English Foreign Language Students’ Experiences In Dealing With Speaking Anxiety
Abstract
This study's objectives are to (1) investigate how students studying public
speaking anxiety and (2) investigate how those students cope with the anxieties
that arise for them when learning public speaking in class. In order to gather
information, I conducted interviews with two students who were enrolled in the
English Education study program at an Indonesian university. These interviews
took place through WhatsApp Voice Call. Both of these students reported feeling
anxious whenever they were obliged to give presentations in front of an audience.
A technique known as theme analysis was used to investigate the meaning of the
data. The findings showed that the students suffered from anxiety, which
manifested in several different ways, including feeling anxious, having
palpitations, experiencing panic, and having memory disassociation. Students
with different kinds of speaking anxiety can learn to deal with their feelings of
unease and worry by avoiding eye contact, doing self-regulated behaviors,
carefully preparing, being confident in themselves, and getting feedback from
their teachers. Students who use these strategies throughout their presentations
may find that their fear and anxiety of public speaking are significantly reduced.