An Analysis of Students’ Speaking Anxiety in English Language Learning of the Eleventh Grades of SMA Wahidiyah Kediri in Academic Year 2023/2024

Abstrak

The research used a qualitative descriptive method to understand students’ anxiety. The research aimed to investigate the levels of anxiety experienced by students of the XI-2 class in speaking English at SMA Wahidiyah Kediri and identify how this anxiety affected their speaking performance. Speaking anxiety was a common issue among students learning English as a second language and significantly affected their confidence, participation, and overall performance in language learning. The study identified various symptoms of anxiety, including nervousness, fear of criticism, fear of making mistakes, and physical manifestations such as fatigue and heart palpitations. Behavioral symptoms, such as avoidance of eye contact and limited hand movements, were also observed among anxious students. To conduct this research, the researcher used questionnaires and interviews with a sample of 45 students of the XI-2 class. Questionnaires were utilized to measure anxiety levels. Data collected through these instruments were analyzed to gain insights into the students' speaking problems, focusing on aspects such as self-confidence, body language, fluency in speaking class, and students’ anxiety in the English language classroom.

The questionnaire distributions were conducted eight times and got the highest response percentage as these: 19.3% of SA (Strongly Agree) in the eighth distribution, 39.1% of A (Agree) in the sixth distribution, and 40.3% of N (Neutral) in the seventh distribution While 24.2% (Disagree) and 10.7% (Strongly Disagree) in the fourth distribution.

The results revealed that nearly half of the students experienced moderate to severe anxiety, which adversely impacted their speaking performance. This anxiety not only hindered their ability to perform well in speaking tasks but also affected their performance in exams and presentations. High levels of anxiety led to a decrease in confidence, making it challenging for students to express themselves effectively in English. The researcher concluded that addressing speaking anxiety through targeted interventions was essential to enhancing students' confidence and speaking abilities. Strategies such as relaxation techniques, positive reinforcement, and a supportive classroom environment were found to significantly reduce anxiety levels and improve students' proficiency in speaking English. This research underscored the importance of understanding and mitigating speaking anxiety to foster better language learning outcomes.