Supplementary file 1_The effect of EFL learners’ identity on English speaking proficiency and autonomous learning skills among university students: the mediating role of speaking anxiety.pdf

IntroductionAs a Foreign Language (EFL) learner identity constitutes a pivotal sociopsychological factor in higher education; however, empirical research on how learner identity relates to speaking proficiency (SP) and autonomous learning skills (ALS) remains limited, particularly regarding the affective mechanism through speaking anxiety (SA).
MethodsDrawing on Identity Theory and the Affective Filter Hypothesis, the present study examined the effect of EFL learner identity, modeled as a second order latent construct indicated by identity belongingness (IDB) and identity expectations (IDE), on SP and ALS among 392 Chinese non-English major sophomores, and tested speaking anxiety (SA) as a mediator using structural equation modeling (SEM).
ResultsThe results showed that overall learner identity significantly predicted both SP and ALS, and that SA served as a meaningful affective pathway, accounting for approximately 36% of the total effects on learning outcomes.
DiscussionThese findings highlight the importance of fostering an identity-supportive learning environment that reduces the “affective filter” and strengthens university students’ oral communication and learner autonomy in EFL contexts.