prepared by:

Mr. Abdul Qader Hammadi   Dr. Zakaria Al-Absi

Abstract:

Public speaking has always been a concern for many people even in their native language. Also, among the four language skills in learning a foreign language, speaking is the most anxiety provoking skill. Thus, the present study answers two questions; What are the factors that motivate students’ speaking participation in the classroom? What are the factors that deter classroom speaking participation? In addition, it explores and describes the factors that lead to speaking anxiety in the classroom for 55 English majors at Idlib University in northwest Syria. Three tools have been used throughout the study: a questionnaire, semi-structured interviews and structured interviews. The results revealed that 81% of students get anxious when they have to speak in front of their classmates especially if the topic is hard, or if they have to speak for a long time, and when the teachers have a negative role in addressing students’ mistakes and discouraging them. Also, 71% of students agreed that self-confidence plays a vital role in speaking anxiety. The higher it is, the less anxious the students are and vice versa. On the other hand, to overcome anxiety, the results showed that students need to practice speaking whenever they have the chance or dedicate daily time to practice speaking. They also benefit from teachers’ support and encouragement through praising statements and discussing interesting and easy topics that could help students lessen their anxiety. Furthermore, pair/group activities, in comparison with speaking alone, would help students feel more comfortable and encourage them to participate more in the classroom which in turn will reduce their speaking anxiety.

Keywords: Speaking anxiety, Self-confidence, Teacher’s Role, Motivation, Speaking Activities, Classroom, Speaking Participation.

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About the journal

A quarterly peer-reviewed scientific journal, issued in Arabic by a university in the liberated areas, the subject of scientific research and academic studies in various disciplines, in which the conditions of scientific research are applied in briefing and investigation and the methodology and steps of scientific research.

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