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STUDENT FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANXIETY IN ENGLISH SPEAKING

ACTIVITIES: CAUSES, EFFECTS, AND COPING STRATEGIES

(A Case Study at SMP Negeri 1 Majenang)

A THESIS

By:

SEPTITA SERISTYANA

S891408040

Written as a Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for Graduate Education

Degree of English Language Teaching

GRADUATE PROGRAM OF ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION

SEBELAS MARET UNIVERSITY

SURAKARTA

2017

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ABSTRACT

Septita Seristyana. S891408040. 2017. Student Foreign Language Anxiety in

English Speaking Activities: Causes, Effects, and Coping Strategies (A Case Study

at SMP Negeri 1 Majenang). First Consultant: Dr. Abdul Asib, M.Pd.; Second

Consultant: Prof. Dr. Sri Samiati Tarjana. Thesis. English Education Department,

Graduate School of Teacher Training and Education Faculty, Sebelas Maret

University, Surakarta.

This study was conducted by proposing the following objectives: (1) to

find out the level and manifestations of student foreign language anxiety in

English speaking activities; (2) to investigate the causes of student foreign

language anxiety in English speaking activities; (3) to investigate the effects of

student foreign language anxiety in English speaking activities on students’

performance and speaking achievement; and (4) to find out the coping strategies

for reducing anxiety in English speaking activities based on teacher and student

perspective.

This study was carried out at SMP Negeri 1 Majenang from April to May

2017. It employed a case study as the research method. The seventh grade

students and an English teacher were involved as the participants. The data were

collected through questionnaire, interview, observation, and documentation. The

findings show that most of the students, i.e. 24 students (70.59%) experience

moderate anxiety. Meanwhile, 7 students are categorized as low anxious students

and 3 students are identified as highly anxious. The manifestations of their anxiety

are indicated by behavior, physiological and psychological signs, and poor

performance. There are several causes of student speaking anxiety which include

personal and interpersonal factors, learner beliefs about language learning,

instructor beliefs about language teaching, instructor-learner interaction,

classroom procedure, and language testing. It was also found that anxiety affects

students’ speaking performance, such as blank and messed-up mind, become

forgetful, produce speaking errors, speak only a few words, speak haltingly, hard

to speak, and speak chaotically. In addition, anxiety negatively influenced

students’ speaking achievement. Furthermore, this study revealed students’ and

teacher’s strategies for coping with speaking anxiety. The former include

preparation, relaxation, positive thinking, and peer seeking, while the latter relate

to teacher behavior or attitude and classroom procedure.

In conclusion, anxiety is manifested in different ways among students.

Every individual has reasons why they feel nervous, apprehensive, frustrated and

fearful in EFL speaking activities. These feelings can lead to negative effects.

Therefore, both teachers and students are required to strive for alleviating anxiety

for the significant development of student speaking skill in particular and the

success of language learning in general.

Keywords: foreign language anxiety, speaking, causes of student anxiety, effects

of student anxiety, coping strategies

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MOTTO

Allah knows what is the best for you and when it’s best for you to have it.

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DEDICATION

This thesis is proudly dedicated to:

All of my beloved family: parents, sisters and brother, husband and son

My good-hearted friends

My almamater, Sebelas Maret University

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ACKNOWLEDGMENT

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent and the Merciful.

I would like to acknowledge my countless gratitude to Allah for His great

blessing in writing this thesis, so it finally can be accomplished. I would also like

to express my sincere gratitude to the people who have contributed to the

completion of this thesis. They are:

1. The Dean of Teacher Training and Education Faculty of Sebelas Maret

University for the permission to write the thesis.

2. The Head of English Education Department of Graduate Program for his

approval and support for writing the thesis.

3. Dr. Abdul Asib, M. Pd., the first consultant, for his guidance, advice, and

patience during the writing process of this thesis.

4. Prof. Dr. Sri Samiati Tarjana, the second consultant, for her guidance,

advice, and patience during the writing process of this thesis.

5. The principal of SMP Negeri 1 Majenang for the permission to conduct

this research.

6. The English teacher of class VII G, Mrs. SR for her help and cooperation

during the research.

7. The students of class VII G of SMP Negeri 1 Majenang in the academic

year of 2015/2016.

8. My beloved family, friends, and all parties who have helped and supported

me in writing this thesis.

Finally, I realize that still there must be any shortcoming in this thesis.

Therefore, constructive suggestions are welcomed for the improvement of the

next research.

Surakarta, January 2017

Septita Seristyana

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TABLE OF CONTENT

COVER ........................................................................................................ i

APPROVAL ................................................................................................ ii

LEGITIMATION ........................................................................................ iii

PRONOUNCEMENT ................................................................................. iv

ABSTRACT ................................................................................................. v

MOTTO ....................................................................................................... vi

DEDICATION ............................................................................................. vii

ACKNOWLEDGMENT ............................................................................ viii

TABLE OF CONTENT .............................................................................. ix

LIST OF ABBREVIATION ....................................................................... xi

LIST OF TABLES ...................................................................................... xii

LIST OF APPENDICES ............................................................................ xiii

CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study ................................................................ 1

B. Problem Statement .......................................................................... 4

C. Objectives of the Study ................................................................... 4

D. Significance of the Study ................................................................ 5

CHAPTER II. LITERATURE REVIEW

A. Definition of Foreign Language Anxiety .......................................... 6

B. The Nature of Language Anxiety ...................................................... 7

C. Causes of Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety ............................. 11

D. Effects of Foreign Language Anxiety ............................................... 15

E. Manifestation of Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety .................. 18

F. Coping Strategies for Foreign Language Anxiety ............................ 21

G. Speaking ............................................................................................ 25

1. Definition of Speaking ............................................................... 25

2. Mental/Social Processing in Speaking ....................................... 26

3. Classroom Speaking Activities .................................................. 27

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H. Review of Relevant Research ........................................................... 28

CHAPTER III. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

A. Research Method ............................................................................... 35

B. Setting of the Study ........................................................................... 36

C. Data Source ....................................................................................... 36

D. Data Collection .................................................................................. 37

E. Trustworthiness ................................................................................. 40

F. Data Analysis .................................................................................... 41

CHAPTER IV. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

A. Research Findings ............................................................................. 46

1. Level and Manifestation of Student Speaking Anxiety .............. 46

2. Causes of Student anxiety in English Speaking Activities ......... 50

3. Effects of Student Anxiety in English Speaking Activities

on Students’ Performance and Speaking Achievement .............. 58

4. Coping Strategies for Student Anxiety in English Speaking

Activities ..................................................................................... 64

B. Discussion ......................................................................................... 68

1. Level and Manifestation of Student Speaking Anxiety .............. 68

2. Causes of Student Anxiety in English Speaking Activities ........ 71

3. Effects of Student Anxiety in English Speaking Activities

on Students’ Performance and Speaking Achievement .............. 76

4. Coping Strategies for Student Anxiety in English Speaking

Activities ..................................................................................... 78

CHAPTER V. CONCLUSION, IMPLICATIONS, AND SUGGESTIONS

A. Conclusion ........................................................................................ 83

B. Implications ....................................................................................... 85

C. Suggestions ....................................................................................... 86

REFERENCES ............................................................................................ 88

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LIST OF ABBREVIATION

FLA : Foreign Language Anxiety

FLCAS : Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale

PSCAS : Public Speaking Class Anxiety Scale

L2 : Second Language

EFL : English as a Foreign Language

S : Student

I : Interview

FN : Field Note

Teacher SR : English Teacher participated in the research

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LIST OF TABLES

Page

Table 3.1 Summary of Research Data Collection .......................................... 41

Table 4.1 Summary of Research Findings ..................................................... 44

Table 4.2 The Level of Student Speaking Anxiety ........................................ 47

Table 4.3 Percentages and Frequencies of Participants’ English Speaking

Anxiety .......................................................................................... 48

table 4.4 Students’ Anxiety Level and Students’ Speaking Score ................ 62

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LIST OF APPENDICES

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Appendix 1: PSCAS Questionnaire ............................................................... 94

Appendix 2: Semi-structured Interview Guide ............................................... 96

Appendix 3: Interview Script 1 ....................................................................... 101

Appendix 4: Interview Script 2 ....................................................................... 106

Appendix 5: Interview Script 3 ....................................................................... 110

Appendix 6: Interview Script 4 ....................................................................... 114

Appendix 7: Interview Script 5 ....................................................................... 118

Appendix 8: Interview Script 6 ....................................................................... 122

Appendix 9: Interview Script 7 ....................................................................... 126

Appendix 10: Field Note of Day 1 .................................................................. 133

Appendix 11: Field Note of Day 2 .................................................................. 136

Appendix 12: Field Note of Day 3 .................................................................. 139

Appendix 13: Research Pictures ..................................................................... 142