The Influence of Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety on Academic Performance in English-based CS1 Courses

The use of the English language as a medium of instruction is becoming the norm in many higher education institutions around the world. This means all subjects, especially in science disciplines, are taught in English regardless of the native language of the students. For decades research has highlighted the negative impact that foreign language classroom anxiety can have on students’ academic performance in foreign language classes. However, research on the effect of this type of anxiety on the students’ academic performance in other classes is still limited. This research investigates the impact of foreign language classroom anxiety on the academic performance of non-native English-speaking students’ in CS1 courses. A total of 160 students from two universities in different countries participated in this study. The main aim is to examine the correlation between the foreign language classroom anxiety level and the students’ academic performance in assignments and final exams as well as the overall score in the CS1 courses. The results show a significant low negative impact of foreign language classroom anxiety on their academic performance in programming assignments. The research also discusses the impact of foreign language classroom anxiety based on gender and nationality. Moreover, the correlations between the students’ academic performance and six different factors related to foreign language classroom anxiety have been investigated.