Overcoming EFL learners’ Speaking Anxiety throuh Small Talk

Nurul Febiola Zulfi

Abstract:
This study are discuss about speaking anxiety between EFL learners and the way
to overcome speaking anxiety through small talk. Most of EFL learners
experienced speaking anxiety while learning English. They are often cannot avoid
the feeling of anxiety when it comes to speak in public. Even EFL learners face to
speaking anxiety, some studies states that there are many wayss to overcome the
simptomps of speaking anxiety. This study discuss that small talk can be a way to
overcome speaking anxiety. practicing to speak by doing small talk with other
people can ovecome their anxiety. Since small talk can make them feel a bit
comfortable. As states by Horwitz et al (1986), an effective way to learn any
foreign language is to use it actively by speaking.
Keywords: anxiety, speaking anxiety, EFL learners, small talk

A. Introduction

Language is the system of communication which consists of a set of sounds and

written symbols which are used in a particular country or region. Nowadays, English is

known as a global language used by people over the world. In order to be able to

communicate in another country, people are required to fluent in English or the language of

the country.

Learning other languages could be interested between students. As mentioned in

Indrianty (2016), language has four basic skill which are listening, speaking, reading, and

writing. in learning english, one of the goals that most leaners are expected to achieve is

being able to speak english fluently with friends and evenwith the native speakers. Speaking

involves both productive and receptive skills. Sutarsyah (2017) states that language as

productive skill, learners produce and use the language by expressing ideas and at the same

time they tries to get the ideas or the message across.

Horwitz et al (1986) states that an effective way to learn any foreign language is to

use it actively by speaking. When learners are actively speak during foreign learning process,
they unconciously run into an improvement of learning foreign language . Unfortunately,

speaking in the foreign language seems to provoke a great level of anxiety.

As states in Boyarsky (2019), small talk is a short conversation between people about

random things can affects to their speaking skills. When learners are face to do a short

conversation with strangers, they will eagerly find a topic that situable for the situation. Small

talk make them feel comfortable to speak with others. It can reduce the learners’ feeling of

anxiety.

EFL Anxiety

Language anxiety has been a topic that interest researchers in recent years. Among the

language skills, speaking is the major effect of language learners’ anxiety. Oral

communication is two way processes between a listener and speaker (Byrne, 1984:8).

Lileikienė & Danilevičienė (2016) defined anxiety as an individual feeling of rigidity,

trepidation, apprehension, nervousness, and worry usually related to a desire of autonomic

nervous system. A feeling of nervousness connected with foreign language learning is called

as foreign language anxiety. Language anxiety may be a result as well as a cause of

insufficient command of the target language. However, what is anxiety?

Sari (2017) defines anxiety as a natural character that individuals have from the time

they are born. Anxiety occurs when people is in a stressful and confusing situation that affects

their activity in the current time. Some people experienced anxiety whenever they feels

anxious, nervous, confused and even flustered in a situation that sometimes could isolate

them from society .

In language learning, anxiety becomes an interesting variable that can influence

language learning goals. Sutarsyah (2017) states that the effect of language anxiety can be

either negative or positive. However, it has been a matter of considerable interest in language

learning. Anxiety may effect negatively in EFL learning process. If it not considerably as a
problem, learners may difficult to improve their skills because they cannot avoid their

anxiety. While learners are experienced anxiety, Gans (2018) finds out the symtopms of

anxiety as states that one of the language anxiety skills is speaking anxiety, also named as

glossophobia, is the fear of speaking in public, which most EFL have experienced at some

point in their lifetimes. When the fear comes, the learners often feel emotionally distraught.

Butterflies may develop in their stomach or their palms may become sweaty. People who

suffer from speaking anxiety, will often avoid the opportunities to speak in public arenas.

Foreign Language Anxiety in Student Learning

Anxiety includes uncomfortable feelings when learning or using the new language. It

continues to exist in the university foreign language classroom as well. A number of foreign

language learners report feeling anxious about language learning. Lileikienė & Danilevičienė

(2016) research aim was to investigate the foreign language anxiety in the classroom context

and how to reduce or exclude foreign language anxiety from the university foreign language

classroom.

Lileikienė & Danilevičienė (2016) conducted a research in January– February of

2016. The Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) developed by Horwitz et al.

(1986) was used. The questionnaire consisted of 5 statements about the respondents’ general

background and 33 statements which were evaluated on the Likert scale from 1 to 5 by the

research participants. The research sample involved 200 first and second year undergraduate

students of Lithuanian Sports University, studying in Physical Activity and Public Health,

Sports Coaching, Physiotherapy, Adapted Physical Activity, Physical Education and Sport,

Sports Industries, Sports Recreation and Tourism study programs. The results demonstrated

that age was statistically significantly related with the students’ attitude and anxiety level

while studying foreign languages.

 Lileikienė & Danilevičienė (2016) mentioned that learners still felt anxious in their

foreign language classroom, which proved the conclusions made in many other research that

anxiety in a foreign language class is not a rare phenomenon. They revealed that the majority

of younger respondents demonstrated a higher level of anxiety. The more mature the learners

were, the more confident they felt in EFL classes. They also found that female learners felt

higher level of anxiety in learning English as a foreign language than male learners.

Therefore, the learners with high anxiety often got low achievement and low achievement

made them more anxious about learning.

B. Methodology

In this study, the writer conduct a mini reasearch about the cause speaking axiety. The

reasearch were taken by online questionaire. The participant of the study were 15 students of

English Department of UNP. The participant of the study are the second-year students of

English Department who experienced speaking anxiety. They were asked to answer some

questionaire to determine the factor of their speaking anxiety given by the writer. There are

five question that need to be answered in order to find the cause of their speaking anxiety.

The result can be shown in the table below.

Cause Speaking Anxiety Total of persons

Fear of making mistakes 2
Fear of negative evaluation 4
Fear of being laughed at 2
Fear of being in public and shyness 6
Lack of vocabulary 1
table 1. Cause of speaking anxiety

The table can be described in pie-chart below

 Cause of Speaking Anxiety among English Students

Lack of vocabulary; 6.67% Fear of making mistakes; 13.33%

Fear of being in public and shyness; Fear

40.00%
of negative evaluation; 26.67%

Fear of being laughed at; 13.33%

Most of the student are experienced speaking anxiety because of fear of being in public and

shyness. 40% of them are experienced speaking anxiety due to fear of being in public which

their personality traits such as quietness and shyness are the cause of their anxiety. They

mentioned that they are a quiet and shy to speak. They also said that when it comes to speak

in front of the class, they suddenly feel burdened. There are 27% of them that experienced

speaking anxiety due to negative evaluation. As they said in the questionaire, they are always

afraid of negative evaluation that their teachers/lecturers and peers give while they speak in

front of the class. Fear of making mistakes and fear of being laughed at have the same

percentage. There are 13% of them that fear of making mistakes while speaking. And also

13% of them fears of being laughed at whenever they speak in public. The rest of the students

are experienced speaking anxiety due to lack of vocabulary. They mentioned that when it

comes to speak in front of the class, they cannot find the suitable word to describe their

sentences. This implies that the causes of speaking anxiety affects to students’ process of

learning languages.
C. Discussion

The Cause of Speaking Anxiety

In learning english, there are some problem that occur while someone is learning

english. One of them is anxiety between learning language skills. Whenever people learning

other languages, they might experienced anxiety. Speaking anxiety is one of the learning

language skill anxiety that learner often face during the process of learning english language.

Some studies have found out the causes of speaking anxiety.

Nunan (1999) states that one of the reasons that learners experience anxiety especially

in speaking skills is the teaching-learning that is not systematic in the classsroom which

limits the time for them to tlak directly. They assume coming to school just to listen their

teacher explainations about the material, then they did the assignment to the topic that teacher

has given without directly using their speaking englishh skill in the classroom about their

understanding and they have not understand.

Herwanto (2013) finds out that there are some symtoms learner dealing with speaking

anxiety such as shaking, sweating, dry mouth, rapid hearbeat, and squeky voice. It can be

assume that leaner who are indicate to have speaking anxiety will experience thse symtoms

while having speaking performance.

Zhipping & Paramasivam (2013) also mention the cause of speanking anxiety. They

states that fear of negative evaluation is one of the causes of speaking anxiety between EFL

learners. Learner are afraid of the negative evaluation of their teachers and peers when they

speak in the class. They feared humiliation of being corrected in public especially if

accompanied by underating remarks by the lecturer. They were also overly concerned with

other people’s opinions and had completely nervous about other people’s evaluation As

Zhipping (2013) states that fear of being in public and shyness also the reason why learners

experienced speaking anxiety. According to Horwitz et al (1986) general personality traits

such as quietness, shyness, and reticence are some reasons for communication anxiety. The

level of shyness varies greatly from individual to individual.

As states in Madill (2016), Fear of making mistakes while speaking english can be the

cause of speaking anxiety. Learners often feels nervous about bad evaluation that people give

about their speaking skills. This fear of negative evaluation leads to a speaking anxiety that

makes learners cannot speak in public. When they are afraid to speak, they have difficulties in

developing the fluency of speaking skill that will improve their skills in learning english

language.

The Effect of Speaking Anxiety

Almost all EFL learners are experienced anxiety. Some studis find out that EFL leaner

are having speaking anxiety during the process of learning English. However, there is a

negative correlation that cause by speaking anxity that will interfere learning english

language achievement. Some studies states that there are effect of speaking anxiety that

learners should overcome it.

According to Sanaei et al (2015), speaking anxiety affect speaking accuracy. Learners

who have a low level of speaking anxiety and fluent in speaking english are able to make an

accurate utterances during speaking activity. However, learners with high level of speaking

anxiety experience an obstacle to make an accurate utterances. They are unable to make an

accurate utterances while speaking english.

Khusnia (2017) states that if an anxiety becomes ngeatively effect the learners, it

begins to continuously effect the learners. The anxiety may become routinely comes when the

learner are having a speaking task. They will realized to be nervous and perform unperfectly.

Anxiety also can be related to a variety of physiological and emotional states. It caused the

feeling of apprehension even in the situation that is not easily to recognized. Khusnia (2017)

also states that speaking anxiety even effect on the process of learning. EFL Learners who
have speaking anxiety often avoid to be in speaking class. They begin not to show up in

several class that reqired them to speak.

As state in Sari (2017), anxiety can affect students’ motivation and ability in speaking

English in the classroom. Students who have low motivation may have low confident and as a

result be more anxious in language classes. In other hand, Students with high motivation in

English have low anxiety level. This can be said that if learners have high anxiety level, they

will decrease motivation on themselves. Thus, Motivation can only be high if the students’

anxiety is low.

Besides the effects of the speaking anxiety, learners are suggested to overcome the

effect to achieve the goals of learning a language. Even some effects are easily recognize,

learners should be aware of it. They need to understand how to overcome their speaking

anxiety. If they keep letting their speaking anxiety affect them, it will just become an obstacle

in EFL learning.

The Role of Small Talk to Overcome Speaking Anxiety

English language learners have been suffering from language anxiety. Speaking

anxiety is one of which learners face during learning a language. They often do not have the

courage to speak due to their anxiety. Some research find that using small talk as a practice

can help them reduce the anxiety of speaking. How does it take part in solving speaking

anxity?

Horwitz et al (1986) states that an effective way to learn any foreign language is to

use it actively by speaking. When learners are actively speak during foreign learning process,

they unconciously run into an improvement of learning foreign language . Unfortunately,

speaking in the foreign language seems to provoke a great level of anxiety.

Bickmore & Cassell (1999) defines small talk as a polite conversation

about unimportant things that people make at social occasions. Small talk also known as a
light conversation about common things or everyday things. People use small talk as a way to

contact and connect with people and intends to offer with friends, business associates,

colleagues and others that last for a longer time period. Small talk topics could be

the weather, movies, culture, books, and headlines in the news, career, and more others.

McKay-Semmler & Semmler (2013) states that small talk behave learners to talk spontaneous

in a short conversation. Whenever learners involved in small talk, they were indirectly ask to

keep in the conversation.

As mentioned in Cheng-Chang (2018), there are two systematic strategies in resolving

speaking anxiety. First, the activities involved relaxation, deep breathing, visualization, and

comfortable situation. This strategy can be applied in group or individual. The second

strategy is learning and practicing language skill. It aimed to improving individual speaking

behavior. Small talk can be an activity of learning and practicing language skills. It is used by

learners to make them feel confident in speaking.

Boyarsky (2019) states that small talk is a short conversation between people about

random things can affects to their speaking skills. When learners are face to do a short

conversation with strangers, they will eagerly find a topic that situable for the situation.

Speaking expansively and telling stories in small talk can be a practice that decrease anxiety.

The more learners enjoy the conversation the more they are able to decrease their anxiety. In

this case, learners are unconciously feel more confident in speaking. Boyarsky (2019) also

states that small talk may seem superficial, but it can make someone feels more comfortable,

heard, and safe. If someone who suffers speaking anxiety, they can try to have small talk with

strangers or at least their friends. it will be reduce their speaking anxiety since it makes them

confortable and even have a good access to improve their speaking skills.

When learners are improving their speaking skill through small talk, they are

gradually overcoming their speaking anxiety. Like the studies above, small talk make learners
feel comfortaable and confident while speaking to others. Even they had a short conversation

about their daily activities, they actually maintain their speaking anxiety through that

activities.

Conclusion

Language has four basic skill which are listening, speaking, reading, and writing. in

learning english, one of the goals that most leaners are expected to achieve is being able to

speak english fluently with friends and evenwith the native speakers. However while

learning english language, anxiety becomes an interesting variable that can influence

language learning goals. The effect can be either negative or positive. However, it has been a

matter of considerable interest in language learning. Anxiety may effect negatively in EFL

learning process. There are several factors that cause speaking anxiety such as fear of making

mistakes, fear of negative evaluation, and fear of being laughed at.

Small talk as a short conversation take part in overcoming learners anxiety. Small talk

make learners feel comfortaable and confident while speaking to others. Since small talk

could be a conversation about random things, learner can choose the topic which they know it

well. The more learners enjoy the conversation the more they are able to decrease their

anxiety. In this case, learners are unconciously feel more confident in speaking.

References

Bickmore, T., & Cassell, J. (1999). Small talk and conversational storytelling in embodied
conversational interface agents. Paper presented at the AAAI fall symposium on narrative
intelligence.
Boyarsky, K. (2019). The Small Talk Matters. AJN The American Journal of Nursing, 119(4), 11.
Retrieved from
https://journals.lww.com/ajnonline/Fulltext/2019/04000/The_Small_Talk_Matters.4.aspx.
doi:10.1097/01.NAJ.0000554530.32621.e3
Cheng-Chang, T. (2018). The Effects of Communication Strategy Training on EFL Speaking Anxiety and
Speaking Strategy among the Community College Adult Learners in Taiwan. International
Forum of Teaching & Studies, 14(2), 3-19. Retrieved from
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eue&AN=132500367&site=ehost-
live.
Gans, S. (2018). Signs and symptoms of speech anxiety. Retrieved May 11st, 2019
https://www.online-therapy.com/speech-anxiety/test
Herwanto, R. (2013). Factors That Cause Language Anxiety in The English Classroom Speaking
Performance in SMP Negeri 4 Pakem Yogyakarta. Yogyakarta State University, Yogyakarta.
Horwitz, E. K., Horwitz, M. B., & Cope, J. (1986). Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety. The Modern
Language Journal, 70(2), 125-132. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/327317.
doi:10.2307/327317
Indrianty, S. (2016). Students’ Anxiety in Speaking English (A Case Study in One Hotel and Tourism
College in Bandung). ELTIN Journal, 4/1.
Khusnia, A. N. (2017). Students’ Speaking Anxiety in English Foreign Language. Journal of Education
and Learning, 11, 83-89. doi:10.11591/edulearn.v11i1.4301
Lileikienė, A., & Danilevičienė, L. (2016). Foreign Language Anxiety in Student Learning. Baltic Journal
of Sport & Health Sciences, 101(3), 18-23. Retrieved from
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=s3h&AN=118854343&site=ehost-
live.
Madill, M. T. R. (2016). Fear of Making Mistakes and EFL Speaking Anxiety. Humanising Language
Teaching, 18(6), 24-24. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=eue&AN=130443013&site=ehost-live.
McKay-Semmler, K. L., & Semmler, S. (2013). The Art of Making Conversation: Learning the Skills
Small Talk. Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal, 40(1), 6.
Nunan, D. (1999). Secong Language Teaching and Learning: Heinle ELT.
Sanaei, O., Zafarghandi, A. M., & Sabet, M. K. (2015). The Effect of Classroom Anxiety on EFL
Learner's Oral Narratives Fluency: The Case of Intermediate Level Students. Theory &
Practice in Language Studies, 5(7), 1390-1400. Retrieved from
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eue&AN=108778219&site=ehost-
live. doi:10.17507/tpls.0507.11
Sari, D. (2017). Speaking Anxiety as A Factor in Studying EFL. English Education Journal, 8(2), 177-186.
Sutarsyah, C. (2017). An Analysis of Student’s Speaking Anxiety and its Effect on Speaking
Performance. Indonesian Journal of English Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics, 1(2),
143-152.
Zhipping, D., & Paramasivam, S. (2013). Anxiety of Speaking English in Class among International

Students in a Malaysian University. International Journal of Education and Research, 1.

Attachment 1

Nurul Febiola Zulfi

17018022/ K2-17

Critical Review Essay

Sari, D. (2017). Speaking Anxiety as a Factor in Studying EFL. English Education Journal,

8(2), 177-186, April 2017.

It has become a common belief that anxiety has been the most dominant factor

influencing students not to speak english in the classroom. Students can feel threatened,

unsafe and uncomfortable when asked to speak english in front of their peers in the

classroom. a study about Speaking Anxiety as a Factor in Studying EFL by Darmaida Sari

was designed to investigate the speaking anxiety factors in EFL classes. English teachers are

expected to be able to understand the character of each of their students in the classroom,

because the anxiety level for each student can be different, one from the other.

Sari (2017) conducted interviews with several english teachers at SMA Negeri 5

Banda Aceh to find out the problems faced by the students in speaking classes. Some of the

english teachers surprisingly revealed some problems such as: students are rarely willing to

come forward to speak english orally in front of their classmates, they prefer to note all the

teacher’s explanations on speaking skills rather than to practice english orally in the front of

the class. Sari mention several factors that cause anxiety among students. From the interviews

that sari has conducted, she found that the data from the questionnaire showed that 71% of

the students experienced anxiety in communication apprehension followed by fear of

negative evaluation 53%, test anxiety 48% and anxiety about english classes 39%.

Herwanto (2013) states that Anxiety is a kind of disadvantage that makes students

unable to perform their competence. Actually, they know something about what they have to

say but they cannot show it due to anxiety. Therefore, the problem should be identified to get

some solutions to encourage students‟ confidence and competence.

 Indrianty (2016) states some factors of an anxiety such as communication

apprehension, fear of negative evaluation, and test anxiety. And other common factors

causing students‟ anxiety includes lack of vocabulary, lack of confidence, fear of making

mistakes and being laughed at, lack of preparation and shyness.

Sari (2017) study is an interesting and challenging one, and she manages to conduct

an interview to find out students speaking anxiety as a factor in studying EFL. Her study was

focused on the investigation of anxiety phenomena when speaking or having to speak English

in the classroom that are suffered by many students, and which make them reluctant to speak

English in front of others because of the anxiety they experience while doing so.

From the interview, she concludes the factor of speaking anxiety among students. She

found out that communication apprehension is the highest level of anxiety among them. In

the study, she gave a suggestion for teacher based on the interview. This suggestion would be

useful for teacher to teach in a classroom.

Sari’s study provides us with knowledge about speaking anxiety among students. Her

research proved that students experienced anxiety in communication apprehension, fear of

negative evaluation, test anxiety and anxiety about english classes. She also emphasize that

speaking anxiety can be found in all foreign language learners.

References

Herwanto, R. (2013). Factors That Cause Language Anxiety in The English Classroom Speaking
Performance in SMP Negeri 4 Pakem Yogyakarta. Yogyakarta State University, Yogyakarta.
Indrianty, S. (2016). Students’ Anxiety in Speaking English (A Case Study in One Hotel and Tourism
College in Bandung). ELTIN Journal, 4/1.
Sari, D. (2017). Speaking Anxiety as A Factor in Studying EFL. English Education Journal, 8(2), 177-186.