EXPLORING VIETNAMESE NON-ENGLISH-MAJORED FRESHMEN'S ENGLISH-SPEAKING ANXIETY AT A PUBLIC UNIVERSITY IN VIETNAM

Abstract

The study investigates Vietnamese non-English-majored freshmen's speaking anxiety. 297 non-English-majored freshmen enrolled at a public university in Vietnam answered the Questionnaire of Speaking Anxiety. The results show that participants had a moderate level of English-speaking anxiety, with female students having a higher level of speaking anxiety than male students. To provide insights into sources of speaking anxiety, anxiety-provoking situations and strategies that students use to cope with speaking anxiety, follow-up qualitative data was collected. 24 students from the pool of participants were conveniently recruited and randomly assigned to five focus groups, who answered the semi-structured interview questions. The findings show that students experience a higher level of speaking anxiety when they are called to answer questions by their teacher in class and during a speaking test, and to make an oral presentation than when they perform a role-play in front of the class and work in groups. Besides, students attributed their speaking anxiety to their English-speaking abilities, the nature of teachers' questions, fear of losing face and being judged, and fear of receiving low scores. To cope with speaking anxiety, students reported using social and cognitive strategies. The study provides helpful information for English lecturers to understand the nature of students' speaking anxiety and help students tackle speaking anxiety.