DIAGNOSING THE CAUSES AFFECTING THE PUBLIC SPEAKING ANXIETY OF EFL COLLEGE STUDENTS IN INDONESIA: A QUALITATIVE STUDY

Abstract

Public speaking is a common skill that must be mastered by students especially in English Department. Previous research has found that, there are still many Indonesian EFL college students do not feel confident to conduct public speaking. They perceive that public speaking can influence their anxiety enhancement. Therefore, the aims of this qualitative research are to diagnose the causes that affect the public speaking anxiety, and to identify the circumstances of their anxiety as well. This research was completed by 18 undergraduate students in University of Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara who experienced anxiety in public speaking. All participants were shared an online open-ended questionnaire that consisted 5 questions. Then, the answers were validated by using interview approach. This study identifies 9 causes of public speaking anxiety such as lack of confidence, difficulty of concentrating, fear of making mistakes, limited vocabulary, poor grammar, fear of people’s attention, less preparation, negative judgment, and shyness. Additionally, the students feel the anxiety in specific circumstances such as on preparation, pre-performance, and performance