TOLERANCE OF AMBIGUITY, ENGLISH LEARNING ANXIETY, AND READING COMPREHENSION ACHIEVEMENTS OF SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Resum

This study investigates the interrelationships between tolerance of ambiguity (TOA), foreign language anxiety (FLA), and English reading comprehension achievements among senior high school students. A total of 300 sophomores from Xinzhou Experimental High School, Shanxi Province, participated in the research. Quantitative methods were employed with data collected via three instruments: Saito’s Foreign Language Reading Anxiety Scale (FLRAS) to measure FLA, Ely’s Second Language Tolerance of Ambiguity Scale (SLTAS) to assess TOA, and a standardized reading comprehension test. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 23.0 and Excel. Key findings include: (1) Participants exhibited moderate levels of FLA, TOA, and reading comprehension; (2) No significant differences in FLA, TOA, or reading scores were observed across age groups (16, 17, 18 years) or gender; (3) FLA was negatively correlated with reading comprehension scores (r = -0.360, p < 0.01), while TOA was positively correlated with reading scores (r = 0.425, p < 0.01); (4) A negative correlation was found between FLA and TOA (r = -0.467, p < 0.01). These results highlight the importance of addressing both cognitive (TOA) and affective (FLA) factors in English reading instruction. The study recommends targeted teaching strategies to reduce anxiety and enhance students’ ability to tolerate ambiguity, thereby improving reading proficiency.