1. Test anxiety in Kurdish EFL learners in
basic schools in northern Iraq
Atheer Lateef Khammoo

2. Outline
• Introduction
• The aim of study
• Research questions
• Significance of the study
• Methodology
• Findings and discussion
• Recommendations
• Suggestions for Further Research

3. Introduction
According to Davies et al (2006) the purpose of taking a language test is to determine a
person’s ability and/or knowledge of the language and to discriminate that person’s
ability from that of other fields of knowledge.
Hedge (2008) states that testing is a kind of evaluation, which is typically used at the
end of a stage of instruction for evaluating learner achievement.
Aydin (2013) defines anxiety as an unpleasant emotional state in which one feels
powerless, uneasy and experiences tension about an expected threat.
Afzal et al (2012) describes test anxiety as a serious problem for learners because it
hinders with their ability to think and do well throughout the tests.
Zaheri (2012) describes that test anxiety can be explained as physiological, cognitive,
and emotional responses produced by stress experienced throughout the
measurement and it is a sense has a negative role in the learners’ feelings towards
cures.

4. The aim of study
The current study will look at test anxiety behaviour of
EFL students in basic schools in northern Iraq. It will try
to synthesize the research findings on the sources,
reasons and effects of test anxiety among Kurdish
learners of English in basic schools in northern Iraq.

5. Research questions
1. What is the level of test anxiety among EFL learners in basic schools in
northern Iraq?
2. Are there any significant differences between groups of students based on
a. gender?
b. grade levels?
c. time of learning English?
3. Is there any statistical correlation between EFL learners’ test anxiety scores
and their
a. grade levels?
b. gender?
c. time of learning English?
d. English language scores?

6. Significance of the study
This study will serve as a reference for teachers of English in
basic schools in northern Iraq as to why their students may be
experiencing test anxiety.
It is hoped that it will provide relevant information on how test
anxiety could be dealt with in relation to Kurdish EFL learners.

7. Methodology
• The research design
– A survey study with a quantitative approach.
• Participants
– 396 Kurdish EFL learners at the basic school in northern Iraq.
– 7th , 8th and 9th graders in Khanik province.
– 180 males, 216 females
• Data collection procedures:
– Test Anxiety Scale TAS (Sarason, 1984)
– TAS translated into Kurdish language in order to facilitate students’
understanding of the items

8. Methodology
• Data analysis procedures:
– Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Version
20.
– Mean scores, standard deviations, frequencies and
percentages were calculated for all items.
– T-test, ANOVA and LSD tests to find out the significant
differences based on the variables identified in the
research questions.
– Correlation analysis was carried out to see if there were
any significant correlations between TA and these
variables.

9. Findings and Discussion (a)
• The level of test anxiety among EFL learners in northern Iraq
– Overall, the learners have a moderate level of TA (M = 91.63, SD =
21.12).
• Distribution of participants and levels of TA
Level of TA Frequency Percentage
Low 141 35.6
Moderate 253 63.9
High 2 0.50
Total 396 100

10. Findings and Discussion (b)
• TA levels according to components of TAS
– Four components: (a) Tension, (b) Worry, (c) Test-irrelevant thinking, and (d)
Bodily symptoms.
– The main component of TA that affected the participants’ TA
behaviours was tension.
Component Mean SD
Tension 2.52 1.38
Worry 2.41 1.47
Bodily Symptoms 2.26 1.31
Test-irrelevant
Thinking
2.00 1.27

11. Findings and Discussion (c)
• Levels of TA based on different variables
– Gender: Females reported that they felt less comfortable
and self-confident while taking tests compared to males.
– Difference was significant although very small.
Gender N Mean SD
Male 180 91.62 21.12
Female 216 91.65 22.65
Total 396 91.63 21.94

12. Findings and Discussion (d)
• Levels of TA based on different variables
– Grade Level: 7th grade were the least anxious group about
taking tests
– Significant differences between 7th graders and the other
two grades.
Grade Level N Mean SD
8th Grade 116 95.08 21.73
9th Grade 138 93.12 20.62
7th Grade 142 87.38 22.81
Total 396 91.63 21.94

13. Findings and Discussion (e)
• Levels of TA based on different variables
– English Score: The lower the score, the higher TA.
English Score N Mean SD
50-59 176 96.06 21.96
60-69 97 94.01 20.15
70-79 59 85.90 21.36
80-89 39 85.38 21.72
90-100 25 74.60 17.87
Total 396 91.63 21.94

14. Findings and Discussion (f)
• Levels of TA based on different variables
– Years of Learning English
– Learners who studied English for less than 8 years were
found to have low levels of TA whereas learners who
studied English more than 8 years had high levels of TA.
Years N Mean SD
10 + 54 99.41 21.18
4-5 46 94.11 19.94
8-9 183 92.69 20.93
6-7 113 85.20 23.21
Total 396 91.63 21.94

15. Findings and Discussion (g)
• Relationship between TA and different variables
• A negative correlation between TA and the English scores
• A positive correlation between TA and grade levels
• A positive correlation between TA and years of learning
English
Grade
Level
Gender English
Score
Years of
Learning
Pearson r .001 * 111 -.267** .123*
Sig. .027* .496 .000* .014*
N 396 396 396 396

16. Recommendations
• EFL curriculum designers and language teachers should review
their principles for assessment and evaluation of learning in the
basic schools .
• Teachers and parents should be aware that female students may
need more assistance in dealing with symptoms of TA.
• Kurdish EFL learners should be made conscious of what TA is and
training in overcoming TA should be part of the academic
curriculum in the basic school program and as part of the
psychological counselling unit.
• Students as the test takers should be sufficiently informed about
the demands of the examination.

17. Suggestions for Further Research
• This study was conducted with the basic school students only in one
particular region in northern Iraq. In other words, the scale used in
this study can be applied to different groups of students from different
basic schools in different regions in northern Iraq for comparison.
• Interviews with Kurdish EFL learners from different levels and different
places might be more helpful to understand and find out the reasons,
sources and effects of TA.
• Focusing on the EFL teachers’ attitudes toward TA may reveal
important information regarding the role of the teachers in this
process.
• Another suggestion can be made for further research to deal with the
academic curriculum at the basic school in order to find out whether
the general system has any influence on the experienced TA levels of
EFL learners.

18. Thank you!