Foreign language anxiety and English-speaking performance among Taiwanese university students: The moderating role of self-esteem

Abstract

Taiwanese students’ relatively weak English-speaking proficiency hinders their participation in English-Medium Instruction (EMI) courses, posing a challenge to the implementation of Taiwan’s “Bilingual 2030 Policy”. This study investigated the relationship between foreign language anxiety (FLA) and English-speaking performance among 75 students at universities in southern Taiwan, examining self-esteem as a potential moderator. Participants completed the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and provided TOEFL/IELTS speaking scores. Results of multiple regression showed a significant main effect of FLA on English-speaking performance, with higher FLA associated with lower performance (β = −.15, p < .001). Importantly, self-esteem moderated this relationship (β = .11, p = .035), such that the negative impact of FLA was weaker for students with high self-esteem compared to those with low self-esteem. Additionally, the primary anxiety sources for the participants were fear of evaluation, comprehension difficulties, and negative self-perception. These findings suggest that self-esteem effectively buffers against anxiety's negative effects on speaking performance. EMI programs could incorporate self-esteem building activities alongside traditional language support measures, emphasizing not only language training but also psychological interventions.