Students’ Anxiety in EFL Speaking Class Experienced by the Fourth-Semester Students of the English Study Program at Nusa Cendana University

Abstract

This research is about the speaking anxiety experienced by fourth-semester students in EFL classes. The aim of this study is to analyze the types and causes of students’ speaking anxiety and to identify the strategies used by students to overcome their anxiety in speaking English. The writer has formulated three research questions in this study as follows: (1) what types of speaking anxiety are experienced by the fourth-semester students? (2) What are the factors that cause students’ speaking anxiety? and (3) what strategies are used by students to overcome their speaking anxiety? This research employed a qualitative method. The participants of this study were sixty fourth-semester students of the English Study Program at Nusa Cendana University. The writer distributed a questionnaire and conducted interviews with 10 selected students. The data were presented in the form of a narrative description. The results of this study showed that among the three major types of speaking anxiety, the most commonly experienced type by the students was communication apprehension, followed by fear of negative evaluation, and test anxiety. In addition, several internal and external factors contributed to their anxiety, such as lack of self-confidence, fear of making mistakes, and the presence of lecturers or peers. The students also implemented various strategies to reduce their anxiety, such as preparation before speaking, practicing in front of a mirror, deep breathing, and using self-talk techniques.