The Levels of Anxiety of Grade 10 Deaf Students: The Aftermath of Blended Modality
Chapter 1
Introduction
It’s been two years since Covid -19 pandemic happened. The educational system shifts
from traditional face-to-face to online class. Students usually stay at home while having online
class. As per DepEd Order 34, s. 2022, starting November 2, 2022, all public and private
schools will have a transition to five days in-person classes. There will be a full implementation
of the in-person classes except for those that are implementing Alternative Modes of delivery
(Galvez, July 2022). President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Secretary Sara Duterte approved
that students can now go to face-to-face star and no more online class anymore.
Many of the students were anxious because of lack of preparation. The Department of
Education worked hard just to introduce distance and blended learning for both teachers and
students. However, going back to the face-to-face classes seems to be a worry for some,
knowing that Covid 19 is still present. It’s another big adjustment since submissions and
lessons will be done in school and not online. It triggered anxiety in students due to continuing
pandemic, loss of social skills and social connections, as well as fear of their safety. Some
may also lose their confidence and think that it may not be the same anymore. It is important
that students should realize and try to accept that they need to go back to their lives prior to
the new normal. Combating anxiety in times like this is very crucial and important.
Background to the problem
Deaf learners’ anxiety is evident in classroom presentations and program during the
new normal and now many of them are worried because they do not know what install for
them once they go back to in-person classes. Students and youth experience anxiety daily
within school, home, and/or community. When anxiety is beyond what we would consider
adjusting to normal daily difficulties, one may begin to show overt signs of stress, these
individuals may present as anxious, fearful, withdrawn, timid, depressed, to name a few. They
may seem very unhappy, barely exhibit a smile, and demonstrate a lack of self-confidence.
One of the most challenging things educators’ faces is deciding whether the anxiety displayed
by a child or youth is typical for developmental age or this anxiety is give everyone’s feeling a
panic. Yes, maybe, many students cannot wait any longer to go back to school and do things
they used to do before then pandemic but the question here is are students really prepared
for it? It is very important to understand the anxiety of the Deaf learners, like in this study,
Grade 10 learners are in their transition from Junior High School to Senior High School.
Statement of the Problem
The research goal is to investigate the anxiety of Grade 10 leaners at Philippine School for
the Deaf.
Specifically, it will answer the following questions:
1. What is the profile of the Grade 10 learners based on:
1.1 age
1.2 gender
1.3 social economic status
2. What causes the anxiety of Grade 10 learners?
3. How does anxiety affect the students’ learning?
4. What help can be given to the learners experiencing anxiety?
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of the study is to understand the anxiety of Grade 10 learners and look
for ways they can be helped. Just like any change that happens around, this can possibly have
a great effect on one’s mental and emotional state. From the typical face-to-face to the new
normal and now getting back to face-to-face classes again. New settings may affect the
learning of the students. The present study will analyze the factors that cause anxiety in
students of in-person classes. Furthermore, the study will also check on the demographic
profile of Grade 10 learners like age, gender, and socio-economic status of the family. It will
put into light the level of anxiety students is experiencing.
Significance of the Study
The beneficiaries of this study are the students, teachers, school, and future researchers.
Students- The results of the study will inform the students that their emotions are valid, and it
can be addressed and managed.
Teachers- This study can help students with how they could handle or solve their anxiety and
for them to be more empathetic towards their students.
School -This study will help the school to address and develop a program or new approach
to problems like anxiety.
Future researchers- Lastly, this study can help future researchers to explore further in this
topic of anxiety and help learners to properly handle it.
Scope and Delimitation of the Study
The study will be conducted to investigate the anxiety of Grade 10 leaners at Philippine
School for the Deaf, the causes, how it affects students’ learning and what help can be given
to alleviate the anxiety. The study will only focus on the Grade 10 learners of Philippine School
for the Deaf. Therefore, the data gathered were interpreted in the light of the said limitation.
Furthermore, the results yielded from the study will only be applicable for the said study.
Definition of Terms
Anxiety - is defined as feeling of fear and uncertainty associated with academic, in other
words, research anxiety includes to the feeling of worry, tension or dread that are setting or
tasks. This could be (exams, assignments, or presentation, reading), Social pressures related
to schoolwork (parents, peers) or feeling uneasy about studying or working in group in class.
Blended Modality - learning delivery which combines face-to-face with any or a mix of online
or distance learning, modular distance learning, and TV/Radio-based Instruction.
Chapter 2
Review of Related Literature
Nature of Anxiety
Anxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and
physical changes like increased blood pressure (American Psychological Association, n.d.)
People with anxiety may avoid doing things that will cause them to worry.
Students is prone to anxiety. Anxiety for them is a normal reaction to stress and worry.
Stress is a normal thing to people and can be adaptive however, anxiety can be observed in
an exaggerated fear response on something that is not yet happening. Anxiety becomes a
problem with students when (Moreau, 2014).

it is very intense

it is unreasonable or out of proportion to the situation

it persists over longer periods of time and/or

it interferes with their ability to learn, socialize, and participate in activities.
It is said that you see these signs, it’s time to seek help. An early intervention can be of
big help because it could help a person manage the anxiety before it become worst.
According to the Mayo Clinic (n.d.) people with anxiety disorders frequently have
intense, excessive and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations. Often, anxiety
disorders involve repeated episodes of sudden feelings of intense anxiety and fear or terror
that reach a peak within minutes (panic attacks).
Causes of anxiety includes neurotransmitters, especially serotonin and dopamine,
aren’t functioning correctly in their brains. In short, these “happy hormones,” aren’t being
produced or sent through the brain and body effectively, causing problems with mood and
alertness, as well as more frightening issues with blood flow and body temperature regulation.
Another cause is the family, where they are modeling anxious behavior in front of their children.
Expectations from them also causes anxiety to students. And lastly, trauma, where in high-
stress events cause commotions and problems like cabin fever which was experienced by
some during the pandemic (Konen, n.d.).
You may avoid places or situations to prevent these feelings. For example, a student
is used to in staying at home for two years due to pandemic and now is required to go faceto-face classes, but he is afraid to go out and socialize. This causes a dilemma and a problem
to the student.
Types of Anxiety
The following are the types of anxiety connected with the study. (National Institute for
Mental Health, n.d.)
1. Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD). It is an intense, persistent fear of being watched and
judged by others. This may affect their work, school, or their daily activities.
2. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). It usually involves a persistent feeling of anxiety
or dread which can affect daily life. People who have GAD experience it frequently for
months, if not years
3. Panic Disorder. It is a frequent and unexpected panic attacks that happen in sudden
periods of intense fear, discomfort, or sense of losing control even if there is no clear
danger.
4. Test Anxiety. It is a combination of physical symptoms and emotional reactions that
interfere with your ability to perform well on tests (University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill, n. d.)
Effect of Anxiety to Students
The present time is a bit harsh and for one to be able to excel he or she needs to
overcome a ton of barriers. One-way anxiety affects learners’ academic performance is the
ability not to remember as many things as what was taught in them in class. This is because
they occupied their minds with worries and fears about the outcome of their studies. Their
intellectual quotient will reduce and cause them to perform poorly in their tests or exams. They
may think that a particular course is too difficult for them. Instead of focusing on how to
understand and pass that course, they are worried about failing the course, which makes
taking the right information about the course to become difficult.
Academic anxiety is associated with almost all the tasks concerning the academics
like attendance in school, failure to do what was expected of them thus may leader to decrease
in attention span or concentration in what one does (Lal Banga, 2016). They may feel agitated
and worrisome as they already endured two years of online learning and what awaits them in
the face-to-face classes. Most students experience feelings of anxiety from time to time, but if
these feelings are extreme, it can affect their daily life, and might be a symptom of an anxiety
disorder. In a study conducted by Jehi, Khan, Santos, and Majzoub (2022), it shows that
anxiety is highly prevalent among the students during the Covid-19 pandemic. The question
is, will it still be the same for the face-to-face or what changes will happen again upon the
implementation of it. This may lead students to s=isolate themselves from their surroundings,
develop other mental health issues, like depression, look for solutions in addictive substances,
drop out of school, or give up on their chosen careers (Gordana S, 2021).
The Benilde Well-Being Center of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde aired their
thoughts about this. They understand that while campuses gradually open their doors for
limited face-to-face classes, the idea of re-engaging students in physical activities might take
a toll on the mental health of learners (The Diarist.Ph, 2022).
Some students who suffer from anxiety experience painful emotional symptoms such
as depression, sadness, nervousness, anger, and loneliness. Students may feel unhappy
about coming to a university or become very nervous around people, such as friends and
peers. Others feel worried and sad when they cannot overcome the challenges they face, such
as having a low GPA. Some of them like to be alone when they have stressful feelings, which
can lead to depression. Sometimes, these students may have negative thoughts about School,
especially when their friends are successful and have good GPAs. Some students may feel
tired from studying, the tough circumstances and attending the class. They may have expected
to be happy with High School life but instead found it to be the opposite of feelings of the
anxious.
A student is having a difficult time adjusting to one or more aspects of school life, they
may find themselves feeling down and experiencing anxious thoughts. These thoughts usually
include negative self-talk, self-doubt, worry, cycles of obsessing about various outcomes, and
many other self-critical thoughts. As these thoughts continue to escalate, there is a possibility
that the student will start to become more anxious and possibly isolate themselves to avoid
being exposed. In addition, students and younger populations may feel additional anxiety due
to climate change, political events, or recent racial unrest. Uncertainty about the future can
often lead to increased anxiety.
Although there are some students who are excited with the face-to-face classes, there
are also some students who deeply worry about their comeback in school. Some factors are
expensive commutes, traffic, workload difficulties, problems for those who are working parttime, teacher expectations etc. One student answered, “managing my time as a working
student, full time student and full-time call center agent kasi ako”. The other one replied, “Two
years of online classes haven’t been kind to everyone on a physical, mental, and psychological
level, and pretending that we’re back to normal is easier said than done”. One commented,
“My social anxiety can’t relate sobrang awkward ko sa mga tao ni makikipag comminucate sa
tao ilang ako since nagsimula ang pandemic wish me luck maovercome ko since icoming
college na ako this year (with sad emojis)”. Another response, “Traffic…virus…transpo…”
(Rappler, 2022). It may cause an anxiety for some since they are working for their family and
finances is a major concern.
Anxiety Help
After all these concerns, what help can we give to these students who are experiencing
anxiety? Two years of online classes seem fast because we were in confinement of our own
home. Now that face-to-face classes are implemented, we need to go out and go back to the
things we used to do prior the pandemic. This helps students challenge themselves about
their negative thoughts. Students can practice through, negative thought stopping or snapping
a rubber band during negative thoughts. What can we do to help these students? Seeing an
expert is the best way to deal with it, but a friend, a teacher, or significant others could also
help students deal with their anxiety in the classroom as well as their lives outside school.
There are some strategies that could help students cope up. It may vary from one
situation to another. Here are some (Link for Counselors, 2022)

The 5 Whys. Student should need to understand the cause of his or her anxiety. This
maybe frightening but he or she needs to face it by starting to ask why he/she is feeling
anxious. Then ask another “why” question until it was repeated five times. Once the
student understands the causes then teacher or other significant others would know
what strategies needed to manage the anxiety.

Deep breathing. This is one of the simplest yet effective way to reduce stress for
students. Whenever feeling anxious, take a few deep breathes, in through the nose
and out through the mouth.

Positive affirmations and self-talk. It’s easy to think of negative things but hard to
think of the positive ones. Help them to face and overcome by choosing simple positive
affirmations which they can repeatedly.

Visualization. Trying to visualize things positively and control the negative thoughts.
Visualize themselves in a positive place or situation.

Exercise. This helps reduce anxiety and stress. This can help avoid mental
breakdown. Yoga is an example.

Distractions and Grounding. Distract oneself from too much worrying by engaging
on other activities. Exercises like counting backwards or count five things they see or
smell etc.

Journaling. Whenever they experience anxiety, encourage them to write even one
thing they are thankful for and proud of or whatever makes them happy.

Seek professional help. If anxiety is uncontrollable, it’s better to look for professional
help.
Synthesis
Anxiety is a feeling of fear, dread, and uneasiness. It might cause you to sweat, feel
restless and tense, and have a rapid heartbeat (Medline Plus, n.d.). It can be a normal reaction
to stress. For instance, one might feel anxious when faced with a difficult problem at work,
before taking a test, or making research. to helping student to learn handle with themselves
anxiety a lot of things. And in my personality, some of students are anxious related to due lack
of confidence.
Students are prone to anxiety because of the role they play in the society. Anxiety in
students involves an active learning through difficult course. Active learning practices may
increase student anxiety if students fear being evaluated negatively. the same active learning
practices may have the potential to decrease student anxiety by positively influencing their
learning. Some Student may think negative affect their learning in school, due lack of
confidence and not open-minded, panic a lot of things.
Knowing the causes may lead in finding solutions that could alleviate the anxiety
experienced by the students. Having a healthy lifestyle and find techniques that could help
students to combat anxiety in the current face-to-face classes.
Conceptual Framework
The conceptual model, which guided the researcher in conducting this study, is shown in
Figure 1.
INPUT


PROCESS
Profile of the
students
Solution:
Coping Mechanisms
Causes of
Anxiety
Levels of Anxiety

OUTPUT
Anxiety and
students’ learning
Figure 1
Chapter 3
Research Design:
This study used the descriptive-survey method of research in describing the nature of
the situation at the time of the study. The researchers will be using quantitative research
which is descriptive in nature. This is used to describe characteristics of a students, usually
provide researchers with information about Anxiety. The study was discovered to the anxiety
of Grade 10 Students.
Respondents
The respondents of the study are the Grade 10 students at Philippine School for the
Deaf. High as the number is, there is some and sometimes conflicting evidence that the
prevalence of anxiety (and depression as well) is increasing, especially among the young.
Since Grade 10 students are in the transition from Junior High to Senior High School, it will
be a significant point to see the anxiety level of students especially right from blended
modality to face-to-face classes.
Research Instruments
The instrument that will be used will be a crafted based on the Anxiety Screen
Questionnaire, Test Anxiety Survey by Emily Schrynemakers, and Test Anxiety by Suinn.
Likert Scale will be used to know the level of anxiety of the students.
5 – Very Much
4 – Much
3 – Fair Amount
2 – A Little
1 – Not at All
A google link form will be created for easy use of the respondents. This will minimize
interaction of students since there is still pandemic.
Data Gathering procedure:
A survey questionnaire will be crafted and will be validated by three experts.
Researchers will take note of the comments and suggestions of the experts and will finalize
the questionnaire after. A letter will be submitted to the school heads for approval of the
implementation of the research study to Grade 10 students. Upon the approval of the letter,
a copy will be given to the Grade level leader of Grade 10. A letter of consent will also be
given to students in coordination with the level leader. The google link form will then be
forwarded to Grade 10 students through their grade leader.
References:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/?fbclid=IwAR2gZcixSlKY6cHqekLmMf_0quogupShnruvjxLTC3O
GcNx_VEQk8YdSoC8
https://www.intechopen.com/?fbclid=IwAR0S6tIbK8oMM3eoeIFOY6ZcQd6d75ZzH3m4DiyE
wqsDND-QWHHrykFcol0
https://www.choosingtherapy.com/
https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders
https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/tackling-test-anxiety/