Factors of English Writing Anxiety: Perspectives from High School English Teacher and Students

Abstract

Writing in English is often difficult for students who learn it as a foreign language because it can cause anxiety, reduce confidence, and make it hard to produce good writing. This research aimed to find out the factors that cause writing anxiety among tenth-grade students of SMAN 6 Tanjungpinang, seen from both the teacher’s and students’ perspectives. The research used a descriptive qualitative method with a case study approach. The subjects were 27 students from class X.2, chosen purposively because they showed high levels of writing anxiety, while the object of the research was the phenomenon of writing anxiety itself. Data were collected through a questionnaire given to students and an interview with the English teacher. The data were then analyzed based on six indicators: lack of knowledge, low self-confidence, fear of negative evaluation, time pressure, language difficulties, and insufficient writing techniques and practice. The results showed that the main factors of writing anxiety were fear of negative evaluation (74%), time pressure (74%), and language difficulties (70.4%). Other factors, such as lack of knowledge, low confidence, and little practice, also contributed to the problem. Both students and the teacher confirmed that these factors were connected and strongly influenced writing performance. The research concludes that writing anxiety is influenced by psychological, language, and classroom conditions. Therefore, teachers need to create a supportive learning environment, give constructive feedback, and use step-by-step writing strategies to help students reduce anxiety and improve their English writing skills.