This descriptive quantitative study examined the levels of reading anxiety, reading engagement, and self-

perceived reading performance among Malaysian ESL foundation students across three academic programmes:

Science, Engineering, and Law. Underpinned by Krashen’s Affective Filter Hypothesis and Guthrie and

Wigfield’s Engaged Reading Model (2000), the study aimed to describe learners’ emotional and motivational

experiences in academic reading contexts. A total of 155 students participated, responding to a structured

questionnaire adapted from established instruments: the Foreign Language Reading Anxiety Scale (Saito, Garza,

& Horwitz, 1999), the Motivations for Reading Questionnaire (Guthrie & Wigfield, 2000), and selected items

from the Metacognitive Awareness of Reading Strategies Inventory (Mokhtari & Sheorey, 2002) and Motivated

supportive instructional practices and structured strategies such as TEEEL to enhance engagement and reduce

anxiety in ESL reading classrooms.

Keywords: reading anxiety, reading engagement, self-perceived reading performance, ESL foundation

students, descriptive study

Reading in a second language is a critical skill for academic success, especially in English as a Second Language

(ESL) foundation programs where students are preparing for tertiary studies. Research has established that

reading proficiency is essential as it helps to enhance learners’ cognitive and academic development (Abid et.

al, 2023). However, achieving high reading is not only a matter of decoding skills or vocabulary knowledge, as

it is also influenced by affective and behavioral factors. In this context, reading engagement, reading anxiety,

added that such anxiety acts as an affective “filter” that impedes comprehension and diminishes students’

willingness to read. Meanwhile, self-perceived reading performance refers to students’ self-assessment of their

own reading ability or effectiveness. This self-perception is closely related to the concept of reading self-

efficacy, where students who believe they are competent readers are more likely to tackle reading challenges

confidently and persistently (Li et.al, 2025).

For ESL foundation students, these factors are particularly salient. Many foundation-level learners enter

programs with limited academic reading experience in English and may struggle with motivation or confidence.

A study conducted by Fitrawati et. al (2023) reported that students experienced moderate to high levels of foreign

language reading anxiety. Such anxiety can discourage them from fully engaging with reading materials,

avoiding reading activities that will hinder their reading performance. Conversely, students who are motivated

weak reading habits and abilities. According to national surveys, Malaysians read only two books annually on

average, and about 80% of undergraduates are "reluctant readers," who only read for exams (Mohammed et al.,

2019). Students are deprived of the consistent exposure required to develop their vocabulary and comprehension

skills because of low reading engagement.

Malaysian undergraduates' English reading proficiency is still "below-par," primarily due to poor reading habits

and declining motivation (Ker-hsin & Razali, 2023). Students often find it difficult to apply their theoretical

knowledge to real academic texts, even when explicit strategies like scanning, inferring, and skimming are taught

in class. They report time pressure, limited vocabulary, and trouble understanding key ideas as the contributing

factors to these reading problems (Edward et al., 2021). Significant affective barriers also contribute to these

skill gaps. To illustrate, a recent survey of 96 Malaysian university students participating in online distance

where students need to become proficient in academic reading rapidly in order to advance to their degree

programs. In particular, no descriptive study has profiled students' self-perceived reading success, daily

engagement with English texts, and reading anxiety levels all at the same time. It is necessary that this gap be

filled for two reasons. First, lecturers can use brief surveys to create reading profiles that show different patterns

of anxiety, engagement, and confidence, which will help them to provide focused support. Next, reframing

feedback by highlighting effort and progress, rather than only mistakes, may improve how students see

themselves as readers and encourage persistence. Thus, in order to lay the foundation for pedagogical

interventions, the current study aims to characterise the distributions and levels of reading anxiety, reading

engagement, and self-perceived reading performance among Malaysian ESL foundation students based on the

following research questions:

Reading engagement is a reader’s active involvement in reading, encompassing behavioural, cognitive, and

affective dimensions. An engaged reader not only spends time reading (behavioural engagement) but also

employs mental strategies to understand text (cognitive engagement) and often experiences interest or enjoyment

during reading (affective engagement). Recent research underscores the vital role of engagement in reading

development. For example, Lee et al. (2021) found that students’ dedication to reading is strongly linked to

reading performance outcomes. This affirms that participation in reading is vital for reading performance. When

learners regularly read and invest effort in understanding the texts, they tend to achieve higher comprehension

and literacy growth. This aligns with earlier theoretical models, which suggested that engaged reading acts serve

In ESL/EFL settings, reading engagement can be a challenge as students may be less inclined to read in a second

language due to the additional effort required. Merga (2020) emphasises that educators should support student

motivation and provide ample reading opportunities, as these boost engagement and thereby improve reading

engagement even among reluctant readers. A study by Hamedi et al. in 2020 with Iranian EFL learners

demonstrated that reading engagement significantly mediated the relationship between reading-related emotions

and comprehension performance. Students with higher enthusiasm and involvement in reading were able to

overcome negative emotions and achieve better understanding, emphasising engagement as a positive force in

content, and the pressure of reading under time or evaluation constraints. Recent studies have documented the

prevalence and consequences of this anxiety. Fitrawati et al. (2023), for instance, surveyed Indonesian EFL

university students and found that 67% of students experienced moderate levels of reading anxiety, with a further

20% reporting high anxiety. These figures suggest that moderate anxiety is typical, and a substantial minority

face serious anxiety in reading. Reading anxiety has been negatively associated with reading performance across

multiple investigations. Solati et al. (2024) note that studies have shown reading anxiety can lead to decreased

comprehension and motivation. When students are anxious, cognitive resources that could be used for processing

text may be diverted to self-doubt and worry, resulting in impaired understanding. Moreover, anxiety often

triggers avoidance behaviours. Students may procrastinate on reading assignments or choose texts below their

ability level to cope with discomfort. In a correlational study, Tonka and Bakir (2020) discovered a significant

classes and to implement interventions such as teaching relaxation techniques, building vocabulary, or providing

texts at appropriate difficulty to help students manage anxiety.

The concept of self-perceived reading performance refers to learners’ own assessment of how well they read in

the second language. It is closely linked to the idea of reading self-efficacy, which is confidence in one’s reading

capabilities. This self-belief can significantly influence reading behaviour. Students who perceive their reading

ability as high are more likely to take on challenging texts and persist through difficulties, whereas those with

low self-perception may refrain from reading tasks for fear of failure. There is evidence that what students

believe about their own ability and how they actually perform often build on each other over time, creating either

a positive or negative cycle (Malanchini et al., 2017). In the ESL context, learners’ self-evaluation can sometimes

engagement and reading volume. This means that students who felt confident in their reading skills tended to

read more frequently and with greater interest, as confidence can fuel motivation. Conversely, if a student doubts

their reading ability, they may approach texts with a negative attitude or avoid reading whenever possible,

limiting their progress. Generally, a positive self-view correlates with better reading outcomes. In sum, self-

perception is an internal factor that can either boost or undermine a learner’s engagement and achievement in

Performance.

comfort. On the other hand, high anxiety can stifle engagement, as anxious students are less inclined to read for

pleasure or immersion. This interplay was evident in the work of Tonka & Bakir (2020), mentioned earlier,

where reading anxiety was linked to poorer reading habits. Students who believe they are capable readers feel

more motivated, engage more actively, and experience less anxiety. However, when they doubt their ability,

comprehension. Essentially, emotional states influenced outcomes through their effect on engagement levels.

Based on the previous insights, the present study considers all three factors together. By examining engagement,

anxiety, and self-rated performance concurrently, instructors can better understand the profile of ESL foundation

students and identify whether students who struggle in one area also struggle in others. The literature evidently

indicates that to improve students’ reading proficiency, one should adopt a holistic approach by fostering

engagement, building confidence, and reducing anxiety at once, rather than treating each in isolation.

This study draws on two well-known theories, Krashen’s Affective Filter Hypothesis (1982) and Guthrie and

Wigfield’s Engaged Reading Model (2000), to show how emotions and motivation shape reading in foundation-

level ESL learners. Anxiety in reading often acts as a barrier that discourages students from engaging with texts

of anxiety recorded in this study. Conversely, a score of 5 signified Strong Agreement (SA) with the statement,

indicating the highest level of anxiety reported among participants. This approach provided a detailed

assessment of all three constructs, offering a thorough understanding of how reading engagement, reading

anxiety, and self-reported performance varied among participants in the study.

highest mean anxiety level (M = 3.27 ± 0.60), followed by science students (M = 3.09 ± 0.67) and Engineering

students (M = 2.98 ± 0.65).

could possibly be due to the heavy reading load and complex legal terminology. Meanwhile, Engineering

students are comparatively more relaxed readers.

This moderate level of anxiety aligns with earlier findings by Rahayu and Fitriana (2021) and Zhao (2023), who

observed that EFL learners often feel anxious when reading complex or unfamiliar texts, particularly those

containing advanced vocabulary or abstract concepts. Law students’ higher anxiety may be explained by their

affective filter is raised, the learner’s ability to process new linguistic information becomes limited.

The students’ self-perceived reading performance was also found to be high, with an overall mean score of 3.88

± 0.61. Program-wise, Law students again reported the highest self-rating (M = 3.96 ± 0.59), followed by

Engineering (M = 3.87 ± 0.62) and Science (M = 3.80 ± 0.63). This finding suggests that most students felt

confident about their English reading ability and believed they could understand and analyse texts effectively.

competence are more likely to employ effective strategies, stay motivated, and recover quickly from

comprehension difficulties.

The pattern observed also supports Shuib and Abdullah (2023), who reported a positive link between Malaysian

students perceived reading competence and their actual academic success. In the present study, the higher self-

ratings among Law and Engineering students may reflect exposure to a greater volume of English reading

materials and more frequent opportunities to apply reading skills in coursework. Although Science students’

self-perception was slightly lower, their mean still indicates confidence, which may continue to grow as they

gain experience handling English texts. Overall, the results suggest that self-perceived reading performance and

engagement are closely related, as predicted by Guthrie and Wigfield’s (2000) framework. Students who are

more engaged in reading are also more confident in their abilities, which further reinforces motivation and

The mean score for reading anxiety was 2.95 (SD = 0.99). Among the three programs, Law students recorded

the highest level of anxiety (M = 3.15, SD = 1.10), followed by Science students (M = 3.01, SD = 0.89), while

Engineering students showed the lowest anxiety (M = 2.67, SD = 0.94). This implies that Law students, whose

program demands heavy reading of complex legal texts, tend to feel more pressured compared to students in

Science or Engineering. The results are consistent with previous research indicating that ESL learners typically

experience moderate anxiety when reading English texts, especially when they perceive the material as difficult

or unfamiliar (Rahayu & Fitriana, 2021).

In contrast, the results showed that students demonstrated a high level of reading engagement, with an overall

mean score of 4.04 (SD = 0.64). This finding suggests that most students are motivated and actively involved in

reading activities, showing interest and persistence in understanding English texts. Among the three programs,

Law students again reported the highest engagement (M = 4.23, SD = 0.67), followed closely by Engineering

(M = 3.96, SD = 0.62) and Science (M = 3.94, SD = 0.62). The high level of engagement among Law students

SD = 0.68). This means that students felt confident in their ability to read and understand English texts. Program-

wise, Law students scored the highest (M = 4.04, SD = 0.66), followed by Engineering (M = 3.94, SD = 0.63)

and Science (M = 3.81, SD = 0.72). The results suggest that most students believed they were effective readers

and capable of handling academic texts in English. The combination of high engagement and strong self-

positive reading attitudes and sufficient confidence, though some still experience emotional barriers that can

hinder optimal reading comprehension.

The findings of this study support and extend two important theoretical frameworks in second language

confidence suggests a low affective filter that facilitates effective language input and reading comprehension.

These results reinforce Krashen’s argument that lowering anxiety and strengthening confidence are crucial for

improving reading performance in a second language.

The high level of engagement found among students also supports Guthrie and Wigfield’s Engaged Reading

Model, which emphasizes the interaction of motivation, strategy use, and social participation in promoting

effective reading. Engaged readers are those who are interested in reading, use strategies to understand texts,

and participate in discussions about what they read. The strong engagement shown by the foundation students

reflects these qualities. They were motivated, persistent, and strategic in their reading. However, an interesting

observation is that Law students, despite being the most engaged, also showed higher anxiety. This finding

suggests that motivation alone does not completely eliminate anxiety; a student may be both highly interested

Firstly, teachers should prioritize reducing reading anxiety by creating a supportive classroom environment. This

involves using positive reinforcement, avoiding harsh corrections, and offering emotional reassurance during

reading activities. Teachers should also minimize high-pressure tasks such as unprepared oral readings or sudden

questioning, which may trigger anxiety. Instead, they can use small-group reading sessions, pair work, and

guided reading exercises that allow students to participate comfortably. Such approaches help lower students’

affective filter and promote greater confidence in reading (Krashen, 1985).

centered. Giving students some choice in what they read, such as selecting texts related to their academic

interests, can increase motivation and ownership of learning. For example, Science students may engage more

with environmental articles or scientific reports, while Law students may prefer case summaries or legal

commentaries. Language instructors can also make reading activities more interactive by including group

discussions, reading circles, or short presentations on favourite readings. These social interactions support the

engaged reading model by fostering both motivation and collaboration (Guthrie & Wigfield, 2000).

Encouraging students to reflect on their reading progress, such as through journals or self-evaluation checklists,

can strengthen their belief in their abilities. When learners perceive themselves as capable readers, they are more

likely to approach new reading tasks with enthusiasm and persistence. Maintaining high engagement and low

anxiety will therefore support long-term growth in reading proficiency and academic success.

While this study offers valuable insights into the relationships among reading anxiety, engagement, and self-

beyond a single foundation centre would allow for greater generalizability and more solid comparisons between

programs or proficiency levels. Including students from different academic streams, such as Business, Arts, or

Social Sciences, could also reveal whether program demands influence reading-related emotions and behaviours

differently.

connect information across paragraphs. Over time, this approach can reduce reading anxiety by providing

students with a clear sense of direction when interpreting complex texts. Tracking such intervention throughout

a semester could offer valuable evidence on how structured reading and writing strategies like TEEEL contribute

to greater engagement, improved self-efficacy, and lower anxiety among ESL foundation learners.

In summary, future research should aim to capture a broader, deeper, and longer-term view of ESL reading. By

expanding the sample and introducing intervention-based designs, researchers can gain a more holistic

understanding of how emotional, motivational, and cognitive factors shape reading performance. Such studies

will not only strengthen theoretical understanding but also help educators design more effective instructional

practices that nurture confident, motivated, and successful ESL readers.