GOH PEI SAN Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
Multilingual learning has become essential for enhancing competitiveness in this era
of globalization. This study aims to explore the levels of enjoyment and anxiety in Chinese and
English classes among primary school students. It also seeks to identify gender differences in
emotional experiences and compare these emotions between Chinese and English classes. The
study adopts a survey design and involves 200 Year 4 students in Johor Bahru, selected through
random sampling techniques. Data were collected using questionnaires adapted from the Foreign
Language Enjoyment (FLE) and Foreign Language Anxiety (FLA) scales. The analysis reveals
that students experience higher levels of enjoyment compared to anxiety in both Chinese and
English classes. Female students reported higher levels of enjoyment and anxiety compared to
male students. However, there were no significant differences in the levels of enjoyment and
anxiety between the two languages. These findings emphasize the critical role of teachers in
creating a positive learning environment to foster enjoyment and reduce students' anxiety. This
study has implications for teaching strategies, particularly in enhancing students' enjoyment and
supporting their emotional well-being in language learning.