Can teacher feedback dispel the shadow of test anxiety over English achievement? The Dual-Mode Hypothesis

Test anxiety restricts learning achievement. Therefore, attention has been paid to individual factors (e.g. self-concept, strategic competence) that can help students reduce the detrimental effects of these factors on learning achievement. This focus leaves external variables such as teacher feedback underexplored. The current study examined whether teacher feedback has the potential to reduce the level of test anxiety and weaken its detrimental effect on students’ English achievement. This cross-sectional study involved 535 12th graders ( M age = 17.97, SD = .60, females = 54%) from a middle school in China. Two questionnaires were delivered to measure students’ test anxiety and perceived teacher feedback. Students’ English achievement was indicated with an in-house English exam. Data were analysed using structural equation modeling with latent interaction. The results showed that: (1) test anxiety had a medium negative effect on English achievement (β = −0.24, p < .001); (2) positive and constructive teacher feedback had a small negative effect on test anxiety (β = −0.11, p <.001), thereby reducing the effectiveness of test anxiety in impairing English achievement; and (3) positive, constructive teacher feedback had a medium-sized moderation on the relationship between test anxiety and English achievement, weakening the detrimental effect of test anxiety on English achievement (β = 0.10, p <.001). The study provides new insights into the role of positive and constructive teacher feedback in diminishing test anxiety and mitigating its detrimental effect on English achievement.