Improving The Anxious Students Activeness

Through Active Learning

Abdul Qodir
English Department, Teachers Training And Education Faculty
Pekalongan University
abdul.AQ49@gmail.com

Abstract
Learning a second language or foreign language can be said easy or
indeed can be very hard which is influenced by several factors. Generally, the
main purpose of learning a second language or foreign language is to be able to
communicating or expressing what the learners feel, see, or hear by using the
second language or Foreign language orally or written. Every learners have
different difficulties when learning english as second language or foreign
language. There are 4 skills that must be mastering by the english learners,
those are listening, speaking, reading and writing. Those skills are important,
especially the speaking skill. Mastering the speaking skill is the most difficult,
because this skill is not just about the theories. Generally, become a good
speaker also need a good mental, good listening skill, and surely have much
vocabulary in the mind. It can be hard to achieve when the learners rarely or
even never try to practice it. The possibilities are may the leaners have less
motivation, anxiety, and etc. If practice make perfect, how about the anxious
students?. The teacher must be much more pay attention to them which have
anxiety. At least the teacher must used the appropriate way when teach the
students, including the anxious students. the activeness of students in the
classroom teaching discussion is very important in developing the speaking
skill. According to Lejla Basic (2011) state that speaking anxiety inhibits
students from speaking which has a negative effect on their oral skills. The
activeness besides to developing the speaking skill, its also can improve the
students mental when talk to each other by using english. This paper argue the
role of small group discussion in teaching English, especially to encouraging
the activeness of anxious students in discussion which is predicted can be
improves the anxious students speaking skill.
Keywords: anxiety, small group discussion, students activeness.

Introduction
This study focused on how to encourage the activeness of anxious
students. The students activeness is needing in english classroom in order to
improving the speaking skill. The most effective way to improve the second
language is by practice it, because practice make perfect. When the students try
to acquire the speaking skill there are some dificulties that the students faced.
One of the diffulties that faced of some students is anxiety. Broadly speaking,
anxiety is the subjective feeling of tension, apprehension, nervousness, and
worry associated with an arousal of the automatic nervous system (Spielberger,
1983). According to Young (1991) He claimed that language anxiety is caused
by (a) personal and interpersonal anxiety, (b) learner beliefs about language
learning, (c) instructor beliefs about language teaching, (d) instructor learner
interactions, (e) classroom procedures, and (f) language testing. Young (1994)
further elucidated that these sources of language anxiety are interrelated.
Improving the speaking skill of the second language learners is important,
anxious students is no exception. The teacher must be concern to them and
looking up the appropriate way to help them acquire the speaking skill through
the activeness in the classroom.
The Aims of article
This experimental study will examine the effectiveness of small group
discussion to encourage the ectiveness of anxious students. Participating in a
group discussion is a good way to the anxious students to improve their
speaking mental. Accordng to Mavis Kelly and Ken Stafford (1993) Small
group work on the other hand provides opportunities for intellectual and
personal growth which cannot be achieved so easily in the standard lecture
situation. Because the small group is a more personal situation, it provides
opportunities for interaction between tutor or lecturer and students and among
students. Such interaction can foster active learning and learning at a high
conceptual level, and can help students to achieve a sense of independence and
responsibility for their own learning.
With this article the writer expect that it can be make a more realization
the important of the approach, method, technique and also meda choosen by
the teacher to teach the students, especially to encouraging the anxious students
activeness in teaching and learning process.

Discussion
Previous Study
In the previous study Ying Zheng (2008) which is the main purpose of
the article is critically reviews the literature that examines the anxiety
phenomenon in the field of second/foreign language learning. A major theme
that runs through this review is how anxiety comes into play in second/foreign
language learning, and whether it is a central construct or only an add-on
element that is negligible. To recognize language anxiety in a broader context
of research on anxiety, MacIntyre (1998) observed that language anxiety is a
form of situation-specific anxiety, and research on language anxiety should
employ measures of anxiety experienced in particular second/foreign language
contexts. He conceived of language anxiety as the worry and negative
emotional reaction aroused when learning or using a second language (p. 27).
Similarly, Horwitz, Horwitz and Cope (1991) conceptualized foreign language
anxiety as a distinct complex of self-perceptions, beliefs, feelings, and
behaviors related to classroom language learning arising from the uniqueness
of the language learning process (p. 31).
According to Gilbert W. Snyder III (2011) Which is examines how
anxiety affect the Second Language Acquisition he state that Adults may
experience anxiety caused by their jobs while students may experience
heightened levels of anxiety as a result of peer pressure or an impending
important test or project.
Anxiety
WebMD (2016) state that Anxiety is a normal human emotion that
everyone experiences at times. Many people feel anxious, or nervous, when
faced with a problem at work, before taking a test, or making an important
decision. Anxiety disorders, however, are different. They can cause such
distress that it interferes with a person's ability to lead a normal life.
Anxiety Disorders
According to WebMD (2016) there are four types of anxiety disorders,
those are: Panic Disorder, Social Anxiety disorder, Specific Phobia and
Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

Social anxiety disorder also called social phobia, social anxiety disorder
involves overwhelming worry and self-consciousness about everyday social
situations. The worry often centers on a fear of being judged by others, or
behaving in a way that might cause embarrassment or lead to ridicule, WebMD
(2016). Social anxiety disorder is type of anxiety disorder that will be attented
by the writer.
Symptoms Of Anxiety
In addition there are also symptoms of anxiety that examined by
WebMD (2016) Symptoms vary depending on the type of anxiety disorder, but
general symptoms include:
-

Feelings of panic, fear, and uneasiness

Problems sleeping

Cold or sweaty hands and/or feet

Shortness of breath

Heart palpitations

An inability to be still and calm

Dry mouth

Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet

Nausea

Muscle tension

Dizziness

The Influenced Factors of Anxiety

According to WebMD (2016). The exact cause of anxiety disorders is
unknown; but anxiety disorders -- like other forms of mental illness -- are not
the result of personal weakness, a character flaw, or poor upbringing. As
scientists continue their research on mental illness, it is becoming clear that
many of these disorders are caused by a combination of factors, including
changes in the brain and environmental stress.
Active Learning
According to Michael Prince (2004) Active learning is generally
defined as any instructional method that engages students in the learning
process. In short, active learning requires students to do meaningful learning
activities and think about what they are doing.

By using active learning methodologies it is hoped that pupils will not

only come to a deeper understanding of the issues involved, but also that their
motivation and enthusiasm will be heightened. Northern Ireland Curiculum
(2007)
According to the theories mentioned above, there are very close
correlation between Anxiety, Students Activeness and SLA, anxiety and SLA
has correlation which can affect to the SLA achievement. Based on the
explanation about the influenced factors of Anxiety above, the students in
Indonesia have a more possibilities as a anxious students, observed from the
economics condition in Indonesia, most of the students have a low-mid
economic condition that indirectly influenced they life style, how their parents
educate the students. in fact the students economic background can not be
spared,
Conclusion
The writer of this article want to conclude that the teacher must be pay
attention to the anxious students existence when choosing the approach,
method, technique and also media for teaching process. Because of the english
classroom needing an activeness, especially in communication terms;
communicate to each students and teacher. The teacher must be able to
encouraging the students activeness in order to achieve the learning objectives,
especially to the speaking skill through communication. The students must be
encouraged to communicate between each other which is expected that the
students want to practice their english in their daily activites.

References
Anxiety & Panic Disorders Health Center. (2016). Anxiety Disorders: Types, Causes,
Symptoms, Diagnosis. Retrieved from: http://www.webmd.com/anxiety
panic/guide/mental-health-anxiety-disorders
Michael Prince (2004) Does Active Learning Works: a review of the

research.(J.Engr.Education,93(3),223-231.2004).Retrieved from:
http://www.crlt.umich.edu/tstrategies/tsal

Northern Ireland Curiculum. (2007). Active Teaching and Learning Methods For
Keystages 1& 2. Retrieved from
www.nicurriculum.org.uk/docs/key_stages_1_and_2/altm-ks12.pdf
Ying Zheng. (2008). Anxiety and Second/Foreign Language Learning Revisited.
Canadian Journal for New Scholars in Education (Volume 1, Issue 1). Retrieved from
files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED506736.pdf
Gilbert W. Snyder III. (2011). How Anxiety Affects Second Language Acquisition of
High School Students. (Degree of Master of Science in Education). Retrieved from:
https://dspace.sunyconnect.suny.edu/.../Gilbert_Snyder_Masters_Project_