroom Foreign Language Learning Anxiety: A Case Study of British Literature in a Mainland China University Context

Despite the increasing empirical research on the psychological dimensions of language learning, Foreign Language Learning Anxiety (FLLA) remains comparatively underexplored, particularly in subject-specific academic contexts. This mixed-methods case study investigates FLLA among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners in British literature classrooms at a university in northwestern Mainland China. The primary research objectives are to assess the prevalence of FLLA and identify its underlying causes in this academic context. Quantitative data were collected using an adapted British Literature Classroom Anxiety Scale (ELCAS), based on the established Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS), and analyzed via SPSS. Additionally, semi-structured interviews were conducted to gain deeper insights into the determinants of anxiety, with thematic analysis used to identify internal and external factors contributing to FLLA. The results indicate that 97.44% of participants experience moderate to high levels of anxiety, with key sources including communication apprehension, fear of negative evaluation, and test-related stress. Course-specific challenges, self-perceptual issues, and classroom and examination environments were identified as major contributing factors. These findings provide critical insights for developing strategies to mitigate FLLA in diverse EFL settings, recognizing the complex and context-sensitive nature of anxiety in contemporary language instruction.