Investigating Levels, Factors, And Coping Strategies for Speaking Anxiety

Nursuhaila Ibrahim; Noor Hanim Rahmat; Normala Sulaiman

Nursuhaila Ibrahim
Noor Hanim Rahmat
Normala Sulaiman

Abstract

Malaysian undergraduates often face challenges in English proficiency despite learning the language from primary school. Feeling worried or anxious in speaking could contribute to the deficiency. Thus, this study explored the levels and factors of speaking anxiety in Diploma engineering students of UiTM Johor from Pasir Gudang Campus. In addition, this study investigated their strategies to cope with speaking anxiety in ESL classrooms. Thus, this descriptive survey method study involved 50 technical students as subjects, and the data was collected using the researcher's self-administered survey known as the Level, Factors, Coping Strategies of Speaking Anxiety Survey (LFCSAS). The quantitative data were analysed using mean and percentage. The findings showed that most of the participants experienced moderate levels of speaking anxiety. Moreover, this study showed that the factor of test anxiety is the highest factor that contributes to English speaking anxiety. To reduce nervousness, students applied various coping strategies and it is considered that peer-seeking strategies enhance their positivity and confidence in speaking English.

References

Abbasi, F. N., Channa, S. A., Kurd, S. A., & Shaikh, F. (2020). An investigation of factors causing ESL learning anxiety in classroom: A case study of ESL learners at Shah Abdul Latif University Khairpur. Education and Linguistics Research. 6(2), 43. https://doi.org/10.5296/elr.v6i2.17650
Gebi, M. (2017) An analysis on students’ anxiety factors in speaking test. Jurnal pendidikan dan pembelajaran khatulistiwa Universitas Tanjungpura. Vol. 6, No 4. ISSN: 2715-2723.
Hadi, M. S., Izzah, L., & Masae, M. (2021). Factors Affecting Speaking Anxiety of Thai Students During Oral Presentation: Faculty of Education in TSAI. English Language in Focus (ELIF), 3(1), 79–88. https://doi.org/10.24853/elif.3.1.79-88
Hashim, F., & Zamri, S. Z. Z. M. (2023). Examining the Relationship Between Speaking Anxiety in English and Overall English Proficiency Among ELS Undergraduates In UKM. Malaysian Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 8(9), e002519. https://doi.org/10.47405/mjssh.v8i9.2519
Jackson,S.L. (2015) Research methods and Statistics-A Critical Thinking Approach (5tH Edition) Boston, USA:: Cengage Learning.
Miskam, N. N., & Saidalvi, A. (2018). Investigating English Language Speaking Anxiety among Malaysian Undergraduate Learners. Asian Social Science, 15(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.5539/ass.v15n1p1.
Rahmat,N.H (2019) Cycle of fear in Learning: The case for three Language Skills. American Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 4(1), 151-162https://onlinesciencepublishing.com/index.php/ajssh/article/view/129/151
Sabbah, S. S. (2018). Anxiety in learning English as a Second Language at a tertiary stage: causes and solutions. European Journal of English Language and Literature Studies, 6(1), 14–33.
Sri, A., Achanan, R., P., & Mohamad, A. (2021). Second language speaking anxiety among tesl undergraduates in a private university. Selangor Humaniora Review , 5(2), 2672–7463.
Qin, L., & Poopatwiboon, S. (2023). English speaking anxiety of Thai EFL undergraduate students: Dominant type, level, and coping strategies. English Language Teaching, 16(6), 102. https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v16n6p102
Zuki, R. E. A., Palpanadan, S. T., Jemzir, N. A. S., Azali, N. A., Roslan, N. N., Bakar, U. N. S. A., & Sahifuddin, S. A. M. (2022). Engineering Students’ Challenges at Malaysian Technical University in Learning English as a Second Language. Development in Language Studies, 2(2), 58–65. https://publisher.uthm.edu.my/periodicals/index.php/dils/article/view/9675