ANXIETY AMONG VIETNAMESE EFL STUDENTS IN ENGLISHSPEAKING CLASSROOMS

Abstract

This research explores the rate of speaking anxiety among Vietnamese EFL students and the factors that lead the students to experience such anxiety in an English-speaking classroom environment and how these learners deal with the anxiety. This study employs a mixed-method research design where it conduct face-to-face interviews with the participants and survey using structured questionnaires with the second-year non-English majors at a Vietnamese University. The studies show that the large number of students has moderate and high levels of anxiety due to confidence, fears for critical evaluation, and cultural imposition of restrain. A study of qualitative data reveals signs of anxiety and studying avoidance behaviors. Quantitative findings revealed more than 56% of the participants expressed moderate level of anxiety during speaking activities. Available coping strategies include planning, support from peers and/or teachers, as well as various mindfulness exercises that work best in decreasing anxiety and increasing positive student performance. Based on the results, it can be determined that, eradicating speaking anxiety can only be done comprehensively and in the inclusive of creating acceptable classroom environment, culturally sensitive factors as well to the frequent speaking practice. The following proposals can be useful recommendations for educators to remove the learners’ barriers and enhance their language learning process since they would actively participate making them have efficient English language use.