Yogi Saputra Mahmud (EDF 4611 – Investigating Education Issues in Global Contexts)

Topic: Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety Issue among Indonesian Secondary High
School Students: Scrutinizing the Causes and Impacts in EFL Classroom.

Background, nature, and significance of the underlying issue

EFL speaking learning can still be considered very challenging for many senior high
school students in Indonesia since they may face many challenges in the classroom. Some
researchers discover that anxiety is one of the obstacles hindering the students’ activities in the
classroom (Anandari, 2015; Bhatti & Memon, 2016; Haidara, 2016). In fact, anxiety is mostly
experienced by foreign language learners in speaking classroom (Aida, 1994; Asif, 2017; Gan,
2013; Mak, 2011). Additionally, anxiety can also debilitate the students’ opportunities to make
use of speaking activities as they feel uneasy to communicate in English (Tsiplakides &
Keramida, 2009). Consequently, they tend to be passive and to avoid participation in the
classroom (Gregersen & Horwitz, 2002). In contrast to the above condition, the curriculum in
Indonesia under the Regulation of The Ministry of Education and Culture Number 65/2013 of
Process Standard of Education in Elementary and High School mandates the teachers to conduct
classroom activities which can motivate students to participate actively in learning activities.
Therefore, it is imperative to investigate the possible causes of speaking anxiety along with the
impacts on the students’ learning process.

In addition to the investigation of contributing factors of students’ anxiety as well as its

negative impact on the learning process in the classroom, previous studies also highlight that the
domination of grammar-based than communication-based teaching and limited speaking practice
in the classroom may contribute to the students’ anxiety (Coskun, 2016). Furthermore, Ahmed
(2016) reports the students’ response that anxiety can have negative impacts on their learning
motivation, performance, as well as proficiency in the target language.

This study will become a substantial interest to language educators and students since it
scrutinizes the possible causes and the impacts on the learning process. Moreover, this study is
also significant concerning its implication for the researcher to understand the fundamental
nature of speaking anxiety phenomenon. Ultimately, examining the further implication offered
by studies on speaking anxiety will also enable the researcher to discover practical strategies
which can address the contributing factors in speaking anxiety.

Conceptual foundations of the issue

1. Defining ‘anxiety’ and ‘foreign language anxiety’
Anxiety is associated with individuals’ feeling of discomfort or uneasiness which can
result in a debilitating condition with their daily functions, including school activities
(Suleimenova, 2013). In relation to foreign language anxiety, Ahmed (2016) defines it
as a “negative feeling and psychological tension that learners go through in learning a
language or performing a task” (p. 99).

2. Components of foreign language anxiety (Horwitz et al., 1986; see also Asif, 2017; Bhatti
& Memon, 2016).
a. Communication Apprehension (CA): Diffident feeling of the students to communicate
with others in classroom setting.
b. Test anxiety: Evaluative atmosphere leads the students to have unrealistic fear of failure.
Yogi Saputra Mahmud (EDF 4611 – Investigating Education Issues in Global Contexts)

c. Fear of negative evaluation: This category is considered broader than test anxiety since
it may happen not only in testing condition but also in other settings, such as speaking in
foreign language classroom and directly speaking in front of teachers.

Emerging themes and key arguments

Previous studies on contributing factors of students’ speaking anxiety in the classroom:
a. Limited language/oral practice in the classroom (Bhatti & Memon, 2016; Çağatay, 2015).
b. Afraid of being evaluated negatively (Liu & Jackson, 2008).
c. Emphasis on grammar-based teaching than communication-based (Bhatti & Memon,
2016; Gan, 2013).

Previous studies on the adverse effect of anxiety in speaking classroom:

a. Limit motivation/self-esteem to learn (Ahmed, 2016; Yan & Horwitz, 2008; Young,
1991).
b. Create uncomfortable feeling, so the students become passive to participate in the
classroom (Gregersen & Horwitz, 2002; Tsiplakides & Keramida, 2009).
c. Confine students’ performance and proficiency level (Ahmed, 2016).

Furthermore, a common thread on the previous studies can also be identified, in which
the researchers call upon possible ultimate teaching strategies to alleviate students’ speaking
anxiety under the following condition:
a. Increasing opportunities for the learners to practice speaking through authentic and
meaningful interaction with peers in the classroom (Çağatay, 2015; Gan, 2013; Liu &
Jackson, 2008; Mak, 2011).
b. Developing cooperative than competitive learning atmosphere through group/pair work
to enhance connectivity and familiarity among learners (Yalçın & İnceçay, 2014; Yan &
Horwitz, 2008; Young, 1991).
c. Emphasizing communication-based than grammar-based teaching (Bhatti & Memon,
2016; Gan, 2013; Young, 1991).
d. Promoting comfortable and relaxed classroom learning activities for the students to
receive/conduct language practice with peers (Atas, 2015; Gkonou, 2013; Mak, 2011).

The main insights from my work-in-progress

a. The students mostly experience anxiety in speaking classrooms. Moreover, speaking
anxiety can inhibit the students’ affective aspect, learning process, and debilitate the
students’ ability to acquire target language proficiency efficiently.
b. Students’ speaking anxiety can be influenced by several factors, including limited
speaking practice, emphasis on grammar teaching, and afraid of being judged negatively.
c. Previous studies on students’ speaking anxiety have exemplified clear signals to conduct
a learning approach which can accommodate the challenging conditions faced by the
students. This learning approach should be able to promote greater opportunities for
speaking practice, stronger emphasis on cooperation among learners, greater attention on
communication than grammar, and higher priority on students’ affective variables
(comfortable and relaxing learning atmosphere).
d. For my further investigation in the second assignment, I will examine learning strategies
which can alleviate the factors of students’ speaking anxiety and critically consider the
further implication elaborated by previous researchers on the speaking anxiety.
Yogi Saputra Mahmud (EDF 4611 – Investigating Education Issues in Global Contexts)

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Yogi Saputra Mahmud (EDF 4611 – Investigating Education Issues in Global Contexts)

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