Speaking Anxiety Among English Major Students at UMNU kebumen: Causes and Impacts in University Setting

Abstract

This study examines the issue of English speaking anxiety among students in UMNU Kebumen's English Education Program. Although speaking is considered an essential skill for future educators, many students still experience fear, anxiety, and lack of confidence when using English in public situations such as classroom presentations and spontaneous interactions. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, this study collected data through semi-structured interviews with selected students who reported experiencing speaking-related anxiety. The findings showed that the main sources of anxiety included vocabulary deficiency, fear of grammatical errors or incorrect pronunciation, low self-confidence, and fear of others' judgment. Spontaneous speaking triggered more anxiety compared to prepared presentations. In addition, the classroom atmosphere and the way the lecturer interacted with the students had a big influence on their comfort level. Despite these challenges, the participants used various strategies to cope with anxiety, such as relaxation techniques, self-affirmation, support from peers, and repeated practice. This study suggests that creating a more supportive and less pressurized learning environment can help reduce speaking anxiety as well as increase students' desire to communicate in English.