Investigating the key factors behind English - speaking anxiety among Iraqi and Yemeni college students and the role of AI in mitigation

Background/purpose: English language plays an important role in Afghanistan higher education. Proficiency in English as the language of communication is becoming progressively important for the development of higher education. However, speaking in English is one of the anxiety provoking skills for most of Afghan learners. This study therefore aims to investigate Afghanistan undergraduate English and literature students’ perceptions on foreign language speaking anxiety, and its components of communication apprehension (CA), fear of negative evaluation (FNE) and test anxiety (TA). Method: An adapted version of Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) and an interview protocol were used to investigate 302 Afghan students’ foreign language anxiety. Results/conclusion: The findings suggested that the students experienced a moderate level of anxiety. The female students had higher level of foreign language anxiety (FLA) than male students. The study further revealed that CA was the highest factor which contribute to students’ FLCAS. The study found no statistically significant differences between the university location and components of FLA. This means that the students either from Kabul as the capital or from Bamyan as a central province experienced FLA. Furthermore, the components of FLA significantly correlated to each other. The findings suggest facilitating short and long-term training for both teachers and students to employ effective strategies on reducing the level of anxiety in English language classes.

This paper aims to explore the status quo of English learning anxiety of Chinese EFL high school students to provide suggestions to deduce it. Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) is used to make an investigation into 293 high school students of different grades in Yuemiao High School in China. By both qualitative and quantitative analyses of data collected from the questionnaires, it finds out that ①a medium level of English learning anxiety existed widely in the students of Yuemiao High School (M=3.115, SD=0.58). Test Anxiety is the highest (Mean=3.244). Fear of Negative Evaluation is the lowest (Mean=2.981). ② In terms of grade, three grades have statistically significant differences in anxiety (p=0.005 Mean (Female) = 3.052), especially in Communication Anxiety (p=0.013 Mean (Female) =3.058). ④ In terms of different majors, there is no statistical significance in English learning anxiety (p>0.05). Therefore, to minimize students’ English learning anxiety, English teachers should improve their teaching skills, build a better and more harmonious relationship with students to attract students’ interest and explore a cooperative learning mode between male and female students.

This study outlines the planning and implementation of an intensive English program aimed at improving university students’ speaking skills and examines the impact of cooperative learning on foreign language anxiety. Conducted at K University in 2019, the four-week program consisted of ESL grammar and speaking lessons, TOEIC preparation, small-group speaking activities, and self-directed learning, with a total of 40 participants. The results indicate that the cooperative learning approach positively influenced students’ English-speaking proficiency. Pre- and post-program assessments using the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) revealed reductions in four key areas of language anxiety: communication anxiety, test anxiety, fear of negative evaluation, and classroom anxiety. Notably, small-group activities fostering active participation and collaborative learning were particularly effective in reducing fear of negative evaluation and communication anxiety. The findings suggest that domestic intensive English programs can achieve outcomes comparable to overseas language immersion programs and highlight the need for further research on structured cooperative learning methods.

Anxiety in foreign language study is a kind of situational anxiety, which is called foreign language classroom anxiety(FLCA).It can be classified into three dimensions: communication anxiety, negative evaluation anxiety and test anxiety. In this paper, the Horwitz Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) was conducted on 273 freshmen majoring in medicine in medical colleges by random sampling. The results indicated that there is a significant positive correlation between students' communication anxiety, negative evaluation anxiety and English achievement. When students' communicative and negative evaluation anxiety level is increasing, their English learning achievement will also show an upward trend. On the contrary, students' test anxiety and English learning achievement has significant negative correlation. When students' test anxiety level continues to increase, their corresponding English achievement will show a downward trend. And it was found that communication anxiety accounted for the highest proportion among the three dimensions. Accordingly, this paper proposes some teaching Enlightenments aimed at relieving medical students' anxiety in college English class. This study conducted a preliminary study of specific anxieties present in a foreign language learning classroom. The findings provide evidence to elucidate the characterization of anxiety and its effects.

This study tries to investigate the relationship between the male and female language performance and the level of anxiety among Iranian EFL students. The participants of the current study were 26 Iranian EFL students studying English in Islamic Azad University, Larestan, Iran who were selected in terms of the administering of an Oxford Placement Test. Then, the students were given The Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale. Finally, they were given an English class test which consisted of 40 multiple-choice items. The researcher calculated the correlation between the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale and the performance of both Iranian male and female students on English Class test. The findings indicated that there was a negative correlation between the level of anxiety and the students' performance on English Class Test scores. Moreover, Iranian male students were more anxious in learning English than female students.

This study aims to identify the level of students' anxiety in communicating in Arabic, the level of students' anxiety about negative evaluation, and the level of students' general anxiety in learning Arabic. This study took the form of a survey study with a total of 181 students who took the Foundation Arabic II subject (Tac 151) at UiTM Johor Branch Segamat Campus randomly selected using the Krejcie & Morgan sample selection technique. The instrument used is a Likert Scale questionnaire adapted from the measurement scale presented by Horwitz (1983), FLCAS (Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale). The data were analyzed descriptively using the Statistical Package of Social Science (SPSS) version 26. The study results showed the level of students' anxiety in communicating in Arabic, the level of students' anxiety about negative evaluations, and the level of students' general anxiety in learning Arabic, respectively, at a medium level. The study also found that students feel very worried when they do not understand what the lecturer is saying and feel very panicky if they must speak in Arabic without any preparation. The study also found that students are apprehensive when other students have a better command of Arabic and are more fluent in Arabic than themselves. The study's findings also show that students are apprehensive about the effects of failure in Arabic class. Although students' overall concerns do not show a high level, the teaching approach still needs to be improved so that students no longer have concerns about learning Arabic.

This study was carried out to investigate English language speaking anxiety among the students of The University of Haripur at BS level. Specifically, the objectives of the study are, to investigate students’ anxiety level towards speaking English as a foreign language to measure the different level of speaking anxiety between male and female students and to identify the factors that cause high level of speaking anxiety among the students. Foreign Language Class Room Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) introduced by (Horwitz, Horwitz& Cope, 1986) was applied as an instrument to measuring the English language speaking anxiety level of the students.The questionnaire consists of 33 items, each one on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from “strongly agree” to “strongly disagree”. In this research, Strongly Agree (scale point 5), Agree (scale point 4), Neither Agree nor Disagree (scale point 3), Disagree (scale point 2) and lastly Strongly Disagree (scale point 1) The data obtained was analyzed by using SPSS version-23 Windows and was presented in the form of descriptive statistics which include percentages, standard deviation and mean value. High the mean value more the level of anxiety. Results from the study show that, overall English language speaking anxiety of the participants is at medium level (M=3.0, SD=0.48). Level of speaking anxiety in FLCAS three factors CA ,TA and FNE is at medium level with mean values (M=3.07), (M=2.85) and (M=3.07) respectively. Female students are slightly more anxious with (M=3.10, SD=0.41) as compared to male students with (M=2.94, SD=0.51). The research concludes by bringing together the key findings, recommendations and suggestive areas for further research. Keywords: Speaking Anxiety, factors, communication apprehension, test anxiety and fear of negative evaluation.

This study investigated preparatory year students from a Saudi University to identify anxiety they experience during their English language classes. The participants were 76 preparatory year students with high English language proficiency and 64 with low English language proficiency. A translated version of Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) developed by Horwitz, Horwitz, and Cope (1986) was administered to generate data for this survey. Descriptive analyses and Independent-samples t-test were run to identify the participants’ perceptions related to four categories of Foreign Language (FL) anxiety as well as to see whether any significant differences exist due to their English language proficiency. The results of this study have revealed that Saudi EFL preparatory year students suffer from medium level of FL anxiety. Among four types of FL anxiety, the participants have reported that they suffer the most from communication anxiety followed by negative evaluation anxiety, anxiety of English classroom and test anxiety respectively. The present findings haven not exhibited any significant differences in the perceptions of Saudi preparatory year students regarding FL anxiety in relation to their English language proficiency. It is recommended that EFL teachers try their level best to decrease anxiety level by making their classroom proceedings interesting and stress free. This seems advisable for EFL teachers to enhance the possibilities of their students’ participation in class activities by letting them know in advanced so that they are able to prepare those topics well. Generally speaking, it transpires that though Saudi preparatory year students bear moderate level of FL anxiety that can easily be addressed by exploiting appropriate teaching techniques to help them overcome their anxiety and perform better in their language classes.

Students’ anxiety, speaking performance and their relation to genders have been investigated extensively in the EFL context and most participants are English students, but most of the studies with the same variables were conducted in an offline setting. Thus, the purpose of this research is to describe the anxiety levels of students who studied another language than English in learning English and to investigate the relationship between their anxiety and performance in English-speaking classes. By employing a quantitative approach, 32 male and 66 female Sundanese Language and Culture Study Program students whose anxiety levels were assessed using Horwitz et al.’s (1986) Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) participated voluntarily in the research. Because the data were normally distributed and homogenous, the obtained data were analyzed using parametric statistical tools; independent t-test and Pearson Product Moment Correlation. The results imply that the majority of the participants’ anxiety levels were moderate, and there was no statistical difference in students’ anxiety levels between male and female students. Further exploration of the relationship between the anxiety levels of the students and their speaking performance was weak and negative (r = -0.12, p .68). Thus, the online and offline foreign language classroom settings do not seem to differentiate students’ anxiety levels for both male and female students.

This study analyzes the differing gender-based levels of anxiety that male and female students at Jadara University, Jordan, experience, utilizing the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) to highlight gender disparities in the impact of anxiety on learning. The FLCAS classifies the levels of students at Jadara University and decides whether or not there are statistically significant variations at the level of probability (0.05) in the levels of FLCA among undergraduate students due to gender and the academic level of the students. For the purpose of investigating this topic in Jordan, and more specifically at Jadara University, a descriptive analysis methodology was applied to conduct an empirical investigation into the various types and levels of FLCA on a sample of two hundred undergraduate students. When compared to their male counterparts, the female students, as suggested by the research results, exhibited much higher levels of anxiety when it came to learning a foreign language. Eventually and after conducting an analysis of the findings of the research, the searchers propose that a method of eliminating or controlling anxiety in the classroom should be implemented in order to boost the academic level of the students, as anxiety hinders learning a foreign language and affects students’ overall performance. Further, the limitations of the study as well as its relevance to English literature courses in particular and to the EFL classroom in general are evaluated and addressed. Thus, establishing a secure environment for students to engage in foreign language practice is essential for the process of language acquisition or learning. Disclosure Statement The authors reported no potential conflicts of interest.

Learning a new language always comes with a certain level of anxiety. Students reported experiencing anxiety during the learning process. This research looks at students'students' anxiety towards learning English, specifically at SMA Negeri 9 Weet Maluku Barat Daya. This place was chosen because it was far from the province's capital. It will be interesting to see the level of anxiety that these students experience. This qualitative research uses the survey method. The study participants were twenty-two (22) students of Class X of SMA Negeri 9 Weet, MBD. The research aimed to answer two research questions: 1) What level of anxiety do students experience in learning English, and 2) What types of anxiety do students often feel during the process of learning English? The instrument used to collect the data was a questionnaire. The 30-item questionnaire was adopted from Horwits' FLCAS (Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale). Data shows that: 1) The level of student's anxiety towards learning English in first grade (Class X) of SMA Negeri 9 Weet, MBD was indicated as Mildly Anxious. 2) The research's findings indicate that the most dominant student' type of anxiety was communicative apprehension

The aim of this study was to explore the connection between students’ anxiety levels during language classes and their performance on English achievement exams. A random sampling method was employed to select participants. Students’ levels of foreign language classroom anxiety were measured using the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale, a self-report questionnaire. The relationship between anxiety in English classes and performance on English final exams from the first semester was analyzed. Descriptive statistics were used to assess anxiety levels, a t-test evaluated differences in anxiety and achievement between male and female students, and Pearson’s Moment Correlation Coefficient was utilized to examine the relationship between anxiety and test scores. Data analysis indicated that most students experienced anxiety. No significant differences in anxiety levels were found between male and female students in foreign language classes. The study also investigated whether anxiety levels influenced performance on achievement tests. Ultimately, it was found that while male students scored slightly higher than female students on the tests, there was no significant difference in overall achievement between the genders. The findings indicated that anxiety was prevalent among participants and had a negative correlation with their performance on the English language achievement test.

Majority of foreign language learners experience an average level of language learning anxiety. Learning Mandarin as a foreign language is relatively difficult for non-native Chinese learners, it is believed that anxiety is an important issue among non-native Chinese learners. Thus, this quantitative study aimed to identify language learning anxiety level in Mandarin as Foreign language (MFL) classrooms. This study also explores the impact of gender differences among learners in MFL classrooms. 221 MFL learners from Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sarawak branch were selected as respondent in this study. Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) designed by Horwitz, Horwitz, & Cope (1986) was adopted to measure learners’ level of language learning anxiety in MFL classrooms. The data were analyzed using SPSS 22. The findings revealed that learners are on a moderate level of anxiety. Independent sample t-test analysis of the findings in this study manifested that there were no significant differences in learners’ level of anxiety in terms of gender. Nevertheless, it was found that female learners experienced higher level of anxiety as compared to male in the three major components. The findings from this study would be significant to both MFL educators and learners as it might help educators to have a better understanding of learners’ level of anxiety and plan more effective teaching methods which could help learners to lessen their level of anxiety in MFL classroom.

Mastering speaking skills is crucial for students learning a foreign language. However, many students still struggle with and feel anxious about speaking Arabic, even after years of exposure during school. This study aims to determine the levels of anxiety in learning Arabic, the levels of anxiety of speaking Arabic, and the fear of negative evaluation when speaking Arabic among professional communication Arabic language students at MARA University of Technology (UiTM), Shah Alam. This quantitative research uses a questionnaire as its instrument. The survey was adapted using the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) developed by Horwitz et al. (1986). The questionnaires were distributed to 58 students from the professional communication Arabic language course at UiTM, Shah Alam. The findings showed that the anxiety level in learning Arabic is moderate. The anxiety level in Arabic speaking skills is high, and the fear of negative evaluation when speaking Arabic also has a high mean. Therefore, students need to overcome their speaking anxiety through guidance and motivation from lecturers and their environment.

The prime objectives of this study were to unveil the level of anxiety and the sources of English language anxiety of the tertiary level students of Bangladesh. Through a questionnaire survey using Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale developed by Horwitz et al. (1986), the study found that most of the tertiary level learners have high anxiety of English as a foreign language. Based on an exploratory factor analysis with principal component analysis and varimax rotation (Kaiser Normalization), a four-factor (communication anxiety, comprehension and test anxiety, fear of negative evaluation, and lack of anxiety) solution emerged. Following a close analysis of the EFA and other established valid models, the study found that six components, namely, speaking anxiety, fear of negative evaluation, peer pressure/social-image anxiety, comprehension-related anxiety, negative attitude towards class, and test anxiety were the main sources of anxiety, which need to be addressed for alleviating the anxiety of the students.