The Relationship between English as a Foreign Language Learners’ Writing Achievement, Test Anxiety, Writing Anxiety, Deficit Study-Skills, and Examination Procedure: The Case of Fourth-year Pupils at Abziou 2 Middle School, Douera, Algiers, Algeria

Abstract

Abstract The aim of this study wasto investigate English as a Foreign Language fourth year middle learners’ writing achievementat Abziou 2 Middle School, Douera, Algiers, Algeria in relation to several variables, namely, test anxiety, writing anxiety, deficit study-skills, and examination procedure. These learners demonstrated low writing achievement during their ordinary term exams of English that may be due to one or more of the aforementioned variables. In this respect, four research questions were formulated in order to investigate whether the learners’ writing achievement is positively or negatively correlated with the other (four) variables. The sample selected for this study consisted of two categories: 65 learners and their two (02) teachers of the English subject at Abziou 2 Middle School, Douera, Algiers. A triangulation research method was adopted through the use of a questionnaire for the 65 learners, an interview for the two (02) teachers, and the learners’ English exam grades for the second term of the current academic year (2024-2025). The quantitative data, collected from the questionnaire and the exam grades, were analyzed through the Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS 26.0), while the qualitative data, collected from the interview, were coded into categories. Findings revealed that there is a quite positive relationship between test anxiety and learners’ writing scores. On the other hand, a quite negative correlation between writing anxiety and learners’ writing scores was reported. In addition, results demonstrated a consistent negative relationship between learners’ writing scores and their deficit study skills in both quantitative and qualitative data. Finally, there is no relationship between learners’ writing scores and the examination procedure. To sum up, the learners’ low writing achievement in exams was mainly due to their deficit study skills.