DIAGNOSING SPEAKING ANXIETY OF EFL SECONDARY LEARNERS IN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL MUHAMMADIYAH 1 MEDAN

Abstract

This study aims to determine the level of students' speaking anxiety as well as the reasons behind it in EFL students' speech anxiety. Students from SMP Muhammadiyah 1 Medan in the eighth grade served as the study's respondents. Data for this study were gathered through interviews, questionnaires, and observation by the researcher employing the descriptive qualitative technique. The researcher employed three phases in the implementation process. The first step involved watching the students in English class, the second involved giving the students questionnaires, and the last step involved interviewing the professors and students. A questionnaire that was modified from the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) was used to assess anxiety levels. The findings indicated that 41% of the students had a high level of anxiety when speaking English, compared to 3% (one student) who had a high level and 56% (sixteen students) who had a medium level. shown minimal nervousness when speaking in English. This indicates that when speaking English in class, the majority of students feel a moderate level of fear. The results show that the scenario is caused by a lack of language, practice, confidence, anxiety about making mistakes, fear of being laughed at, and fear of being labeled haughty, among other things. As a result, it is critical that educators support and inspire their pupils and employ techniques like games to make them feel less anxious. .