Abstract
Through the exploration of related empirical studies in the field, this essay aims to scrutinize the possible causes of speaking anxiety issue among EFL learners and the critical implications to alleviate the issue. Although several studies have discussed the causes of speaking anxiety, those studies do not emphasize the interrelationship between each cause. Hence, this paper attempts to enrich the related field by tracing back the interconnected relationship between the causes of speaking anxiety, including the new ways to address this adverse issue. The possible causes of speaking anxiety in the EFL classrooms are further classified into two primary causes, including the affective-related and linguistic-related causes. The promotion of cooperative learning atmosphere and the needs to rebalance the focus of achieving linguistic accuracy and providing broad speaking opportunities are the critical solutions to cope with the issue. The implications can be essential references for both the EFL teachers and learners in the classroom.
Highlights
Mastering English language skills can be very challenging for Indonesian EFL learners since several problems can be faced during the process of mastering the language
Anxiety can impact negatively toward the context of foreign language learning in Indonesia, such as English language learning for the Indonesian EFL secondary students
This paper aims to answer these research questions namely (1) what are the possible causes of EFL learners speaking anxiety? and (2) what are the practical implications that both teachers and students can do in order to alleviate this adverse issue? While the discussion in this paper can be a reference to enrich the knowledge in the related area, it can be a reference for the teachers to determine the possible challenges that may appear in the speaking classrooms in the EFL contexts
Summary
Mastering English language skills can be very challenging for Indonesian EFL learners since several problems can be faced during the process of mastering the language. Yogi Saputra Mahmud/ JELS 3 (2) (2018) 125-138 context, the term „anxiety‟ is considered as specific and unique since this issue is regarded as one of the affective variables that can give an adverse impact on foreign language learning (Bhatti & Memon, 2016). Anxiety can impact negatively toward the context of foreign language learning in Indonesia, such as English language learning for the Indonesian EFL secondary students. In relation to the speaking skill, students should receive the language competence through source of inputs (e.g. teachers, teaching media) and practice their capacity to produce the language with their interlocutors during the classroom activities. Studies have revealed that the issue of anxiety occurs mostly in the speaking skill as learners are expected to interact with other individuals while exercising the language skill (see Çağatay, 2015; Juhana, 2012; Mak, 2011; Noprival, 2016; Yalçın & İnceçay, 2014)
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