AN ANALYSIS OF STUDENTS’ ANXIETY IN SPEAKING ENGLISH

(Study At Sixth Semester Students of English Education Department, State Islamic

University of Sultan Maulana Hasanuddin Banten)

Submitted as an individual assignment in Writing Clinic

Lecturer: Kheryadi, M.Pd.

Completed By:
Kholifatut Ta’ziah (211230119)

FACULTY OF EDUCATION AND TEACHER TRAINING

UNIVERSITY ISLAMIC STATE
SULTAN MAULANA HASANUDDIN BANTEN
2023 M/1444 H
 A. Title of Thesis

AN ANALYSIS OF STUDENTS’ ANXIETY IN SPEAKING ENGLISH

(Study At Sixth Semester Students of English Education Department, State Islamic
University of Sultan Maulana Hasanuddin Banten)

B. Background of the Study

In learning English, there are four basic skills that students should master; they are
listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Speaking is one of the most important skills to be
mastered by students of English as a foreign language (EFL). Speaking is the act of
communicating through spoken words. It is the process of conveying information, ideas,
or emotions by using the voice to produce sounds that are understood by others. Speaking
is a fundamental aspect of human communication and is essential for effective interaction
and understanding between individuals.1
In addition, English speaking ability is an important skill that must be possessed by
students majoring in English Education. At Sultan Maulana Hasanuddin State Islamic
University Banten, sixth semester students have gone through several stages of learning
English, but there are often problems in expressing themselves orally. Anxiety in speaking
English is the main obstacle faced by students.
In the context of globalization and increasingly fierce job competition, the ability
to communicate in English is an important key to career success. However, students often
experience anxiety when asked to speak in a foreign language. This anxiety can be caused
by various factors, ranging from lack of speaking practice, shyness, fear of making
mistakes, to social pressure from the surrounding environment.2
Anxiety about speaking English also often has an impact on students' low self-
confidence. They may feel afraid to speak in public, worry about being judged by others,

1
Taylor Willmott and Sharyn Rundle-Thiele, ‘Are We Speaking the Same Language? Call for Action to Improve
Theory Application and Reporting in Behaviour Change Research’, BMC Public Health, 21.1 (2021), 1–8
<https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-10541-1>.
2
Qin Li, ‘Measures to Reduce Foreign Language Beginners’ Communication Anxiety’, Frontiers in Humanities and
Social Sciences, 3.6 (2023), 69–72 <https://doi.org/10.54691/fhss.v3i6.5146>.
 or feel unsure of their English skills. This can hinder the teaching and learning process and
reduce the quality of interaction in learning.
According to previous research, students who experienced high levels of anxiety
scored poorly in their speaking performances, similar to the findings of Sutarsyah's
previous study, "An Analysis of Students' Speaking Anxiety and Its Effect on Speaking
Performance", which found that students' anxiety contributed negatively to students'
speaking performance.3 Students' nervousness will negatively affect how well they
communicate. In addition, high anxiety can sometimes cause students to feel hopeless and
favor failure. Students will hesitate to speak in English as a result of this fear. Students with
low self-confidence and limited willingness to learn will be hesitant to demonstrate their
speaking abilities in front of a large group. Furthermore, based on a suggestion given by
another researcher named Fitri (2019) who worked on a study entitle "The Correlation
Between Anxiety and Student's Speaking Performance In The EFL Classroom" mentioned
that students should discover the cause of their anxiety and suggest further researchers to
find out more about this, this may indicate that not many students are aware or know about
the causes of the anxiety they experience; this results in students being unable to find
solutions.4 Based on this data, the researcher makes the assumption that students may not
be aware of the exact causes of their anxiety, may not know how to manage it, and may
hence be unable to put an end to their fear.
Thus, the purpose of the study is to identify the factors cause of students’ anxiety
in speaking English among sixth semester students of English Education Department, State
Islamic University of Sultan Maulana Hasanuddin Banten. Through a better understanding
of this issue, it is hoped that it can make a positive contribution in improving the quality of
English learning and teaching within the university.

3
Cucu Sutarsyah, ‘An Analysis of Student’s Speaking Anxiety and Its Effect on Speaking Performance’, IJELTAL
(Indonesian Journal of English Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics), 1.2 (2017), 143
<https://doi.org/10.21093/ijeltal.v1i2.14>.
4
K. Fitri and others, ‘The Correlation between Anxiety and Students’ Speaking Performance in the EFL
Classroom’, Emerging Trends in Technology for Education in an Uncertain World, 2021, 184–89
<https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003219248-24>.
C. Purpose of the Study
The purpose of the study is to identify the factors cause of students’ anxiety in
speaking English among sixth semester students of English Education Department, State
Islamic University of Sultan Maulana Hasanuddin Banten.

D. Research Questions
Based on the background above, the researcher formulated a research question as
follow: “What the factors cause of the students’ anxiety in speaking English?”

E. Significance of the Study

The results of this study are expected to increase the understanding of the factors
that cause anxiety in speaking English among university students. By understanding the
root causes of this anxiety, it is hoped that more effective and supportive learning methods
can be found for students to overcome their fear of communicating in English.
In addition, this research is also expected to provide a broader view of the impact
of English speaking anxiety on students' learning ability. By knowing the extent to which
this anxiety affects students' academic performance, concrete efforts can be made to help
students manage their anxiety more effectively.
Furthermore, it is expected that this research can serve as a basis for the
development of support programs aimed at improving students' confidence and English
speaking ability. With these programs, it is hoped that students can feel more comfortable
and confident in using English both inside and outside the academic environment.
Thus, the results of this study are expected to make a significant contribution to
improving the quality of English education in higher education. With a deeper
understanding of students' anxiety in speaking English, it is hoped that a more inclusive,
supportive and motivating learning environment can be created for students to better
develop their English language skills.
In conclusion, it is expected that the results of this study will not only provide
academic information, but also make a real contribution to improving the quality of English
language learning in higher education. With a better understanding of students' anxiety in
speaking English, it is hoped that a more positive and effective learning environment can
be created for students in developing their English language skills.
 F. Theoretical Framework

Tis study will utilize Bandura's Self-Efficacy Theory to understand the factors
contributing to students' anxiety in speaking English. According to Bandura, self-efficacy
is the belief individuals have in their ability to perform specific tasks. In the context of this
study, self-efficacy refers to students' beliefs about their ability to speak English
effectively.5 The theory will help identify the factors that influence students' self-efficacy
in speaking English, such as their previous experiences, feedback from teachers, and the
social and cultural environment.
The study will also consider the concept of Communication Apprehension, which
is the fear or anxiety related to speaking in front of an audience. This concept will be used
to understand the specific aspects of speaking English that cause anxiety for the students.

5
Multi Yusan Dana and Dyah Aminatun, ‘Journal of English Language Teaching and Learning (JELTL)’, Journal
of English Language Teaching and Learning (JELTL), 3.2 (2022), 7–15
<https://jim.teknokrat.ac.id/index.php/english-language-teaching/index>.
 REFERENCE

Dana, Multi Yusan, and Dyah Aminatun, ‘Journal of English Language Teaching and Learning
(JELTL)’, Journal of English Language Teaching and Learning (JELTL), 3.2 (2022), 7–
15 <https://jim.teknokrat.ac.id/index.php/english-language-teaching/index>

Fitri, K., Z. Anasy, R.S. Dewi, F. Hamid, Fahriany, and Khalimi, ‘The Correlation between
Anxiety and Students’ Speaking Performance in the EFL Classroom’, Emerging Trends
in Technology for Education in an Uncertain World, 2021, 184–89
<https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003219248-24>

Li, Qin, ‘Measures to Reduce Foreign Language Beginners’ Communication Anxiety’, Frontiers
in Humanities and Social Sciences, 3.6 (2023), 69–72
<https://doi.org/10.54691/fhss.v3i6.5146>

Sutarsyah, Cucu, ‘An Analysis of Student’s Speaking Anxiety and Its Effect on Speaking
Performance’, IJELTAL (Indonesian Journal of English Language Teaching and Applied
Linguistics), 1.2 (2017), 143 <https://doi.org/10.21093/ijeltal.v1i2.14>

Willmott, Taylor, and Sharyn Rundle-Thiele, ‘Are We Speaking the Same Language? Call for
Action to Improve Theory Application and Reporting in Behaviour Change Research’,
BMC Public Health, 21.1 (2021), 1–8 <https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-10541-1>