Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
EFL STUDENTS’ STRATEGIES TO OVERCOME SPEAKING ANXIETY AND FEAR
OF NEGATIVE EVALUATION IN SPEAKING PERFORMANCE
(A Qualitative Study at the Third Semester Students of English Department,
IAIN Ponorogo)
THESIS
By
LULUK MAZIDAH
NIM. 210916067
ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF TARBIYAH AND TEACHER TRAINING
STATE INSTITUTE OF ISLAMIC STUDIES OF PONOROGO
2020
1
2
ABSTRACT
MAZIDAH, LULUK. 2020. EFL Students’ Strategies to Overcome Speaking Anxiety and Fearof Negative Evaluation in Speaking Performance. Thesis, English EducationDepartment, Tarbiyah Faculty, State Institute for Islamic Studies of Ponorogo,Advisor Fenty Andriani M, Pd.
Key Words: Strategy, Anxiety, Fear of Negative Evaluation, Speaking Performance
This research describes the students’ anxiety and fear of negative evaluation in onlinespeaking performance at the third semester of English Department, IAIN Ponorogo in academicyear of 2020/2021. The objectives of this research are 1) to investigate the students’ speakinganxiety and fear of negative evaluation in speaking performance, 2) to know the factors affectthe speaking anxiety and fear of negative evaluation among EFL learners, and 3) to explore thekind of EFL students strategies in overcoming their speaking anxiety and fear of negativeevaluation.
This research was a descriptive qualitative research. The subject of this research was 28students at the third semester class D of English Department, IAIN Ponorogo. The data werecollected from the questionnaire, interview, and observation. To analyze the data, descriptiveanalysis and computation of means and standard deviation were run.
The statistic and descriptive analysis from both FLCA and FNE scales indicated thatparticipants suffer from language anxiety and fear of negative evaluation. The result of thisresearch indicated that participants have some factors in speaking anxiety and fear of negativeevaluation, they are classroom procedure, student’s beliefs, teacher’s beliefs, self-perceptions,social environment, errors in society, and topic understanding. This research also found somestrategies that were used by students in reducing speaking anxiety and fear of negativeevaluation. Those are memory strategies, cognitive strategies, compensation strategies,metacognitive strategies, affective strategies, and social strategies.
3
4
5
6
7
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Language is the primary communication system for human, both spoken and
written.1 In ordinary circumstances, it is used to convey thoughts through speech. English
is one of foreign languages for Indonesian students that must be studied in school since the
secondary school level until the university level. There are four skills that students have to
master in English; listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
Among those four skills, speaking is the most important skill because it is one of the
abilities that is needed to perform a conversation. The speakers should know many
significant components like pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, fluency, and
comprehension. Learners should have enough English speaking ability in order to
communicate easily and effectively to other people.2
English speaking is an anxious triggering activity that makes students anxious when
they are in classroom. According to Horwitz, Horwitz, and Cope, foreign language anxiety
may affect students’ oral comprehension in the classroom3. As foreign language, students
are reported to have language anxiety. Horwitz defined language anxiety as “a distinct
complex of self-perceptions, beliefs, feelings, and behaviors related to classroom language
1 Eva M. Fernandez and Helen Smith Cairns, Fundamentals of Psycholinguistics, (United Kingdom: Willey-
Blackwell, 2011), 3.
2 L, Lai-Mei, An Analysis of Factors Influencing Learners’ English Speaking Skill , Iran: International Journal
of Research in English Education (2016), 35.
3 E. K. Horwitz, M. B. Horwitz, & J. Cope, Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety, The Modern Language
Journal, 70(2), 425-428.
8
learning arising from the uniqueness of the language learning process”.4 EFL students feel
less successful and may experience extensive nervousness while having to speak in front of
their peers. These may lead to the image that anxious students are incapable foreign
language communication. 5
Additionally, foreign language classroom usually involves inspection or evaluation
by others. Hence, outcome in that context may lead to negative criticism either by teacher
or by peers. Thus, learners may experience fear of negative evaluation. Gardner &
MacIntyre described fear of negative evaluation as “the apprehension experienced when a
specific situation requires the use of a second language in which the individual is not fully
proficient”.6 Some students may even have the urge to skip class rather than risk being
laughed at others can become so anxious that they begin to sweat, and feel nausea.7 This
kind of problems could cause a lot of disadvantages to EFL students. They will lose their
opportunities in using English in classroom context to enhance their speaking ability.
Marina Tzoannopoulou, Selami Aydin, and Shabani, stated that learners with higher
levels of foreign language anxiety also tended to experience higher levels of fear of
negative evaluation. They also mention the factors that trigger language anxiety are
unpreparedness for class, communication apprehension with teachers, peers, and native
speakers, tests and negative attitude towards English classes and teachers’ corrections and
evaluation. They also stated that the sources of fear of negative evaluation include negative
4 E. K. Horwitz, M. B. Horwitz, & J. Cope, Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety: The Modern Language
Journal, 70(2), 128.
5 P. D. MacIntyre & R. C. Gardner, Investigating Language Class Anxiety Using the Focused Essay
Technique, The Modern Language Journal, 75(3), 296-304.
6 R. C. Gardner & MacIntyre. P. D, On The Measurement of Affective Variables in Second Language
Learning. Language Learning (43), 157-194.
7 Katalin, P, Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety: A Classroom Perspective, ResearchGate (2006), 39.
9
judgments by others, disapproval by others, making verbal or spelling mistakes, and
leaving unfavorable impressions on others.8
Samiha stated that fear of negative evaluation affected participants’ oral performance
in several ways; when being in front of others, the English foreign students were concerned
about “forgetting things” and not being able to convey a clear message. Fear of negative
evaluation determine the level of participants’ self confidence in two specific aspects: (1)
the teacher’s attitude toward participants’ speaking mistakes, and (2) the teacher’s manner
of correcting the student’s mistake, in other words the feeling of being judged.9
Deeply, based on the researcher’s observation at the third semester of English
Department in IAIN Ponorogo, the researcher found that the students still face some
problems in speaking such as: (1) Anxiety, a feeling of tension, apprehension and
nervousness associated with the situation of learning a foreign language, (2) Fear of
negative evaluation, a psychological construct reflecting ”apprehension about others’
evaluations, distress over negative evaluation by others, and expectation that others would
evaluate one negatively”. That way, anxiety and fear of negative evaluation could be block
of students’ mastery in English.
Therefore the researcher was interested in exploring the students speaking anxiety
and fear of negative evaluation, the factors affect the students speaking anxiety and fear of
8 Marina Tzoannopoulou, Foreign Language Anxiety and Fear of Negative Evaluation in the Greek
University Classroom. https://ejournals.lib.auth.gr/thal/article/download/5272/5160, accessed 27 January 2020);
Selami Aydin, an Investigation on Language Anxiety and Fear of Negative Evaluation among Turkish EFL Learners,
Asian EFL Journal Vol 30 (January 2008), 421; Mohammed Bagher Shabani, Levels and Sources of Language Anxiety
and Fear of Negative Evaluation among Iranian EFL Learners, ISSN Vol 2 (November 2012), 2381-2382.
9 Samiha, The Effect of Fear of Negative Evaluation on EFL Learners Oral Performance , People Democratic
Republic of Algeria: Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. (2015), iii.
10
negative evaluation, and the strategies to overcome their speaking anxiety and fear of
negative evaluation in speaking performance.
Chamot defined language learning strategies as processes, techniques, approaches
and actions that students take to facilitate the learning and recall of both linguistic and
content area information”.10 Thus, language strategies can help students to become
independent learners and learn foreign language effectively. Oxford defined learning
strategies as “specific actions taken by the learner to make learning easier, more enjoyable,
more self-directed, more effective, and more transferable to new situations”.11 This
definition explains that learning strategies are tools to achieve goals and can be a problem
solver. Oxford also proved that language learning strategies can reduce speaking anxiety
and fear of negative evaluation.12
This research was conducted during the Covid-19 pandemic, precisely in mid-August
2020. Then, since teaching and learning process in all undergraduate programs at the IAIN
Ponorogo was done via online system, the researcher conducted observations, distributed
questionnaires, and conducted in-depth interviews via online. Class observations were
carried out through the zoom application, questionnaires were distributed via Google form,
and depth-interviews were conducted via WhatsApp call.
Overall, a study entitled “EFL Students’ Strategies to Overcome Speaking
Anxiety And Fear of Negative Evaluation in Online Speaking Performance” was
conducted to investigate speaking anxiety and fear of negative evaluation among English
foreign learners deeply.
10 Anna Uhl Chamot, The Learning Strategies of ESL Students, In A. Wenden & J. Rubin (Eds.), Learner
Strategies in Language Learning, (Hemel Hempstead: Prentice-Hall, 1987), 71-85.
11 Oxford, Language Learning Strategies: What Every Teacher Should Know?, (Boston: Heinle & Heinle
Publisher, 1990).
12 Ibid
11
B. RESEARCH FOCUS
This research focuses on investigating the students’ speaking anxiety and fear of
negative evaluation, the factors affect the speaking anxiety and fear of negative evaluation,
and the kind of EFL students’ strategies to overcome their speaking anxiety and fear of
negative evaluation in speaking performance.
C. RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. How are the students’ speaking anxiety and fear of negative evaluation in speaking
performance?
2. What factors do affect the speaking anxiety and fear of negative evaluation among
EFL learners?
3. What kind of strategies do students apply to overcome their speaking anxiety and
fear of negative evaluation in speaking performance?
D. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
1. To investigate the students’ speaking anxiety and fear of negative evaluation in
speaking performance
2. To know the factors affect the speaking anxiety and fear of negative evaluation
among EFL learners
3. To explore the kind of EFL students strategies in overcoming their speaking anxiety
and fear of negative evaluation in speaking performance.
E. SIGNIFICANCES OF THE STUDY
This study is significant:
1. For the students
a) By sharing feelings of uneasiness in English speaking, students can elicit
creative ways to overcome their problems. The students’ learning strategies can
be instrumental in decreasing anxiety and increasing motivation.
12
2. For the teachers and researchers
a) This study can be useful for teachers and researchers to consider their language
learners’ speaking needs in English language teaching and learning context.
F. ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY
This research consists of six chapters and each chapter is related to each other which
is a unified whole with systematic as follows:
CHAPTER I : This chapter is an introduction of this study. It presents a brief
description of the background of the study in foreign language
classroom anxiety, research focus, research questions, research
objectives, and significance of this study. At last, this chapter also
presents the organization of this study.CHAPTER II : This chapter explains the theoretical of the speaking anxiety and
fear of negative evaluation as a factors affecting speaking
performance.CHAPTER III : Research methodology, which presents to types of research,
subject and object of the research, data and data sources, method
collecting data and technique of analyzing data.CHAPTER IV : This chapter, (1) contains a brief description of IAIN Ponorogo
profile as a location where this research was conducted, (2)
contains the findings obtained from observations, interviews, and
documentation related to speaking anxiety and fear of negative
evaluation among students at English Department of IAIN
Ponorogo.CHAPTER V : This chapter describes research findings, (1) describes the result
of direct observation about real-condition during teaching
learning at the third semester students of English Department in
IAIN Ponorogo; (2) describes the result of depth-interview with
13
the teacher about his/ her method of teaching learning used,
learning objectives of his/ her teaching learning method, and
speaking problems faced by students from teacher view; (3)
describes the result of depth-interview with students about their
responses to teaching learning method used by their teacher, the
factors of speaking anxiety and fear of negative evaluation
experienced by students, and the students strategies used to
overcome speaking anxiety and fear of negative evaluation; (4)
compute means and standard deviations of questionnaire to find
the levels of language anxiety and fear of negative evaluation; (5)
describe the students strategies used to overcome speaking
anxiety and fear of negative evaluation based on students answer
in questionnaire.CHAPTER VI : This chapter contains conclusions and recommendations.
CHAPTER II
PREVIOUS RELATED STUDY AND LITERATURE REVIEW
A. Previous Related Study
In relation to speaking anxiety and fear of negative evaluation, there are some
previous related study:
First previous research has been conducted by Selami Aydin (2008), entitled “An
Investigation on Language Anxiety and Fear of Negative Evaluation among Turkish EFL
Learners”. The purpose of this study is to investigate the sources and levels of fear of
negative evaluation as well as language anxiety. The instruments used to collect data is a
foreign language anxiety scale (FLAS) adapted from the FLAS developed by Horwitz and
a scale for fear of negative evaluation (FNE) developed by Leary. The collected data were
used to provide a descriptive analysis. The results indicated that EFL learners suffer from
language anxiety and fear of negative evaluation. Fear of negative evaluation was found to
be a strong source of foreign language classroom anxiety.13
Second previous research has been conducted by Mohammed Bagher Shabani
(2012), entitled “Levels and Sources of Language Anxiety and Fear of Negative
Evaluation”. The data were gathered through administering two scales. Foreign language
anxiety classroom scale (FLCAS) and fear of negative evaluation (FNE) scale were
administered to a sample of 61 EFL learners. This research found that sources arousing
anxiety was fear of speaking without preparation during the class, communication with
teachers, fear of being laughed by peers, fear of making mistake, and fear of being called
in class. While sources of fear of negative evaluation was fear of leaving unfavorable
impression on others, negative judgment by others, fear of saying or doing wrong thing,
13 Selami Aydin, an Investigation on Language Anxiety and Fear of Negative Evaluation among Turkish EFL
Learners, Asian EFL Journal, Vol 30 (January 2008), 421.
15
fear of negative thoughts of and being noted the shortcoming by others and fear of being
found fault by and disapproval by other.14
Third previous research has been conducted by Samiha (2015), entitled “The Effect
of Fear of Negative Evaluation on EFL Learners Oral Performance”. This research did not
take a classroom observations, but work relied on a mixed-method approach based on both
quantitative and qualitative methods. The quantitative method consisted of the foreign
language classroom anxiety scale (FLCAS) and a questionnaire, while the qualitative
method was based on a semi-structured interview. This research showed that most of
students experience fear of negative evaluation. Moreover, fear of negative evaluation
revealed to have a negative effect on students’ oral performance.15
Fourth previous research has been conducted by Ahmed Maher Mahmoud Al
Nakhalah (2016), entitled “Problems and Difficulties of Speaking That Encounter English
Language Students at Al Quds Open University”. The purpose of this study is explored the
speaking difficulties encountered by English language students. The researcher used the
experimental method to show and measure the speaking difficulties faced by English
language students. The results showed and indicated that there some difficulties in the
speaking of the students due to some reason such as fear of making mistake, shyness,
anxiety and lack of confidence.16
The last previous research has been conducted by Marina Tzoannopoulou, entitled
“Foreign Language Anxiety and Fear of Negative Evaluation in Greek University
Classroom”. This research pointed to a correlation among language anxiety, fear of
14 Mohammed Bagher Shabani, Levels and Sources of Language Anxiety and Fear of Negative Evaluation
among Iranian EFL Learners, ISSN Vol 2 (November 2012), 2381-2382.
15 Samiha, The Effect of Fear of Negative Evaluation on EFL Learners Oral Performance, People
Democratic Republic of Algeria: Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. (2015), iii.
16 Ahmed Maher Mahmoud Al Nakhalah, Problems and Difficulties of Speaking That Encounter English
Language Students at Al Quds Open University, ISSN Vol 5(12) (December 2016), 96.
16
negative evaluation and language performance. Foreign language speaking anxiety could
be attributed to a fear of negative evaluation by the peers and the teacher. Thus, this
sociolinguistic aspect of classroom anxiety could lead to a lower effort on the part of the
learner and poor performance in class.17
Different from the above previous studies, this research did not only investigate the
students’ speaking anxiety and fear of negative evaluation, but also the EFL students
strategies that were used to overcome speaking anxiety and fear of negative evaluation.
B. Literature Review
1. Speaking
a. Definition
According to Brown, speaking is an interactive process of constructing
meaning that involves producing, receiving, and processing information.18 In
other words, speaking is the process between a speaker and listener in which
the speaker has to encode the message he wishes to convey, while the listener
has to interpret it.
Nunan states that speaking is the most important aspect of learning a
second language, and success is measured in terms of the ability to
conversation well in the language.19 Nunan also states in his book that speaking
is the productive oral skill. It consists of producing systematic verbal utterance
to convey meaning.20
17 Marina Tzoannopoulou, Foreign Language Anxiety and Fear of Negative Evaluation in the Greek
University Classroom. https://ejournals.lib.auth.gr/thal/article/download/5272/5160, accessed 27 January 2020).
18 H. Douglas Brown, Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy, (Englewood
Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1994).
19 David Nunan, Language Teaching Methodology: A Textbook for Teachers, (New York: Prentice Hall,
1991), 39.
20 David Nunan, Practical English Language Teaching, (NY: McGraw-Hill, 2003), 48.
17
From the definition above, the researcher concludes that speaking is an
activity to understand and gain information in verbal communication.
b. Speaking Difficulties in Foreign Language Learning
According to Luoma, speaking in a foreign language is very difficult and
competence in speaking takes a long time to develop.21 Ur summarized
students’ speaking difficulties under four main problems which are related to
inhibition, nothing to say, low or uneven participation, and mother tongue
use.22
1) Inhibition
This concerns students’ inability to participate in the classroom
because of their affective and emotional factors which inhibit and hamper
their engagements in the classroom. That is to say, such factors refer to
learners’ feelings of shyness and fear of making mistakes especially in
front of a critical audience.
2) Nothing to say
Sometimes, learners complain that they cannot think of anything to
say. This is because of their lack of motivations, or they may have little
knowledge about the topic or they are not interested it.
3) Low or uneven participation
Ur argued that this problem is compounded by the tendency of
some learners to dominate, while others speak very little or not at all.23
Low participation can be due to the ignorance of teachers’ motivation, if
21 S. Luoma, Assessing Speaking, (UK: Cambridge University Express, 2004).
22 P. Ur, A Course in Language Teaching, (Cambridge University Express, 2000).
23 Ibid
18
teachers does not motivate or push their students to speak, even the
talkative ones they will not show interest then.
4) Mother-tongue use
Lack of vocabulary of the target language usually leads learners to
borrow words from their native language.
c. Students Psychological Problems towards Oral Performance
According to Rivers, these difficulties are due to a lack of interest in the
subject, poor listening practice, deficient vocabulary, or lack of confidence and
the fear of making mistakes.24
1) Lack of interest in the subject
Sometimes, student feels that what they are going to say is not
interesting for the other because they do not have a good relation with the
topic. So, they prefer to remain silent.
2) Poor listening practice
The student does not understand sufficient elements in the message
to be able to make further contribution to the discussion.
3) Deficient vocabulary
Students find themselves struggling to find appropriate words to
complete their sentence when have conversation.
4) Lack of confidence and fear of making mistakes
Students might be afraid of making mistakes while expressing their
opinions. They think that when they start speaking, their teacher and
peers corrects every slip they make.
2. Anxiety
a. Definition
24 W. M, Rivers, Teachinng Foreign Language Skills, (Chicago: The University of Chicago, 1968).
19
Anxiety is an affective state, an uncomfortable emotional state, in which
one discerns danger, feel powerless, and experience tension in the face of an
expected danger.25 According to Spielberger, anxiety is a subjective feeling of
tension, apprehension, nervousness, and worry associated with an arousal of
the autonomous nervous system.26
Horwitz defined language anxiety as “a distinct complex of self-
perceptions, beliefs, feelings, and behaviors related to classroom language
learning arising from the uniqueness of the language learning process”.27
To sum up, foreign language anxiety is such a unique type of anxiety
which is raised specifically in a particular context. Besides, it can hinder the
language learning process in one way or another. Hence, it is crucial to be
overcome in the learning process.
b. Types of Language Anxiety
Anxiety can be classified into three types: trait anxiety, state anxiety, and
situation-specific anxiety.28 Trait anxiety is a stable feature of personality, an
acquired behavioral disposition that leads an individual to perceive a wide
range of non-dangerous situations as threatening. 29 State anxiety is an
25 T. Scovel, The Effect on Foreign Language Learning: A Review Literature, The Modern Language Journal,
76(1), 14-26.
26 C. D. Spielberger, W. D. Anton, & J. Bedell, The Nature and Treatment of Test Anxiety, In M. Zuckermann
& C. Spielberger (eds), Emmotions and Anxiety: New Concepts, Methods and Applications, (Hillside, NJ: Lawrence
Erlbaum, 317-44.
27 E. K. Horwitz, M. B. Horwitz, & J. Cope, Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety: The Modern Language
Journal, 70(2), 128.
28 T. Scovel, The Effect on Foreign Language Learning: A Review Literature, The Modern Language Journal,
76(1), 14-26.
29 C. D. Spielberger, Theory and Research on Anxiety. Anxiety Behavior, (New York: Academic Press, 1966).
20
ephemeral and temporary characteristic of an individual’s personality which
varies in intensity and fluctuates over time. 30 Individuals with situation-
specific anxiety may consider a certain situation as anxiety provoking in
certain environments.31 Research into language learning anxiety has shown that
language learning us classified as situation-specific.32
c. Components of Foreign Language Anxiety
Foreign language anxiety was identified to three components:
communication apprehension, test anxiety, and fear of negative evaluation.
Communication anxiety refers to a fear of involvement in real communication
with others.33 Test anxiety was defined as the fear of failing in tests and a
displeasing experience that learners hold either consciously or unconsciously in
many situations.34 Fear of negative evaluation was originally defined as a trait
related to apprehension about others evaluations, limited English proficiency,
lack of confidence and lack of teaching experience are among the sources of
language anxiety.35
d. Source of Foreign Language Anxiety
30 Ibid
31 P. D. MacIntyre, & R. C. Gardner, Method and Result in The Study of Anxiety and Language Learning: A
Review of The Literature, Language Learning, 41(1), 85-117.
32 Ibid
33 E. K, Horwitz, M. B, Horwitz, & J. Cope, Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety , The Modern Language
Journal, 70(2), 125-132.
34 E. Horwitz, & D. Young, Language Anxiety: From Theory and Research to Classroom Implications,
(Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1991).
35 M. Mahmoodzadeh, Investigating Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety Within the EFL Learners’
Interlanguage System: The Case of Iranian Learners. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 3(5), 466-476.
21
Six types of sources of Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety (FLCA)
have been identified by Young: personal and interpersonal anxieties, learner
beliefs about language learning, instructor beliefs about language learning,
instructor-learner interactions, classroom procedure and testing.36
Instrument to tabulate foreign language anxiety uses Likert type scales to
measure reactions to stressors. Horwitz developed a thirty-three item Foreign
Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) which includes items relating to
communication apprehension, test anxiety and fear of negative evaluation.37
3. Fear of Negative Evaluation
Watson and Friend defined fear of negative evaluation as “an apprehension
about others’ evaluations, avoidance of evaluative situations and the expectation that
others would evaluate oneself negatively”.38 Fear of negative evaluations observed
when foreign language learners feel incapable of making the proper social
impression and it is an apprehension towards evaluation by others and avoidance of
evaluative situations.
Gardner & MacIntyre describe fear of negative evaluation as “the apprehension
experienced when a specific situation requires the use of a second language in which
the individual is not fully proficient”.39
36 D. J. Young, Creating A Low-Anxiety classroom environment: What Does Language Anxiety Research
Suggest?, Modern Language Journal (75), 426-437.
37 E. K. Horwitz, M. B. Horwitz, & J. Cope, Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety, The Modern Language
Journal, 70(2), 559.
38 D. Watson & R. Friend, Measurement of Social-Evaluate Anxiety, Journal of Consulting and Clinical
Psychology, 33(4), 448-457.
39 R. C. Gardner & MacIntyre. P. D, On The Measurement of Affective Variables in Second Language
Learning. Language Learning (43), 157-194.
22
Fear of negative evaluation is often measured by using the brief version of the
Fear and Negative Evaluation Scale developed by Leary, which is a shorter and more
expedient version of the Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale developed by Watson and
Friend, used extensively in personality and social psychology research. The Fear of
Negative Evaluation has been found to correlate very highly with the original scale
and to demonstrate psychometric properties that are nearly identical to the full-length
scale.40
4. English Foreign Language Learning Strategies
a) Definition
According to MacIntyre, “learning strategies are steps taken by students
to enhance their own learning”.41 Wenden says “learning strategies are the
various operations that learners use in order to make sense of their learning”.42
Oxford defines learning strategies as “specific actions taken by the learner to
make learning easier, more enjoyable, more self-directed, more effective, and
more transferable to new situations”.43 So we can conclude that learning
strategies are the student’s abilities to respond and manage their learning in
appropriate way.
O’Malley and Chamot define the learning strategies as the special
thoughts, behaviors and actions that individuals use to learn new information. 44
Strategies are important for language learning because they are tools for
40 M. R, Leary. A Brief Version of The Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale, Personality and Social Psychology
Bulletin (9), 371-375).
41 Rebbeca L. Oxford, Language Learning Strategies: What Every Teacher Should Know, (Boston: Heinle &
Heinle Publisher, 1990).
42 A. L. Wenden, Conceptual Background and Utility, In A. L. Wenden & J. Rubin (Eds), Learner Strategies
in Language Learning, (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1987a), 3-13.
43 Oxford, Language Learning Strategies: What Every Teacher Should Know?.
23
developing communicative competence. Appropriate language learning
strategies can improve proficiency and greater self-confidence.
b) Types of Learning Strategies
Language learning strategies is a very important part of learning
strategies. Rubin defined language learning strategies as behaviors, steps, or
techniques that language learners apply to facilitate language learning.45
Oxford stated that language learning strategies include cognitive, emotional,
and social aspects that enhance learners’ language learning proficiency and self
confidence.46 To sum up, language learning strategies are the strategies applied
by students to learn a second or foreign language.
O’Malley classified language learning strategies into three types; meta-
cognitive strategies, cognitive strategies, and socio-affective strategies. Meta-
cognitive strategies such as; (1) planning for learning, (2), thinking about the
learning process as it is taking place, (3) monitoring of one’s comprehension,
and (4) evaluating learning after an activity is completed. Cognitive strategies
such as repetition, resourcing, translation, grouping, note taking, deduction,
recombination, imagery, auditory representation, key word, contextualization,
elaboration, and transfer. And socio-affective strategies related with social-
mediating activity and transacting with others.
Rubin also classified language learning strategies into three types, that is
language strategies, communication strategies, and social strategies.
44 J. Michael O’Malley, Anna Uhl Chamot, Learning Strategies in Second Language Acquisition, (US:
Cambridge University Express, 1990), 1.
45 J. Rubin, Learning Strategies: Theoretical Assumptions, Research History and Typology, In A. L. Wenden
& J. Rubin (Eds), Learner Strategies in Language Learning, (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1987), 15-30.
46 Oxford, Language Learning Strategies: What Every Teacher Should Know?.
24
While Oxford divided language learning strategies into two classes, that
is direct and indirect strategies:
1) Direct strategies
i. Memory
a. Creating mental linkages
b. Applying images and sounds
c. Reviewing well
d. Employing action
ii. Cognitive
a. Practicing
b. Receiving and sending messages strategies
c. Analyzing and reasoning
d. Creating structure for input and output
iii. Compensation strategies
a. Guessing intelligently
b. Overcoming limitations in speaking and writing
2) Indirect strategies
i. Metacognitive strategies
a. Centering your learning
b. Arranging and planning your learning
c. Evaluating your learning
ii. Affective strategies
a. Lowering your anxiety
b. Encouraging yourself
c. Taking your emotional temperature
iii. Social strategies
25
a. Asking questions
b. Cooperating with others
c. Empathizing with others
5. Useful Strategy for Speaking
The following table explained the useful strategy for speaking from Oxford
(1990):47
Table 2.1 Useful Strategy for Speaking
N
o
Strategy
Group
Strategy Set Strategy
1 Memory Creating mental linkages Placing new words into a context
Applying images and sounds Representing sounds in memory
Reviewing well Structured reviewing
2 Cognitive Practicing Repeating
Formally practicing with sounds and writing
systems
Recognizing and using formulas and pattern
Recombining
Practicing naturalistically
Receiving and sending
messages
Using resources for receiving and sending
messages
Analyzing and reasoning Reasoning deductively
Translating
Transferring
47 Oxford, Language Learning Strategies: What Every Teacher Should Know?.
26
3 Compensation Overcoming limitations in
speaking and writing
Switching to the mother tongue
Getting help
Using mime or gesture
Avoiding communication partially or totally
Selecting the topic
Adjusting or approximating the message
Coining words
Using a circumlocution or synonym
4 Metacognitive Centering your learning Over viewing and linking with already
known material
Paying attention
Playing speech production to focus on
listening
Arranging and planning your
learning
Finding out about language learning
Organizing
Setting goals and objectives
Identifying the purpose of a language task
Planning for a language task
Seeking practice opportunities
Evaluating your learning Self-monitoring
27
Self-evaluating
5 Affective Lowering your anxiety Using progressive relaxation, deep
breathing, or meditation
Using music
Using laughter
Encouraging yourself Making positive statements
Taking risks wisely
Rewarding yourself
Taking your emotional
temperature
Listening to your body
Using a checklist
Writing a language learning diary
Discussing your feelings with someone else
6 Social Asking questions Asking for correction
Cooperating with others Cooperating with peers
Cooperating with proficient users of the new
language
Empathizing with others Developing cultural understanding
Becoming aware of others’ thoughts and
feelings
CHAPTER III
RESEARCH METHODS
This chapter is description of how the study was conducted in order to find out the answer
of the research questions, the anxiety and fear of negative evaluation experienced by the students
in English speaking class, the factors that contribute to students’ speaking anxiety and fear of
negative evaluation, and kind of strategies the students apply to overcome their speaking anxiety
and fear of negative evaluation. It covers the research approach and design, research’s role,
research setting, data and data source, data collection technique, data analysis technique,
checking validity of findings and research procedures.
In term of the first research questions about the students speaking anxiety and fear of
negative evaluation, the researcher analyzed it deeply by describing the levels.
A. Research Approach and Design
This study used quantitative and qualitative method to find the data. The researcher
opted the quantitative method for data collection to test the existence of the problem as far
as to measure the level of speaking anxiety and fear of negative evaluation felt by
participants. For this, the researcher implemented a Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety
Scale (FLCAS) and Fear of Negative Evaluation (FNE) scale to reach this aim.
The qualitative method allowed the researcher to understand “the meaning” of the
situation or condition.48 This method gave a description of how students experience
speaking anxiety and fear of negative evaluation, the source of such an experience, and
students’ coping strategies towards speaking anxiety and fear of negative evaluation was
suited to be explored by this method. This method is appropriate because this can “make
sense” to the students’ perceptions about the phenomenon.49 Therefore, this study used a
48 J. A. Maxwell, Qualitative Research Design: An Interactive Approach. (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 1996).
49 Ibid, 17
29
descriptive method to reveal the phenomenon of speaking anxiety and fear of negative
evaluation at the third semester of English department in IAIN Ponorogo.
B. Researcher’s Role
Researcher observed the cases according to situation and setting naturally. This
research was described based on real situation at the third semester of English Department
in IAIN Ponorogo. When conducting the observation, the researcher acted as a passive
researcher who only observed the activities without taking any parts in the teaching
learning process.
Researcher gave questionnaire to all students in one of the classes of third semester
students to get the levels of speaking anxiety and fear of negative evaluation that they
experienced and also to find out the strategies they used to overcome speaking anxiety and
fear of negative evaluation in descriptive way. The researcher interviewed the participant
to gain data related the factors affect of speaking anxiety and fear of negative evaluation.
The participants were the students and English lecturer.
C. Research Setting
This research took place at the third semester of English Department class D in IAIN
Ponorogo (Kampus 1), located at Pramuka street 156, Siman District, Ponorogo Regency,
East Java-Indonesia. This class was chose for reason many students were very anxious to
speak English in Speaking for Formal Interactions course.
D. Data and Data Source
1. Data
To reach the goals of qualitative research, there is a technique namely
criterion-based sampling.50 This technique was used to accommodate all of the data
that possible acquisition in the research site. The object of this research is the third
semester students of Speaking for Formal Interactions course. There are 136
50 Riyadi Santosa, Metode Penelitian Kualitatif Kebahasaan, (Surakarta: UNS Press, 2017), 54.
30
populations and then the sample is 28 students in the TBI D class of English
Department, IAIN Ponorogo in academic year 2020/2021.
2. Data Source
The primary data was taken from the questionnaire, direct observation and
interview. While the secondary data taken from the journals, articles, books and
previous researches that related to this study.
E. Data Collection Technique
The instruments that were used to collect the data cover questionnaire, observation,
and interview:
a) Questionnaire
There are three questionnaires used by the researcher to collect the data. The
foreign language classroom anxiety adapted from foreign language classroom
anxiety scale (FLCAS) developed by Horwitz et al. (1986); and a scale of fear of
negative evaluation (FNE) developed by Leary (1983):
1) Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS)
The FLCAS consists of 33 questions with answer response options
ranged from 1-5 of each item. The 5-point Likert’s scale is ranged from
“Always (A)”, “Usually (U)”, “Sometimes” (S), “Almost Never” (AN), and
“Never” (N). Therefore, if the points are summed up by adding the each
answer point of each statement, the score of the students’ anxiety scale would
range from 33 to 165, with lower score suggesting lower anxiety levels and
higher scores indicating higher anxiety levels.
The researcher chose 9 from 33 statements related to variable of
speaking:
Table 3.1. Questionnaires Item of Speaking Anxiety
31
No Statements A U S AN N
1 I never feel quite sure of myself when I am
speaking in my English class.9 I start to panic when I have to speak without
preparation in English class.13 It embarrasses me to volunteer answers in my
English class.20 I can feel my heart pounding when I’m going to be
called on in English class.23 I always feel that the other students speak English
better than I do.24 I feel very self-conscious about speaking English
in front of other students.27 I get nervous and confused when I am speaking in
my English class.31 I am afraid that the other students will laugh at me
when I speak English.33 I get nervous when the English teacher asks
questions which I haven’t prepared in advanced.
2) FNE Scale
The second questionnaire was the brief version of the Fear of Negative
Evaluation Scale (FNE). It consists of 12 items, and each item followed by a
5-point Likert scale (1 = Never, 5 = Always). The maximum range for the scale
is 12 to 60. Negatively worded items in both the FLCAS and FNE were given a
reverse coding so that, in all cases, a high score represented high anxiety and
fear of negative evaluation in the language classroom.
The researcher chose 8 from 12 statements related to variable of
speaking:
Table 3.2. Questionnaires Item of Fear of Negative Evaluation
No Statements A U S AN N
1 I worry about what other people will think of me
32
even when I know it doesn't make any difference.
3 I am frequently afraid of other people noticing my
shortcomings.
5 I am afraid others will not approve of me.
6 I am afraid that people will find fault with me.
8 When I am talking to someone, I worry about what
they may be thinking about me.
9 I am usually worried about what kind of
impression I make.
11 Sometimes I think I am too concerned about what
other people think of me.
12 I often worry that I will say or do the wrong
things.
3) Open-ended questionnaire
For the third questionnaire was an open-ended questionnaire which was
used to seek the kind of EFL students’ strategies to overcome speaking anxiety
and fear of negative evaluation.
b) Observation
In this research, the researcher focused on the observation during teaching
speaking skill at the third semester of English Department class D in IAIN Ponorogo.
c) Interview
33
“This method can be used through personal interviews and, if possible, through
telephone interviews”.51 In this research, researcher conducted depth-interview with
participants at the third semester of English Department class D in IAIN Ponorogo to
reach data related with the kind of EFL students’ strategies to overcome speaking
anxiety and fear of negative evaluation.
F. Data Analysis Technique
After the data was collected, the next step was analyzing. The means and standard
deviations of questionnaire result were computed to find the levels of language anxiety and
fear of negative evaluation.
Then, the researcher explained the strategies used by the students to overcome
speaking anxiety and fear of negative evaluation. The strategies come from student’s
explanation in the questionnaire and from depth-interview of the third semester, English
Department class D in IAIN Ponorogo.
G. Checking Validity of Findings
To consideration of means whereby the naturalist’s alternative trustworthiness
criteria may be operational, dealing with (1) credibility; (2) transferability; (3)
dependability; (4) confirmability.52
The open-ended questionnaire has been used and validated by many researchers.
FLCAS and FNE scale, in its function to measure the level of anxiety and fear of negative
evaluation perceived by foreign language learners has been used by some researchers such
as Aida (1994), Liu (2007), Shabani (2012), Selami Aydin (2015), Marina Tzoannopoulou
(2016). It shows its high reliability and validity.
51 C. R. Kothari, Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques, Second Revised Edition. (University of
Rajasthan, India: New Age International Publishers, 2004), 97.
52 Y. S, Lincoln, & E. G, Guba, Naturalistic Inquiry. (Beverly Hills: Sage Publication, 1985), 301-318.
34
To establish the “trustworthiness”53 of the study or to verify the accuracy of data,
findings, and interpretation54, the researcher conducted interview in conditional time
depending on the questions and situations. The data from audio recording interview were
transcribed manually without changes to avoid preconception in interpreting data later and
after that, the researcher coded it based on Young (1992) and Ohata (2005) for the sources
of anxiety, and Oxfords (1990) for language learning strategies.
In qualitative research, researchers have to “explicitly identify their biases, values,
and personal interest about their topic and process” and access to the research participants.
55 Therefore, the researcher was aware not to let her assumption and belief interfere in
interview process. The researcher let participants to be free by telling their perspectives.
The researcher also conducted member checking to make sure that the data findings are
accurate.
H. Research Procedures
First, the researcher observed the teaching learning process and situation inside the
classroom that might provoke students speaking anxiety and fear of negative evaluation.
The observation was conducted twice, on Thursday, 10th and 17th September 2020.
Second, the researcher interviewed the teacher and students on Thursday 24
September 2020 to get information about the method used by teacher in teaching students’
responses, the factors affect students’ speaking anxiety and fear of negative evaluation
experienced by students, and the students’ strategies used to overcome speaking anxiety
and fear of negative evaluation.
53 Ibid, 289.
54 J. W. Cresswell, Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Approaches (2nd editions),
(Thousand Oaks, California: Sage, 1998)
55 J. W. Cresswell, Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Traditions, (Thousand
Oaks, California: SAGE Publications, 2007), 184.
35
The questionnaires were shared on Thursday 1st October 2020, there were 3 sections
consisted of students’ speaking anxiety, students’ fear of negative evaluation, and students’
learning strategies.
CHAPTER IV
RESEARCH FINDINGS
A. General Data Description
1. Brief Profile of IAIN Ponorogo
Campus I IAIN Ponorogo is located in Pramuka Street No. 156 Ronowijayan
Ponorogo, East Java, while campus II IAIN Ponorogo is located in Puspita Jaya
Street, Krajan, Pintu, Jenangan District, Ponorogo Regency, East Java. IAIN
Ponorogo currently has 4 faculties and 16 departments.
a) Vision and Mission
1) Vision
“As a Center for the Study and Development of Excellent Islamic
Sciences in the Context of Creating a Civil Society”
2) Mission
1. To produce scholars in the Islamic sciences who excel in material
studies and research
2. Producing scholars who are capable of realizing civil society
3. Producing scholars with character and tolerance
3) Purpose
1. Provide access to Islamic Higher Education for the community
with good governance
2. Preparing educated human resources
3. Produce quality research and community service
4.
B. Distinctive Data Description
37
This section is devoted to the presentation of the obtained data through the class
observation, questionnaire, and interview.
1. Observation
The learning system in Speaking for Formal Interactions course at the third
semester of English Department IAIN Ponorogo for the 2020/2021 academic year is
online-based. IAIN Ponorogo has provided an online site that can be accessed on the
https://e-learning.iainponorogo.ac.id page. The lecturer who teaches the speaking
course for formal interactions is Mr. Dedi Hasnawan, M. Pd. The class carried out
through e-learning for attendance, youtube media for presentation and whatsapp
group for discussion.
Picture 4.1 Presentations
Picture 4.1 showed that the teaching learning speaking for formal interactions
at the third semester of English Department IAIN Ponorogo used the online system.
The students took their speech video and uploaded it into Youtube media.
38
Picture 4.2 Discussion
After the students uploaded their tasks into Youtube media, the lecturer asked
the students to watch the performance, made a summary of the presentation, then
discussed via WhatsApp group. The lecturer stated that the online teaching and
learning process was not as effective as learning in class especially for speaking
course, because emotional touch in face-to-face class was difficult to be replaced by
online system.
2. Questionnaires
a. FLCAS and FNE Scale
After administering the FLCAS and FNE scale to the participants, the
result revealed interesting information about the speaking anxiety and fear of
negative evaluation levels of EFL students at the third semester. In order to
find the levels and factors of foreign language class anxiety and fear of
negative evaluation, the means and standard deviation of the statements in
FLCAS and FNE scale were calculated. Findings related to the levels and
factors are presented in table 5.1 and 5.2.
Table 4.3 Levels of foreign language classroom anxiety
39
No Statements Total Means SD
1 I never feel quite sure of myself when I am speaking
in my English class.
93 3.32 0.86
9 I start to panic when I have to speak without
preparation in English class.
99 3.54 1.2
13 It embarrasses me to volunteer answers in my
English class.
92 3.29 1.15
20 I can feel my heart pounding when I’m going to be
called on in English class.
108 3.86 0.89
23 I always feel that the other students speak English
better than I do.
110 3.93 0.86
24 I feel very self-conscious about speaking English in
front of other students.
91 3.25 0.75
27 I get nervous and confused when I am speaking in
my English class.
95 3.39 1.03
31 I am afraid that the other students will laugh at me
when I speak English.
86 3.07 1.3
33 I get nervous when the English teacher asks questions
which I haven’t prepared in advanced.
107 3.82 0.94
Table 4.4 Levels of fear of negative evaluation
No Statements Total Means SD
1 I worry about what other people will think of me
even when I know it doesn't make any difference.
91 3.25 0.84
3 I am frequently afraid of other people noticing my
shortcomings.
95 3.39 0.69
5 I am afraid others will not approve of me.
84 3 1.05
6 I am afraid that people will find fault with me.
90 3.21 0.88
8 When I am talking to someone, I worry about what
they may be thinking about me.
88 3.14 1.18
40
9 I am usually worried about what kind of impression I
make.
86 3.07 0.98
11 Sometimes I think I am too concerned about what
other people think of me.
100 3.57 0.92
12 I often worry that I will say or do the wrong things.
99 3.54 0.96
Findings of computation of mean and standard deviation of statements of
FLCA and FNE scales demonstrated that the main factors of language anxiety
were personal assumption that the peers more better in speak English and
unpreparedness of teachers’ questions. The main factors provoking fear of
negative evaluation were fear of being negative evaluated and fear of making
mistakes.
According to the results of previous research, communication
apprehension is a significant source of anxiety.56 Although Young stated that
teachers’ beliefs about teaching a foreign language is one of the factors
provoking anxiety.57 This study attempted to look out for the factors contribute
to students’ fear of speaking in the oral course. For instance, a range of factors
was revealed to contribute to anxiety such as topical knowledge, language
competence, time for preparation, lack of practice, fear of making mistakes,
and lack of confidence.
b. Open-Ended Questionnaire
56 Selami Aydin, an Investigation on Language Anxiety and Fear of Negative Evaluation among Turkish EFL
Learners, Asian EFL Journal, Vol 30 (January 2008), 421.
57 D. J. Young, Creating A Low-Anxiety classroom environment: What Does Language Anxiety Research
Suggest?, Modern Language Journal (75), 426-437.
41
The following table describes about the factors affect students’ speaking
anxiety and fear of negative evaluation and the students’ strategies to overcome
it arising from the open-ended questionnaire.
Table 4.5 The Factors and the Students’ Strategies
The Factors Causes Students’
Speaking Anxiety and Fear of
Negative Evaluation in
Speaking Performance
The Students’ Strategies to Overcome Speaking
Anxiety And Fear of Negative Evaluation in
Speaking Performance
1. Time for preparation
2. Pressure to perform well
3. Listeners support
4. Motivation to speak
5. Lack of confidence
6. Anxiety
7. Language competence
8. Time allowed to perform a
speaking task
9. Fear of making mistakes
10. Afraid of being negative
evaluated
11. Low of practice
1. Re-read the material before performed
2. Remembering the material
3. Preparing well before foreign language classes
4. Using more body language to help express oneself
5. Trying to use a foreign language more
6. Trying to use simple words while speaking a
foreign language
7. Evaluating learning after an activity is completed
8. Not focusing on accuracy while speaking a foreign
language
9. Doing relaxation exercises
10. Talking with other students about the fears of
speaking a foreign language
11. Being brave to speak a foreign language
12. Watching some real life TV / web programs in a
foreign language
13. Listening music in English language
14. Speaking a foreign language in a friendly
environments
15. Participating in a supporting group or activity
16. Asking peers for correction
42
3. Interpretation of the Interview
This section presents data arising from interviews conducted with 28
participants. For this study, the interview data is highly relevant to all of the research
questions. As mentioned earlier, the current study aimed to investigate the factors
affect the students' speaking anxiety and fear of negative evaluation, then to explore
the kind of students' strategies used to overcome speaking anxiety and fear of
negative evaluation in speaking performance. To reach these aims, the questionnaire
and a semi-structured interview conducted with 28 participants in order to gain deep
insight into the students' strategies to overcome speaking anxiety and fear of negative
evaluation.
The students’ answers in interview are organized according to the following
themes and topics:
a. Factors Contributing to Students’ Speaking Anxiety and Fear of Negative
Evaluation in Speaking Performance
The factors affect students’ speaking anxiety and fear of negative
evaluation arising from in-depth interview:
1) Lack of confidence
2) Fear of making mistakes
3) Lack of preparation
4) Personal factors
5) Lack of vocabulary
6) Fear of being laughed
b. Students’ Suggested Strategies to Overcome Speaking Anxiety and Fear of
Negative Evaluation in Speaking Performance
43
The last question in both the interview and the questionnaire dealt with
the students’ coping strategies they may adopt to reduce their speaking anxiety
and fear of negative evaluation.
The strategies used by the students were outlined in ten different
categories:
1) Preparation
2) Self-confidence
3) Lot of practice
4) Remembering the material
5) Mastering vocabularies
6) Relaxation
7) Focusing on material
8) Explain the material using gesture
9) Asking peers for correction
10) Positive thinking
CHAPTER V
DISCUSSION
The result of the study are discussed according to the finding related to each of the three
research questions.
A. Speaking Anxiety and Fear of Negative Evaluation among EFL learners
1. The FLCAS
Chart 5.1 Item 1
Chart 5.1 represented the findings of the students speaking anxiety level. It showed
that students have endorsed the scale items that suggest oral expression anxiety. Since
students’ lack of self-confidence when speaking the foreign language has been revealed by
the fact that 50% of the students have felt “sometimes” with (item 1), it means that the
students do not feel sure of themselves when they speak in English.
45
Chart 5.2 Item 9
Chart 5.2 showed that 21.4% of the students answered “always” and 39.3% of the
students claimed that they” usually” start to panic if they are called upon to speak without
having prepared in advance.
Chart 5.3 Item 13
On chart 5.3, indicated that the students feel embarrassed in answering voluntarily in
their language class. The students lack of confidence when expressing their opinions. This
condition made the students chose to keep quiet and just to be a listener.
46
Chart 5.4 Item 20
Chart 5.4 showed that highest percentage (46.4%) of the students answered
“sometimes”, 21.4 % of students answered “usually”, and 32.1% of the students “always”
felt their heart pounding when they going to be called on in English class. No students
stated that they disagreed with this item.
Chart 5.5 Item 23
Chart 5.5 displays students answered concerning their comparison with peers
language proficiency. Another prevalent issue among third year TBI students is negative
social comparisons: 28.6% answered “always”, 39.3% answered “usually”, 28.6%
answered “sometimes” felt with item 13. That is the students believed that they could not
speak English as well as other students. On the other hand, only 3.6% participants who
47
answered “always never” felt with this item. Based on the data, it can be seen that the
surveyed students have the tendency to compare themselves with other students and from a
negative self-concept.
Chart 5.6 Item 24
Chart 5.6 represents the findings of the students personal factors contributing to
students’ speaking anxiety and fear of negative evaluation. The highest percentage (60.7%)
of the students stated that “sometimes” they felt self-conscious when speak English in front
of the class.
Chart 5.7 Item 27
48
Chart 5.7 showed that the highest percentage (46.4%) of the students answered
“sometimes” felt self conscious when speaking in front of their classmates. The students
got nervous and confused when speaking in English class.
Chart 5.8 Item 31
On chart 5.8, the researcher have reported students’ answers regarding their fear of
others’ laughter while speaking the target language. For the case of this item, the number
of learners who answered “always” + “usually” with “almost never + never” is almost the
same, 35.8, 32.3 respectively. But a higher percentage (32.1%) of the students answered
“sometimes” felt with this item. This revealed that many students were afraid of being
laughed at by others (peers and teacher) when speaking the target language.
49
Chart 5.9 Item 33
Most of students stated that got nervous when the English teacher asks questions
which they have not prepared in advanced. Only 3.6% of the students that stated “almost
never” felt with this item. And none stated that they never felt this item.
2. FNE Scale
Chart 5.10 Item 1
Chart 5.10 showed that a higher percentage 46.4% of the students “sometimes” felt
this item. It was mean that many students felt anxious with their peer’s perception. They
worried about what other people will think of them. This condition can make the students
50
more difficult to explore their speaking skill, in other words they lack to improve their
speaking competence.
Chart 5.11 Item 3
On chart 5.11, the highest percentage is 60.7% of the students answered “sometimes”
felt this item. Many students focused on their mistakes. The students afraid that the others
will noticing their shortcomings.
Chart 5.12 Item 5
Chart 5.12 showed that the students were afraid of making mistakes while expressing
their opinions. They think that when they start speaking, their teacher and peers corrects
every slip they make.
51
Chart 5.13 Item 6
On chart 5.13, 53.6% of the students answered “sometimes” felt this item. It means
most of the students focusing on their accuracy. They are afraid that people will find fault
when speaking a foreign language.
Chart 5.14 Item 8
Item 8 of FNE scale mostly same with item 1, the students were worried about what
their peers may be thinking about them. The highest percentage (39.3%) of the students
answered “sometimes” and 21.4% of the students answered “usually” felt this item.
52
Chart 5.15 Item 9
A half of the students answered “sometimes” felt with this item (item 9). It’s mean
many students worried about what kind of impression they make when speaking in front of
their peers.
Chart 5.16 Item 11
On chart 4.18, the higher percentage 39.3% of the students answered “sometimes”
and only 10.7% of the students answered “almost never” to this item (item 11). It means
most of students more concerned about what other people think (evaluate) of their
speaking performance.
53
Chart 5.17 Item 12
Chart 4.19 indicated that most of the students afraid to make a mistakes. The highest
percentage 46.4% of the students answered “sometimes”, 21.4% of the students answered
“usually”, 21.4% of the students answered “always”, and only 10.7% of the students
answered “almost never” on this item (item 12).
B. English Foreign Language Students’ Speaking Anxiety and Fear of Negative
Evaluation Factors
From the result of open-ended questionnaire and interview techniques, the researcher
found some speaking anxiety and fear of negative evaluation factors that experienced by
the students. The factors are included as follows:
a) Classroom procedure
Performed in the item 1 of FLCAS (chart 5.1) and the factors affect students
speaking anxiety and fear of negative evaluation arising from open-ended
questionnaire (table 4.5), the data showed that some interviewees explained the
reason why academic speaking class is the most anxious speaking class in English
department IAIN Ponorogo. According to the interviewees, academic speaking class
formally is one of the students’ speaking anxiety factors. The interviewees also stated
54
that the time allowed to perform a speaking test and time for preparation are one of
the factors for the students’ speaking anxiety and fear of negative evaluation.
b) Student’s beliefs
In the item 12 of FNE Scale (chart 5.17) and the factors affect students
speaking anxiety and fear of negative evaluation arising from open-ended
questionnaire (table 4.5), the data showed that thinking about accuracy, fluency, and
pronunciation make the students more anxious. Twelve from twenty eight students
stated that whenever they think of having perfect accuracy, fluency, and
pronunciation, it made them more anxious and fear of being judged by others (peers).
c) Teacher’s beliefs
When the teacher creates uncomfortable atmosphere in the classroom and
intimidates the students are reported by English foreign language students as the
other speaking anxiety factors. They stated that when their lecturer straightly focuses
on them, it makes them more anxious.
d) Self-perceptions
In the item 33 of FLCAS (chart 5.9), most of the English foreign students
stated that their perception such as afraid of answer the teacher question which they
have not prepared in advanced, provoked them to speaking anxiety and afraid that
the others students laugh at them when they try to answer.
e) Social environment
The result from interviews showed that environment which provides less
exposure and limited opportunities to practice lead the students to speaking anxiety
factors. The students stated that time to prepare their task was too short. Since the
topic of their speech task given on Monday and must be performed on Thursday at
the same week.
f) Errors in society
55
Afraid of getting negative responses from teacher and peers are reported to be
another students’ speaking anxiety and fear of negative evaluation factors. In the
item 1 of FNE Scale (chart 5.10), many students answered that they felt anxious with
their peer’s perception.
g) Topic understanding
Another anxiety factors that mostly happened to the students was if they cannot
understand the topic. The interviewees explain that having a journal to be the source
of their presentation is hard because they barely understand it. In the factors affect
students speaking anxiety and fear of negative evaluation arising from open-ended
questionnaire (table 4.5), many students stated that the language competence made
them more anxious and fear if they look like not mastering the material when
performed in front of the class.
C. EFL Students’ Strategies to Overcome Speaking Anxiety and Fear of Negative
Evaluation
Based on theory from Oxford (1990), there are six strategies58 that can be used by
students to reduce the anxiety and fear of negative evaluation in speaking performance,
there are:
1) Memory strategies
The first solution is memory strategies. Based on the questionnaire, most of
students’ strategy used in reducing speaking anxiety and fear of negative evaluation
is increase their confidence by remembering the material and re-read the material
before be performed.
2) Cognitive strategies
58 Oxford, Language Learning Strategies: What Every Teacher Should Know?, (Boston: Heinle & Heinle
Publisher, 1990).
56
The second solution is cognitive strategies. Based on the interview, the
students said that by preparing the material and studying on it they can reduce their
anxious when perform, although via online. They were afraid if they did not prepare
the material, they could not speak well and lost their idea, because it will make other
bad situation for them.
3) Compensation strategies
The third solution is compensation strategies. The interviewees said that trying
to use a foreign language more in many situation can make them more confident to
speak English.
4) Metacognitive strategies
The fourth solution is metacognitive strategies. Most of interviewees said that
they always evaluate their performance. The students also tried to not focusing on
accuracy while speaking a foreign language.
5) Affective strategies
The fifth solution is affective strategies. The researcher found that students
used relaxation as an speaking anxiety and fear of negative evaluation coping
strategy. Taking a deep breath was strategy which used by mostly of participants to
make them relax in decreasing the feeling of speaking anxiety and fear of negative
evaluation.
The researcher also got information about positive thinking from interviewees.
Most of respondents were incorporate the positive thinking of anxiety and fear of
negative evaluation coping strategies with relaxation strategy, it means the more the
students felt relax, the better their thought.
The participants also stated that talking with other students about the fears of
speaking a foreign language can decrease their speaking anxiety and fear of negative
evaluation.
57
6) Social strategies
The last solution is social strategies. The students said that they always asked
peers for correct their performance. The students also more participate in a
supporting group to improve their speaking anxiety.
CHAPTER VI
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
A. CONCLUSION
Through this study, the researcher has tried to investigate the levels of speaking
anxiety and fear of negative evaluation, the factors affect student’s speaking anxiety and
fear of negative evaluation and the students’ strategies to overcome speaking anxiety and
fear of negative evaluation in speaking performance, taking the case of the third semester
TBI D students at the English Department, IAIN Ponorogo.
First, the statistic and descriptive analysis from both FLCA and FNE scales indicated
that participants suffer from language anxiety and fear of negative evaluation.
Second, the result of this research indicated that the students have some factors in
speaking anxiety and fear of negative evaluation, they are classroom procedure, student’s
beliefs, teacher’s beliefs, self-perceptions, social environment, errors in society, and topic
understanding.
Third, the result showed that students applied some strategies to overcome their
speaking anxiety and fear of negative evaluation covered memory strategies, cognitive
strategies, compensation strategies, metacognitive strategies, affective strategies, and social
strategies.
B. RECOMMENDATION
After conducting this research, researcher hopes that the findings of this research will
inform teachers and students that there are some situations that may lead to a speaking
anxiety and fear of negative evaluation.
58
59
The students should learn and use the strategy to reduce the speaking anxiety and
fear of negative evaluation when speaking English in order to speak English fluently
without anxious or afraid of making mistakes.
For the next researchers, the researcher suggested to analyze anxiety in different
subject, like listening, reading, or writing. Besides, she also suggested to analyze the
influence of anxiety and fear of negative evaluation for the students’ achievement.
BIBLIOGRAPGY
Al Nakhalah, A. M. M. Problems and Difficulties of Speaking That Encounter English Language
Students at Al Quds Open University, ISSN Vol 5(12) (December 2016), 96.
Aydin, S. An Investigation on Language Anxiety and Fear of Negative Evaluation among
Turkish EFL Learners. Asian EFL Journal, Vol 30 (January 2008), 421.
Brown, H. D. Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy.
Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1994.
Chamot, A. U. The Learning Strategies of ESL Students, In A. Wenden & J. Rubin (Eds.), C. D.
Spielberger, W. D. Anton, & J. Bedell, The Nature and Treatment of Test Anxiety, In M.
Zuckermann & C. Spielberger (eds). Emmotions and Anxiety: New Concepts, Methods and
Applications. Hillside, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Cresswell, J. W. Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Approaches (2nd
editions). Thousand Oaks, California: Sage, 1998.
---------. Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Traditions. Thousand
Oaks, California: SAGE Publications, 2007.
Fernandez, Eva M and Helen Smith Cairns. Fundamentals of Psycholinguistics. United
Kingdom: Willey-Blackwell, 2011.
Gardner, R. C & P. D, MacIntyre. On The Measurement of Affective Variables in Second
Language Learning. Language Learning (43), 157-194.
Horwitz, E. K & D. Young. Language Anxiety: From Theory and Research to Classroom
Implications. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1991.
Horwitz, E. K, M. B. Horwitz, & J. Cope. Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety. The Modern
Language Journal, 70(2), 559.
---------. Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety. The Modern Language Journal, 70(2), 125-132.
Kothari, C. R. Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques, Second Revised Edition.
University of Rajasthan, India: New Age International Publishers, 2004.
Lai-Mei, L. An Analysis of Factors Influencing Learners’ English Speaking Skill. Iran:
International Journal of Research in English Education, 2016.
Leary, M. R. A Brief Version of The Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale. Personality and Social
Psychology Bulletin (9), 371-375).
Lincoln, Y. S & E. G, Guba. Naturalistic Inquiry. Beverly Hills: Sage Publication, 1985.
Luoma, S. Assessing Speaking. UK: Cambridge University Express, 2004.
MacIntyre, P. D & R. C. Gardner. Method and Result in The Study of Anxiety and Language
Learning: A Review of The Literature, Language Learning, 41(1), 85-117.
---------. Investigating Language Class Anxiety Using the Focused Essay Technique. The
Modern Language Journal, 75(3), 296-304.
Mahmoodzadeh, M. Investigating Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety Within the EFL
Learners’ Interlanguage System: The Case of Iranian Learners. Journal of Language
Teaching and Research, 3(5), 466-476.
Maxwell, J. A. Qualitative Research Design: An Interactive Approach. Thousand Oaks, CA:
Sage, 1996.
Nunan, D. Language Teaching Methodology: A Textbook for Teachers. New York: Prentice
Hall, 1991.
---------. Practical English Language Teaching. NY: McGraw-Hill, 2003.\
O’Malley, J. M, Anna Uhl Chamot. Learning Strategies in Second Language Acquisition. US:
Cambridge University Express, 1990.
Oxford, R. L. Language Learning Strategies: What Every Teacher Should Know. Boston: Heinle
& Heinle Publisher, 1990.
P, Katalin. Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety: A Classroom Perspective. Research Gate,
2006: 39.
Rivers, W. M. Teaching Foreign Language Skills. Chicago: The University of Chicago, 1968.
Rubin, J. Learning Strategies: Theoretical Assumptions, Research History and Typology, In A.
L. Wenden & J. Rubin (Eds). Learner Strategies in Language Learning. Englewood Cliffs,
NJ: Prentice Hall, 1987.
Samiha, The Effect of Fear of Negative Evaluation on EFL Learners Oral Performance, People
Democratic Republic of Algeria: Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.
(2015), iii.
Santosa, R. Metode Penelitian Kualitatif Kebahasaan. Surakarta: UNS Press, 2017.
Scovel, T. The Effect on Foreign Language Learning: A Review Literature. The Modern
Language Journal, 76(1), 14-26.
Shabani, M. B. Levels and Sources of Language Anxiety and Fear of Negative Evaluation
among Iranian EFL Learners. ISSN Vol 2 (November 2012), 2381-2382.
Spielberger, C. D. Theory and Research on Anxiety. Anxiety Behavior. New York: Academic
Press, 1966.
Tzoannopoulou, M. Foreign Language Anxiety and Fear of Negative Evaluation in the Greek
University Classroom. https://ejournals.lib.auth.gr/thal/article/download/5272/5160,
accessed 27 January 2020).
Ur, P. A Course in Language Teaching. Cambridge University Express, 2000.
Wenden, A. L. Conceptual Background and Utility, In A. L. Wenden & J. Rubin (Eds). Learner
Strategies in Language Learning. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1987a.
Watson. D & R. Friend. Measurement of Social-Evaluate Anxiety. Journal of Consulting and
Clinical Psychology, 33(4), 448-457.
Young, D. J. Creating A Low-Anxiety classroom environment: What Does Language Anxiety
Research Suggest?. Modern Language Journal (75), 426-437.
