Study of the effect of English language learning strategies on reducing test anxiety in the students of Sabzevar School of medical sciences

The role of learner's strategies and skills in learning a foreign language has been investigated in the three last decades. However, the part it plays in ESP achievement tests is not seriously treated. Therefore, it seemed a good reason to conduct a study on the role of study strategies in successfully taking the final exam. In this quasi-experimental interventionist study, the SILL questionnaire was given to 253 students taking an ESP course [1384-85 / 2005-2006] to identify their use of language learning strategies. A few moments prior to taking their finals, they took Spielberger's anxiety test to estimate their test anxiety. According to the findings, mean anxiety scores in boys and girls before the final exam were 146.72 and 120.46 respectively, which did not show any significant difference. However, a negative linear relationship was found to exist between SILL score [meta-cognitive strategies in particular] and test anxiety. Among many other outcomes, test anxiety is attributable to inappropriate study habits in adult ESP learners, which requires consideration by both instructors and textbook compilers

Study habits in students of Sabzevar School of medical sciences

The quality and quantity of learning are influenced by such factors as IQ, mental and physical health, motivation, environmental facilities, educational aids and technology and cognitive capabilities; however, psychologists have observed that, at least for university students, what affects educational performance for the most part are general study skills, learning and recall. Therefore, this study was conducted to identify the students, study habits and to diagnose possible deficits in their skills. The present study is a cross- sectional descriptive research. 297 students were selected through converient non- probability sampling, out of the whole study population of students studying in Sabzevar school of Medical Sciences in Sabzevar, Iran in 2004 [1383]. PSSHI inventory of study skills was used for data collection. The inventory contains 45 questions in eight areas divided in to time allotment, physical conditions of studying reading ability, note taking, learning motivation, memory, examinations and health. The likert- type responses were [always or often, [sometimes], [Rarely or never]. Test- retest and split- half methods rendered the reliability of the questionnaire as 0.88 and 0.65 respectively. Descriptive statistics in spss were used for data analysis. Mean study habit in male and female students were 50.87 and 51.48, respectively, out of 90, with no significant difference. Results for eight respective areas were as follows: time allotment 5.36 [out of 10], physical conditions 6.9 [out of 12], reading ability 8.29, [out of 16], note taking 3.2 [out of 6], learning motivation 8.55 [out of 12], memory 4.6 [out of 8], examinations 10.26 [out of 18], and general health 2.94 [out of 6]. Significant differences were observed across gender in reading ability, learning motivation and examinations. University students do not have high quality study skills and this problem should be attended by the university officials in charge of students, education. It is necessary to plan for the improvement of their study habits