TEACHER’S STRATEGIES TO REDUCE STUDENTS’ SPEAKING ANXIETY AT SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

RINI, HERAWATI (2026) TEACHER’S STRATEGIES TO REDUCE STUDENTS’ SPEAKING ANXIETY AT SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL. Diploma thesis, UIN RADEN INTAN LAMPUNG.

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Abstract

ABSTRACT Speaking anxiety is one of the most significant psychological barriers encountered by EFL learners, often preventing them from expressing ideas fluently and confidently in English. This study was conducted at SMAN 1 Sragi, South Lampung, where preliminary observations and interviews with students revealed that many learners experienced speaking anxiety linked to fear of negative evaluation and a lack of self confidence. This research aimed to: (1) to identify the factors that contribute to students' speaking anxiety during EFL speaking activities, and (2) to explore the strategies employed by teachers to reduce students' speaking anxiety at both the classroom and individual level. This study employed a qualitative case study design. The primary data were collected through classroom observations, a semistructured interview with one English teacher, and document analysis. Preliminary interviews with students were conducted only to identify the research problem and were not included in the main data analysis. The data were analyzed using the interactive model of Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña (2020), which consists of data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing and verification. To ensure the trustworthiness of the findings, method triangulation and time triangulation were applied. The findings revealed that students’ speaking anxiety was influenced by both cognitive and affective factors. Cognitive factors included limited vocabulary, hesitation, long pauses, incomplete utterances, and code-switching, while affective factors consisted of fear of making mistakes, fear of negative evaluation, nervousness, and low self-confidence. To reduce these problems, the teacher implemented several strategies, including providing preparation time, organizing pair and group work, giving positive and private corrective feedback, offering contextual support, and applying a personal approach to anxious students. Among these strategies, group work was found to be the most effective because it created a supportive classroom environment and encouraged students to participate more confidently in speaking activities. These findings suggest that appropriate instructional strategies can effectively reduce students’ speaking anxiety and promote active participation in EFL speaking classrooms.

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