English Language Learning Anxiety and Motivation Among Bangladeshi Secondary and Higher Secondary Students: A PRISMA-Guided Systematic Review

Abstract

In this PRISMA-based systematic review, the author has compiled information from easily accessible scholarships on the topic of English learning anxiety and motivation of Bangladeshi secondary and higher secondary students. The question of the review is what are the conceptualizations of anxiety and motivation; what are the factors reported again and again in the classroom and in assessment; and what are the gaps in the research for the future? English learning, anxiety, motivation, secondary, higher secondary and Bangladesh were used in combinations to identify papers in ERIC, in Google Scholar-visible search, at publisher search websites and in Bangladeshi Journal portals. Finally, duplicates and irrelevant sources of literature were eliminated, and the findings of studies and review literature pertaining to English anxiety and directly related to motivation and/or demotivation or to English related affective variables at large were narratively synthesized. The findings indicate that the Bangladeshi learners seem to be instrumentally motivated in spite of examinations, higher education and employment; however, issues like fear of negative evaluation, anxiety of speaking, anxiety of tests, lack of communication practice and teacher-centered pedagogy and rural-urban disparity factor may weaken the motivation. Motivation and anxiety work together, not mutually exclusive, so a high degree of career-oriented motivation can go hand-in-hand with silence, low levels of confidence and anxiety. The review suggests that classroom settings must minimize ridicule, provide ample opportunity for low-stakes grade-level English, incorporate a balance of exam rehearsal and communication, while also providing an opportunity for teachers to learn to systematically address affective elements in language learning in resource-limited settings. Longitudinal and intervention designs should be used in future empirical research. Policy and assessment implications are indicated.

Received: 26-04-2026 | Revised: 28-05-2026 | Accepted: 12-06-2026 | Published: 02-07-2026