The Influence of Classroom Reading Anxiety on Top-Down, Bottom-Up Reading Anxiety and Reading Strategies

Reading anxiety remains a significant psychological barrier that affects second-language (L2) acquisition and cognitive text processing. This quantitative study explored the influence of classroom reading anxiety on top-down and bottom-up reading anxiety, as well as the perceived use of reading strategy. The data were gathered using a 39-item, 5-point Likert scale survey administered to 124 tertiary diploma and foundation students at Universiti Teknologi MARA. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses (t-tests, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation) revealed moderate levels of overall reading anxiety and higher usage of problem-solving reading strategies. Independent samples t-tests indicated no statistically significant differences in reading anxiety or strategy use based on self-rated English proficiency or reading medium preferences. Pearson correlation analysis demonstrated strong, positive, statistically significant relationships between classroom reading anxiety and both top-down anxiety (r=0.572,p<0.001) and bottom-up anxiety (r=0.649,p<0.001). However, no significant correlation was found between classroom reading anxiety and online reading strategy deployment (r=0.083,p=0.360). The findings imply that while the pedagogical environment directly heightens cognitive processing anxieties, learners maintain autonomous strategic behaviour regardless of their anxiety levels. The findings suggest that pedagogical practices addressing classroom-related stressors and cognitive processing difficulties may be considered in L2 reading instruction. Future research should examine these relationships using longitudinal, mixed-methods, and intervention-based designs.

classroom reading anxiety, top-down processing, bottom-up processing, reading strategies, esl learners, affective filter

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