Investigating Speaking Anxiety among The SEA Teacher Students

Abstract

The SEA Teacher Program or Southeast Asia Teacher Project is an educational program that provides opportunities for prospective teacher students from Southeast Asian countries to gain teaching experience in neighboring countries. Students involved in this program face their challenges. One phenomenon that occurs is anxiety about speaking English in a teaching context. This study aims to investigate the factors that cause speaking anxiety in 9 Ahmad Dahlan University students who took part in the SEA Teacher program in the Philippines. The research method used is descriptive qualitative. Data was collected through focus group discussions (FGD) and interviews. The basic theory used in this research is Horwitz et al (1986) which states that three factors influence speaking anxiety, including anxiety about tests, anxiety about negative evaluations from other people, and fear of communication.

               The results of this research prove that two of the three causes of speaking anxiety presented by Horwitz are proven to exist. In addition, this research also found that there are other factors that cause speaking anxiety among the SEA Teacher students which are differences in language status, culture, school environment, lack of self-preparation, and unfamiliar material. These findings provide important insights into understanding speaking anxiety in regional higher education and more effective coping strategies.