How to Work Around Writing Anxiety

12/31/20203 min read

Anxiety in relation to L2 learning is one of the factors that hinder the learning process. It is commonly used synonymously with the term "writer's block," but it is important to distinguish between the two in order to find proper solutions for each.

Writer's block was coined in 1947 by the Austrian psychiatrist Dr. Edmund Bergler. It is a condition in which an author is unable to produce new work.

Writing anxiety is a situational negative psychological state. “the tendency of a person to avoid the process of writing particularly when it is to be evaluated in some way” (Erkan & Saban, 2011)

In this article, the main focus will be on writing anxiety and how language teachers can support students and help them overcome this issue.

(Marcos-Llinás and Garau’s 2009) Reported through studying the case of beginners, intermediate, and advanced level learners that there is a relation between course achievement and language anxiety. Aloairdhi (2012) also stated that the way the learners perceive a certain subject and the process of improving their writing skills is directly affected by their motivation because writing requires the student to be relatively competent in all skills to produce an acceptable piece of writing; the skill that many students regard it as the most difficult skill to acquire.

Why do language students have this issue?

(Abdul Fattah 2015) Pointed out an important factor in students’ motivation and attitude towards writing, and stated that students usually see writing tasks in a school-level context as dull and a field for criticism and negative feedback from teachers and classmates.

Environmental and sociological factors correlate with psychological factors in the way that the environment affects the individual’s mental state and behavior toward a certain activity, and according to the study (S. Ali 2016), there are four causes of why students refrain from writing:

  • It leaves a more persistent record of proficiency unlike other forms of expression such as speaking.

  • Students might feel that they lack sufficient knowledge of the language.

  • Grammar is so important in writing, and students believe that writing must be grammatically correct, so they feel intimidated by it.

  • Students feel that perfect writing must be achieved on their first try.

How can language learners overcome writing anxiety?

  • Get support: Although writing is mostly a solitary activity, sharing ideas and drafts with friends and colleagues is crucial in coping with the anxiety of your writing being judged.

  • Recognize that writing is a complex process: If you understand that facing difficulties is a part of the process, you will be less likely to be discouraged from completing your work.

  • Understand that all first drafts are going to be flawed: Recognizing that all writers, including experienced ones, have below-standard first drafts might bring comfort when judging your first draft.

How can language teachers work around it?

Aloairdhi (2012) believes that the ability to motivate students and attract them to perform better is important to overcome these psychological obstacles.

  • Implement new methods

It can be frustrating for learners to try and do something one way when it does not work. Understanding that there are other options for achieving the same result is essential.

  • Switch the writing style

Changing the writing style to a more conversational style can help learners feel more comfortable. For instance, writing in a dialogue form for argumentative essays, writing in the voice of a favorite author or communicator, writing in a conversational style to someone they know... etc.

  • Check the fundamentals

As previously established, writing is the ultimate skill in the sense that it incorporates all other skills like grammar and vocabulary. Therefore, it is important to emphasize the importance of the basics.

In short, writing anxiety is without a doubt an important issue that cannot be overlooked which affects writing negatively or positively. Consequently, Having the main skills like grammar, and a decent lexicon as well as being motivated to learn the language is the perfect recipe for a competent academic writer.