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STUDENTS’ ANXIETY IN ENGLISH LEARNING PROCESS

  THESIS Submitted as a Partial Fulfillment of The Requirements for the Degree of

  Sarjana Pendidikan

ONES KURNIAWAN SANTOSO 112013014 ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION PROGRAM FACULTY OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS UNIVERSITAS KRISTEN SATYA WACANA SALATIGA

  2017

COPYRIGHT STATEMENT

  This thesis contains no such material as has been submitted for examination in any course or accepted for fulfillment of any degree or diploma in any university. To the best of my knowledge and belief, this contains no material previously published or written by any others except due reference is made in the text.

  Copyright 2017. Ones Kurniawan Santoso and Anita Kurniawati. M.Hum.

INTRODUCTION

  Language learning process is something that people especially students will face every time. Most of the time, students will have that process in school. Not only they will learn their mother tongue but also they have to learn a foreign language (L2). There are many problems in learning a foreign language. As stated by Tallon (2009) as cited in Wu (2010), there are many factors that determine the outcome of a learning process, including individual differences such as cognitive abilities, personality characteristics, learning styles, meta-cognitive differences, social contexts, and affective aspects. Tallon also points out that not only those problems that the students face but the core problem is anxiety.“More than half of foreign language learners experience some kinds of anxiety in their learning” (Worde, 1998 as cited in Marwan, 2007, p. 38). Anxiety can be a serious problem for the students if they want to improve their language proficiency. Especially if they want to learn a foreign language, anxiety can really hamper them. Kondo Ling (2004) argued that language anxiety may pose potential problems for language learners. One of the potential problems is preventing students from successfully learning a foreign language. Furthermore, Zheng (2008) said that foreign language learning can be a traumatic experience for many learners. Therefore, if students has a high language anxiety and it causes traumatic for them, in long term they will no longer have intention to learn a foreign language.

  When I did my observation in SMA Kr. Satya Wacana, there was a really active class but when the students were invited to have a discussion and conversation in English, most of them chose to use their mother tongue. This situation was one of the reasons why this study was conducted, that is to address whether the students were having foreign language anxiety or not.

  There have been previous studies investigating about student’s foreign language anxiety. Study conducted by Zheng (2008) found that anxiety situations may interfere the students’ motivation in learning foreign language process. Some other studies have focused on finding out how the students cope with the foreign language anxiety (Nuranifar, 2014). However, there has been limited study conducted within the context of Indonesian foreign language education, especially in a private school like SMA Kr. Satya Wacana. Therefore, according to the problems explained above, this research is trying to investigate (1) the factors that students believe to be the factors contributing their second language anxiety in learning a foreign language and (2) the strategies that the learners use to cope with their foreign language anxiety.

  The objectives of this research are to find out what makes the students feel anxious and how they handle it. Furthermore, the study is hoped to be beneficial for reducing the students’ anxiety in the classroom, and also helping the teachers in SMA Kr. Satya Wacana in a way that it will give insights on how to teach students with foreign language anxiety problems better.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Defining Anxiety

  Talking about anxiety, many people have various different answers. Skehan (1989) and Young (1991) as cited in Ohata (2005) said that language anxiety is a type of anxiety specifically associated with L2 and it can arise from many kinds of source. “Anxiety is one of the most well documented psychological phenomena” (Zheng, 2008, p.2). Spielberger (1983) as cited in Huang (2012) defines anxiety as the subjective feeling of tension, apprehension, nervousness and worry associated with the arousal of the nervous system. Generally, anxiety can be associated with “threats to self-efficacy and appraisals of situations as threatening” (Pappamihiel, 2002, p.331). Meanwhile according to MacIntyre and Gardner (1994) as cited in Marwan (2007), anxiety is a feeling of tension and apprehension experienced by learners in the foreign language classroom. Moreover, Horwitz et al (1986) maintain that language anxiety is “a distinctive complex of self-perceptions, beliefs, feelings and behaviors related to classroom language learning arising from the uniqueness of the language learning process”(p.128). It is so difficult to gather all of the definitions in to a single concise definition, (Zhanibek, 2001). In other words, anxiety can be simple defined as a feeling that makes someone who can do something easily, but it turns into a hard thing because of this feeling. It is also supported by Koba, Ogawa Wilkinson, 2000; Ohata, 2005 that anxiety is an uneasy feeling due to something threatening.

Possible Factors Contributing to Students’ Anxiety

  The factors of foreign language anxiety are the major of this research. There are many possible factors that will influence students in having a conversation or the learning process in English. The components of foreign language anxiety can have been identified (Horwitz, et. al., 1986; MacIntyre Gardner, 1989) to narrow down this concept into reachable issues: (1) communication apprehension or anxiety (2) Fear of negative evaluation. (3) Test anxiety. Besides those factors, I believe that there is inner and outer factor that contributes students anxious. In this case, example such as fear of making mistake, lack of confidence, test anxiety, or whatever factor that comes from them like feeling it could be assumed that inner factor can be described by those examples. On one hand, the examples of outer factors are like teachers’ evaluation, and negative attitude from friends.

  Communication Apprehension

  According to McCroskey (1987) this anxiety type refers to the interpersonal communicative settings which really have an impact on foreign language learning. Moreover, according to Horwitz, et. al., (1986) students has a little portion in communication because they feel that their communication is monitored by the teacher and peers. In other words, they feel shy and cause anxiety in communicating using foreign language. Furthermore, difficulty in speaking in the public is also related with communicative apprehension. When they do a public speaking but they According to McCroskey (1987) this anxiety type refers to the interpersonal communicative settings which really have an impact on foreign language learning. Moreover, according to Horwitz, et. al., (1986) students has a little portion in communication because they feel that their communication is monitored by the teacher and peers. In other words, they feel shy and cause anxiety in communicating using foreign language. Furthermore, difficulty in speaking in the public is also related with communicative apprehension. When they do a public speaking but they

  Fear of Negative Evaluation

  Talking about evaluation, not all of students will accept evaluation in a positive way. Sometimes they will think that evaluation is negative thing and they fear of it. It is because they always concern or focus on their mistakes not about the language. Young (1991) argues, "students are more concerned about how (i.e., when, what, where, or how often) their mistakes are corrected rather than whether error correction should be administered in class" (p. 429). The role of teacher in giving evaluation is also lowering the students’ self-esteem. Teacher thinks that their evaluation will be good for the students but it does not work, because of the concern of students only their mistakes.They are afraid to make mistakes in during the process of foreign language learning. Thus, they will always think that evaluation is a bad thing even it comes from the teacher.

  Test Anxiety

  “Test anxiety refers to a type of performance anxiety stemming from a fear of failure” (Mahmoodzadeh, 2012, p.468). Basically, if students have failed in a test, it will make them a little bit trauma and they will fear of getting a test. According to Wu (2010) that students will fear to face exams, quizzes, and other assignments or “Test anxiety refers to a type of performance anxiety stemming from a fear of failure” (Mahmoodzadeh, 2012, p.468). Basically, if students have failed in a test, it will make them a little bit trauma and they will fear of getting a test. According to Wu (2010) that students will fear to face exams, quizzes, and other assignments or

  To go deeper to inner factor, students’ confidence and preparation could be a major factor contributing their foreign language anxiety. In learning a foreign language, lack of confidence usually occurs when students realize that their conversation partners have not understood them or when they do not understand other speakers. In response to this, Tsui as cited in Nunan (1999) says that students who lack of confidence about themselves and their English necessarily suffer from communication apprehension. This shows that confidence has a big part in students’ behavior especially in learning a foreign language. Furthermore, building students’ confidence is an important part of teacher’s focus of attention. He and Chen (2010) as cited in Juhana (2012) stated the main cause of students’ confidence is their low ability in speaking English. They also added that the students think that they can’t To go deeper to inner factor, students’ confidence and preparation could be a major factor contributing their foreign language anxiety. In learning a foreign language, lack of confidence usually occurs when students realize that their conversation partners have not understood them or when they do not understand other speakers. In response to this, Tsui as cited in Nunan (1999) says that students who lack of confidence about themselves and their English necessarily suffer from communication apprehension. This shows that confidence has a big part in students’ behavior especially in learning a foreign language. Furthermore, building students’ confidence is an important part of teacher’s focus of attention. He and Chen (2010) as cited in Juhana (2012) stated the main cause of students’ confidence is their low ability in speaking English. They also added that the students think that they can’t

  

  Furthermore, there is still a factor that most cause of anxiety in learning a foreign language which is preparation. We know exactly that preparation is a thing that is really needed for mankind before they want to do something. For example before having an exam, they will study, before having a vacation they have to pack their belonging, etc. Same as in learning a foreign language learning, if students do not prepare first they will get anxious. As supported by Smith Schroth (2014) in their research, it shows that 73 students in 2 Spanish classes feel their performance in learning a foreign language was affected because they lack of preparation. Thus, they also added that preparation is the main thing if you want to learn something new. If we talk about an inner factor, there will be an outer factor. Besides teacher’s evaluation, whether it is on the students’ performance, task, or test, friends are also can contribute anxiety. It is good if your friends can give a support, encourage and motivation to you, but how about if they do a bad thing such as mocking and make fun of someone’s mistakes? They laugh at someone’s pronounce, articulation and intonation, and also accent when he or she speaks a foreign language.

Effects of Foreign Language Anxiety on Students

  Anxiety has become a topic to be searched because it causes some conflicts results. From that research, there are some researches states that anxiety is a part of parasite. But there are some that say differently. If I have to choose, I will say that

  anxious is a parasite especially in students’ speaking ability because according to Onwuegbuzie, et. al. (1999) as cited in Mahmoodzadeh (2012), the existence of foreign language anxiety causes the fluency on students’ speech. Na (2007) and Spielmann and Radnofsky (2001) as cited in Mahmoodzadeh (2012) have searched that foreign language anxiety have a big impact negatively on students’ performance. However, those statements are being argued with some researchers who believe if foreign language anxiety has good impact for students in terms of FL learning. Scovel (1978) argued and believed that there is a positive anxiety type which is called facilitative anxiety. This anxiety has been motivating the students to make them study harder and push their selves to perform better in the classroom. Nevertheless, there remains disagreement, whether that possible thing is anxiety or terms such as alertness, attention that might be more suitable for that kind of situation. Moreover, in case of seeing that anxiety has a good impact but we have to see and be reliable to students their selves. We can start with this question, what they feel and believe through learning foreign language in classroom. Goshi (2005) suggests that students with negative beliefs about their negative learning English feel more foreign language anxiety. Moreover, Levine (2003) reports that the students who have a monolingual background will become more feel anxious if they meet or speak with students who have bi-or multilingual background.

Possible Strategies to Cope with the Anxiety

  Foreign language learning anxiety has been the subject of research that indicates anxiety has a big problem for many foreign language learners. Most studies on language anxiety also concentrate on understanding the mechanism of anxiety in the process of language learning either in foreign language or second language settings (MacIntyre and Gardner, 1994) as cited in Marwan (2007). However, there are very few which are directed at identifying the strategies used by language learners to cope with their language anxiety in their FL in a classroom. This issue is one of the concerns to be investigated in this survey.

  According to study that was conducted by Pappahimiel (2002), one of the strategies to cope the anxiety is avoidance. Students in his study reported that avoidance is the most common strategy to reduce their language anxiety. Another strategy in his study is making close friends who have a better L2 and have a less anxious. Logically this can be true because the one who has a lack in L2 and has anxious in learning L2 can get a motivation from their friends and can learn with them which will make the weak one develop by each day to start to leave their lack of L2 and their anxiousness. Look at that strategy, we can conclude those strategies are from the students themselves. Moreover, teacher can also be the one who reduce the students’ anxiety. The way that teacher can reduce students’ anxiety is using cooperative learning. A cooperative learning has been shown to reduce anxiety (Kagan, 1994 as cited in Nagahashi 2007).

  Actually, there are many strategies to reduce the anxiety problem in students’ psychological in learning a foreign language whether it is the complex one or the simple one such as relaxation. According to Grasha, (1987) as cited in Mahmud Suryana, (n.d.) breathing deeply in and out for three to five minutes is an effective way to reduce tension. However, this strategy only works with on situational anxiety, like students that have to present or speak in front of the class. It is not really efficient for reducing high anxiety. Nevertheless, there are still some strategies that have high impact on reducing the anxiety. Study conducted by Mahmud Suryana (n.d.) shows that preparation was the most strategy that being used to reduce their anxiety level. As I said previously, many foreign language learners find themselves nervous when they had not prepared before class. Actually, there are many ways to prepare including reading the materials before class, taking second language courses provided in or out of school, asking help from friends and teachers. I believe that students who have a good preparation will have a good performance and proficiency level. “The anxious learners may perform as good as the non-anxious learners when they have sufficient time to prepare and practice the tasks” (MacIntyre Gardner, 1994, cited in Argaman Abu-Rabi, 2002, p. 152). Therefore, anxious learners may need more extra time to study. Relaxation and preparation might be the good combination of strategies to cope with the students’ anxiety. Moreover, I think there is still one more that students really need and they have to realize that they can share their anxious to their friends. Cooperative Learning is a key and it has been shown to reduce anxiety and make the students feel less intimidate when working with partners in groups

  (Kagan, (1994), as cited in Nagahashi, (2007). Therefore, working in group or cooperative learning is a strategy that can complete the combination with relaxation and preparation in coping with the anxiety in learning a foreign language.

THE STUDY

  This study aimed at finding the factor that contributing students’ anxiety in learning English as the foreign language and finding the strategies to cope with the students’ anxiety in the classroom. These are the research questions:

  1. What are the factors that students believe to be the factors contributing their second language anxiety in learning a foreign language?

  2. What are the strategies that the learners use to cope with their foreign language anxiety?

  This study was using a mix method for the data collection. Mix method research is a methodology for conducting research involving collecting, analyzing, and integrating (or mixing) quantitative and qualitative research in a single study (Bulsara, n.d). The quantitative data had been gained from the questionnaire that was continued with the qualitative method as the explanation. The mix method was chosen because there would be opened up opportunities for richer data to be gained. Thus, the investigation on factors contributing students’ anxiety and the strategies that the learners use to cope with it was better dug.

  Context and Participants

  This study was conducted in SMA Kr. Satya Wacana Salatiga. This private school is located in Salatiga, Central Java, Indonesia. Particularly, the 11 th grade

  students were active students since I was observing them in their classroom. However, their activeness changed into silence when I asked them to answer my questions in English and if I made a conversation with them, they tended to be quiet even though they were generally in the intermediate level of language proficiency.

  The participants of this study were 3 classes of grade 11 th , which were XI- MIA 3, XI-IIS 1, and XI-BB. Total students of 3 classes are 65. 14 male and 11

  female students in XI-MIA 3, 12 male and 10 female students in XI-IIS 1, 8 male and

  10 female students in XI-BB. They are about 16-17 years old. All of students do not use in English in their family and there 9 students who take an English course. There are 37 students who have been studying English since they were in Kindergarten. 26 students that have been studying English since in elementary school, and only 2 students since in junior high school. I chose these participants because they would not

  have a national examination; they also had had a basic in English in grade 10 th , and also I had observed them while I was doing my teaching practicum. Therefore they

  were easy to cooperate in filling the questionnaire.

Instruments

  The instrument or tool that had been used to collect the data was a questionnaire. There were 2 parts of statements in the questionnaire, which were part

  A and part B. Part A was the factor of anxiety which was adapted and modified from Horwitz et al., (1986). It provided 19 statements. Then part B was the strategies in coping with anxiety which was adapted from Kondo and Ling (2004), and it provided

  14 statements.

  In the questionnaire part A, there were 9 factors contributing students’ anxiety and 19 questions were asked to the participants. Here were the factors and the itemsquestions that represented them. The first one was lack of confidence with items A1, A2, A13, and A17. The second one was teacher’s instruction with items A3, A14, and A15. The third one was shyness with items A4 and A5. Then, lack of preparation with items A6, A7, and A8. Next was teacher’s evaluation with item A9 and A10. Sixth, test anxiety with items A11, and A12. Seventh, Peers’ negative attitude with item A16, and then fear of making mistake with item A 18. The last one was guilty pleasure with item A 19.

  In the questionnaire part B, there were 7 strategies to cope with the anxiety and 14 questions were asked to the participants. Here were the strategies and the itemsquestions that represented them. The first one was positive thinking with items B1, B2, and B3. The second one was preparation with item B4. Then the third one was study-habit with items B5, and B10. Next were relaxation with items B6 and B7, In the questionnaire part B, there were 7 strategies to cope with the anxiety and 14 questions were asked to the participants. Here were the strategies and the itemsquestions that represented them. The first one was positive thinking with items B1, B2, and B3. The second one was preparation with item B4. Then the third one was study-habit with items B5, and B10. Next were relaxation with items B6 and B7,

  This questionnaire was constructed based on the 4 point-likert-scale previously invented by Renis Likert in 1932. The respondents were asked to tick one out of four stances in the questionnaire. The 4 stances ranges are started from strongly agree, agree, disagree, and strongly disagree.

Data Collection Procedures

  The questionnaire to get the data was given to the 11 th grade students of SMA Kr. Satya Wacana. The classes were Xi-MIA 3, XI-IIS 1, and XI-BB. But, before I

  got the real data, I did a piloting to XI-Lintas Minat. The first step of my piloting section, I had asked permission to the teacher to get a time for giving questionnaires. After got the permission, I gave the questionnaires to all of the students in the classroom. Then, I started to explain how to do with the questionnaire and told them that they could ask me if they had some difficulties. During the working section, there was no question related to all of the statements in the questionnaire. Nevertheless, there was a question from some students, “if I was not anxious in learning English in the classroom, but there were some statements below which suit to me, should I ticked it? This question was ambiguous Mr.” That question was confusing me because before I gave the questionnaire to them, I explained if in the part which the question was “do you anxious in learning English in the classroom” and if the answer got the real data, I did a piloting to XI-Lintas Minat. The first step of my piloting section, I had asked permission to the teacher to get a time for giving questionnaires. After got the permission, I gave the questionnaires to all of the students in the classroom. Then, I started to explain how to do with the questionnaire and told them that they could ask me if they had some difficulties. During the working section, there was no question related to all of the statements in the questionnaire. Nevertheless, there was a question from some students, “if I was not anxious in learning English in the classroom, but there were some statements below which suit to me, should I ticked it? This question was ambiguous Mr.” That question was confusing me because before I gave the questionnaire to them, I explained if in the part which the question was “do you anxious in learning English in the classroom” and if the answer

  After they finished, I took the entire questionnaire and then put them into 1 map then I analyzed the data from XI-Lintas Minat. After got the result, I came to my supervisor to report the piloting result. Moreover, I also told my supervisor about the question from some students that made me confuse. Then the result of my consultation was adding “doubt” answer option for the ambiguous question and 5 point-likert-scale changed into 4 point-likert-scale. It was because too much neutral answered from the piloting result.

  After I did the consultation and revision, I got the ready questionnaire to give it to the 3 classes to get the real data. Same like piloting, I had asked permission before giving the questionnaire. During the working, there were no questions about the questionnaire at all and the entire questions in the questionnaire were answered by the participants.

Data Analysis Procedures

  The researcher analyzed the data in tabulation. After the data were analyzed and got the result in form of percentage, there would be a briefly explanation in the findings of each tabulation. After the findings done, the researcher would take top three of the factors contributing to anxiety and the strategies to cope with the anxiety, and it will be in the discussion. Numerical values strongly disagree = 1, disagree = 2, The researcher analyzed the data in tabulation. After the data were analyzed and got the result in form of percentage, there would be a briefly explanation in the findings of each tabulation. After the findings done, the researcher would take top three of the factors contributing to anxiety and the strategies to cope with the anxiety, and it will be in the discussion. Numerical values strongly disagree = 1, disagree = 2,

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

  The findings showed that more than half of participants were anxious during the English learning process in the classroom, which were 47 students. They agreed that lack of confidence, lack of preparation, teacher’s evaluation and instruction, test anxiety, peers’ negative attitude, fear of making mistake and guilty pleasure feeling were contributing their foreign language anxiety. However, 18 students were not anxious in learning English as the foreign language. Besides, those anxious students had agreed that preparation, relaxation, positive thinking, avoidance, and working in groups or individual were the way they could reduce their anxiety in learning English in the classroom. According to all of the data results, 9 factors and 7 strategies were divided into 3 main factors which contribute to students’ anxiety and 3 strategies to cope with the students’ anxiety. The factors contributing students’ anxiety would be shown as figure 1 and the strategies to cope with the anxiety would be shown as figure 2 and both of them were displayed in diagram. Furthermore, I also displayed the detailed tables for all of the factors and strategies in percentage after the top 3 results.

  FIGURE 1

  The Factors that Contribute Anxiety in English Learning Process

  Lack of self-

  Lack of

  Negative response

  condifence

  preparation

  from friends

Factors Contributing To Foreign Language Anxiety

  The findings showed that most learners experienced a certain degree of anxiety in their FL learning. The number on the left side of the diagram was the average of agree responses. Lack of confidence (3,19) out of 4, lack of preparation (3,36) out of 4 and negative attitude from peers (3,12) out of 4, were the top 3 students’ anxiety factors. The survey, however, surprisingly revealed that most of the students did not really agree that teacher’s evaluation and instruction made them really anxious. The test anxiety was also not really impact their anxiety level. The researcher believed that those top 3 factors were the significance caused anxiety problem not only for the students, but also in other schools. Study conducted by Juhana (2012) stated that the cause of feeling lack of confidence of 62 second grade students in one of senior high school in Banten was their inability to speak English.

  Brown, (2001); Eli, 1986 as cited in Keramida, (2009) stated that students lack confidence and felt that they could not speak English because they thought that they did not have the ability to speak English well and their limited knowledge of the language. I believe that this kind of feeling would hinder the students from trying to speak English as their foreign language. From that phenomenon the teacher should concern with this issue, to get more better students’ influence participants and achievement since the students were known with their English achievement in English competition which the researcher believed it would be really needed a high confidence in using English.

  Besides of lack of confidence, preparation was also the factor that really contributed anxiety for the students. 2 items showed that they were anxious if they had a less preparation and 1 item showed that they would not get anxious if they had well prepared before the class. The result of each items was also really high. It means that preparation should be a concern for the students. Study conducted by Smith Schroth (2014) was also support that 73 of 22 students in 2 Spanish classes agreed that having less preparation would affect their performance. Mahmud Suryana (n.d) was also adeed that those who used the preparation well would perceive the inability in doing tasks may reduce their self-esteem academically. From that phenomenon, the teacher should really concern to this factor. Altough preparation was likely more for the students themselves, but perhaps teacher could remind them to have a better preparation before the class.

  Last but not least, this factor had a contribute to raise the students’ anxiety. It could be seen as a simple thing in learning process in the classroom, but most of 11 th

  grade students were agree if peers’ negative attitude would make them anxious in learning a foreign language in the classroom. One of the negative attitude was laughing on the mistake that made by the other student. According to Hamouda (2013), fear of being laughed at was one of the causes that contributes to the passivity and reticence of students to participate in the class discussion. It was also supported by Thaher (2005) as cited in Hamouda (2013), students were afraid of being laughed at or of being criticized by others due to inaccurate pronunciation. Study conducted by Saricoban (2014), stated that fifty percent of 383 pre-intermediate students in the first year of university in majoring English preparatory were worry about the reactions of their friends. He added more that the students were very afraid to be laughed at or to be a comic figure in front of the class and they sometimes did not want to speak because of this. From this phenomenon, teacher should consider about students’ behavior in the classroom. Teacher should make a positive attitude of each student in the classroom and tried to build a good habit to each student if their friends made mistake.

  FIGURE 2 The Strategies to Cope with Anxiety in English Learning Process

  Working in Groups

Strategies Used To Cope With FL Anxiety

  According to the findings, there were three strategies which has high result on agree responded to cope with their FL anxiety. The number on the left of the table were the average of agree responses. The three strategies were relaxation (3,14) out of

  4, preparation (3,19) out of 4 and work in group (3,36) out of 4. Surprisingly, made studied-habit before the class was not a suitable strategy for the students to cope their anxiety. Relaxation seems to be a simple thing and easy way to do. However, it was not that easy though. If someone wanted to relax they must control and make themselves as relax as they could, and the researcher believed it was difficult. It was because someone could not make themselves comfort with everything surround them, and tried to keep calm when they were nervous. Nevertheless, relaxation was a must. When someone relax, it would make a positive vibe for them. As stated by Conway

  (2007), students under relaxed personal conditions were benefiting from the second language class more than the anxious students. Young (1991) also suggested that learners participated in self-talk to motivate themselves into a relax situation when he or she experienced anxiety. Some examples of self-talk are, “Just relax”, “I can do this”, “Take a deep breath”, and so on.

  It was interesting to note here that preparation was the second frequently used strategy. This indicated the correlation between language incapabilitydeficit and language anxiety. Most of the students were nervous when they have less preparation before the class. Study conducted by Smith Schroth (n.d) stated that 62 of 22 students in Spanish class got increased on their anxiety level. “By using preparation strategy, at first the learners wish that they would get good mark or can master second language well” (Juhana, 2012).

  The highest strategy among others was working in group. Most of the students agreed on working in group, if they faced some difficulties assignment that given by the teacher. According to Nagahashi (2007), working in a small group can provide more opportunity to share students’ ideas and assist one to another. From working in group also, the students could increase their skill in dealing with more people, interaction skill, and have an experience working in group that would be used for another group work.

  Furthermore, the anxiety factors were described based on nine categories of factor that contribute to students’ anxiety in learning a foreign language in the Furthermore, the anxiety factors were described based on nine categories of factor that contribute to students’ anxiety in learning a foreign language in the

  Factor contributing to students’ anxiety

  Lack of Confidence

  There were four statements to measure whether the students were confident or not in learning a foreign language in the classroom.

  Table 1

  Lack of Confidence is a Factor Contributing Students’ Anxiety

  Strategies to cope with students’

  Strongly

  Strongly

  No. anxiety in English learning process

  disagree

  Disagree Agree agree

  1. I feel anxious because I have to speak

  English in the classroom

  2. I am not sure of myself when I am

  speaking in my English class

  13. I am nervous when I know that I am

  going to be called on by the teacher in my English class

  17. I can feel my heart beating so fast when

  I am going to be called on in my English class

  From the result above, we could conclude that the majority of the respondents were having lack of confidence in learning a foreign language. Item number one, 92 students were anxious when they had to speak English as their foreign language in the classroom. Item number 2, 94 students were not really confident with themselves when they had to speak English as a foreign language in the classroom. Then, item number 13 showed that 73 students were nervous when they were being called by the teacher to come forward in the classroom. The last one was item number 17 showed that the percentage was lower than the previous three items, but the “agree” results (62) were still more than the “disagree” one. Their hearts beat fast when they were being called to come forward in front of the class.

  Teacher’s Instructions

  There were three statements to measure whether the students were anxious in understanding of teacher’s instruction in learning a foreign language in the classroom.

  Table 2

  Teacher’s Instruction is a Factor Contributing Students’ Anxiety

  Factors contributing students’

  Strongly

  Strongly

  No. anxiety in learning English

  disagree Disagree Agree

  agree

  3. It makes me anxious when I don’t

  understand the teacher’s instruction in the English class

  14. It makes me afraid when I don’t

  understand what the teacher is saying in the English class

  15. I get nervous when I don’t

  understand every word the English teacher says

  The result of table 2 was quite different from table 1. In table 1, we could see clearly how the students were lack of confidence by the result, but in table 2, the responses were quite balance. Item number 3 where the students felt anxious because they often felt difficult to understand the teacher’s instruction in the English classroom had the same percentage between agree and disagree, which was 51. Item number 14 where the students became afraid when they could not understand what the teacher was talking about in the English classroom had 54 for agree responses, but the disagree responses was 46, so the difference was not too far.

  Shyness

  There were two statements to measure whether the students were feeling shy when they learned a foreign language in the classroom.

  Table 3

  Shyness is a Factor Contributing Students’ Anxiety

  Strategies to cope with students’

  Strongly

  Strongly

  No. anxiety in English learning process

  disagree

  Disagree Agree agree

  4. It embarrasses me to volunteer answers

  in my English class

  5. I feel embarrassed when I don’t say

  English words correctly

  According to the result in table 3, it was quite same with table one. It had more agree responses that indicated the students feeling shy when they learned a foreign language learning in the classroom especially when they spoke using English as a foreign language. Item number 4 where the students felt shy when they wanted to answer the questions in English classroom has 68, and it was followed by item number 5 where the students felt shy when they could not pronounce well in English classroom with 73. It indicated that they have a high shyness that contributed anxiety in their learning a foreign language process.

  Preparation

  There were 3 statements to measure whether the students were anxious when they are having lack of preparation in learning a foreign language in the classroom.

  Table 4

  Lack of Preparation is a Factor Contributing Students’ Anxiety

  Factors contributing students’

  Strongly

  Strongly

  No. anxiety in learning English

  disagree

  Disagree Agree agree

  6. I start to panic when I have to speak

  without preparation in my English class

  7. Even if I am well prepared for my

  English class, I feel anxious about it

  8. I get nervous when I come to the my

  English class with little preparation

  According to the result of table 4, lack of preparation had high result in agree the first and third statements. Item number 6 was when the students became panic if they have to speak English when they had no preparation before in the English classroom. It almost all of students agree with that and it was shown by the result which is 99. Item number 8 where the students became nervous when they were having lack of preparation in the English classroom has 79. It was also supported that preparation was really important for them because in the second statement where the students still felt anxious although they had prepared well in the English According to the result of table 4, lack of preparation had high result in agree the first and third statements. Item number 6 was when the students became panic if they have to speak English when they had no preparation before in the English classroom. It almost all of students agree with that and it was shown by the result which is 99. Item number 8 where the students became nervous when they were having lack of preparation in the English classroom has 79. It was also supported that preparation was really important for them because in the second statement where the students still felt anxious although they had prepared well in the English

  Teacher’s Evaluation

  There were two statements to measure whether the students were anxious because the teacher evaluated them in learning a foreign language in the classroom.

  Table 5

  Teacher’s Evaluation is a Factor Contributing Students’ Anxiety

  Strategies to cope with students’

  Strongly

  Strongly

  No. anxiety in English learning process

  disagree

  Disagree Agree agree

  9. I am anxious that my English teacher is

  ready to correct every mistake I make

  10. I feel afraid when my English teacher

  corrects my English speaking in the classroom

  The teacher’s evaluation result was likely the same with the teacher’s instruction table that the agree and disagree responses the difference were not really far. It was proven by the result of item number 9 where the students felt anxious because their mistake got an evaluation from the teacher in the English classroom which had only 53 agree response. For disagree response had 47 response. The distance for the result was also the same with item number 9 where the students feel The teacher’s evaluation result was likely the same with the teacher’s instruction table that the agree and disagree responses the difference were not really far. It was proven by the result of item number 9 where the students felt anxious because their mistake got an evaluation from the teacher in the English classroom which had only 53 agree response. For disagree response had 47 response. The distance for the result was also the same with item number 9 where the students feel

  Test Anxiety

  There were two statements to measure whether the students were anxious because they had a bad result on their English test or even failed in learning a foreign language in the classroom.

  Table 6

  Test Anxiety is a Factor Contributing Students’ Anxiety

  Strategies to cope with students’

  Strongly

  Strongly

  No. anxiety in English learning process

  disagree

  Disagree Agree agree

  11. I worry about the consequences of

  failing my English class

  12. I feel anxious when I get a bad mark for

  my English

  From the result above, failing and got a bad result on the test had different anxious level to the students. When they failed, some of them were not really anxious. It was proven by item number 11 where the students afraid because they failed in the English classroom which had 54 agree responses, and for disagree From the result above, failing and got a bad result on the test had different anxious level to the students. When they failed, some of them were not really anxious. It was proven by item number 11 where the students afraid because they failed in the English classroom which had 54 agree responses, and for disagree

  Peer’s Attitude

  There was one statement to measure whether the students were anxious because they got a negative responded from their friends in learning a foreign language in the classroom.

  Table 7

  Peer’s Attitude is a Factor Contributing Students’ Anxiety

  Strategies to cope with students’

  Strongly

  Strongly

  No. anxiety in English learning process

  disagree

  Disagree Agree agree

  16. I am afraid that the other students will

  laugh at me when I make mistakes

  From the data above, we could see that peer’s attitude was really matter in contributing anxiety. It showed by the agree responded result of the statement. The From the data above, we could see that peer’s attitude was really matter in contributing anxiety. It showed by the agree responded result of the statement. The

  Fear of Making Mistake

  There was one statement to measure whether the students were anxious because they were afraid when they made a mistake when they were speaking in learning a foreign language in the classroom.

  Table 8

  Fear of Making Mistake is a Factor Contributing Students’ Anxiety

  Strategies to cope with students’

  Strongly

  Strongly

  No. anxiety in English learning process

  disagree

  Disagree Agree agree

  18. I am worry about making mistakes in

  my English class

  From the result above, fear of making mistake in speaking in the English classroom could trigger an anxious feeling of the students. 80 students agree that they became afraid when they were making mistake while they were speaking in the English classroom.

  Guilty Pleasure

  There was one statement to measure whether the students were anxious because they were afraid when they made a mistake when they were speaking in learning a foreign language in the classroom

  Table 9

  Guilty Pleasure is a Factor Contributing Students’ Anxiety

  Strategies to cope with students’

  Strongly

  Strongly

  No. anxiety in English learning process

  disagree

  Disagree Agree agree

  19. I feel very bad if I fail my English class

  According to the data, the last table of the factor that contributing students’ anxiety was like the same with table 2 and 5. The result between agree and disagree responded were not too far. The students felt guilty when they failed in English course had 57 agree response and 43 disagree responded.

  Strategies to cope with the anxiety

  Positive Thinking

  There were three statements to measure whether the students were using this strategy to cope with their anxiety in learning a foreign language in the classroom.

  Table 1

  Positive Thinking is a Strategy to cope with the Anxiety

  Strategies to cope with students’

  Strongly

  Strongly

  No. anxiety in English learning process

  disagree

  Disagree Agree agree

  1. I imagine myself giving a great

  performance

  2. I tell myself that others must also be

  anxious

  3. I tell myself that I am ok when I feel

  anxious in my English class

  From the result above, positive thinking had a high result on agree result. 3 statements had more than 50 agree responded. Item number 1 where the students imagined themselves performed in a good performance in the English classroom had

  96 agree responded. Item number 2 where the students told themselves that their friends were also anxious in the English classroom had 62 agree responded. Then the last item, number 3 was when the students told themselves that they were fine when they felt nervous in the English classroom has 81 agree responded.

  Preparation

  There was one statement to measure whether the students using this strategy to cope with their anxiety in learning a foreign language in the classroom.

  Table 2

  Preparation is a Strategy to cope with the Anxiety

  Strategies to cope with students’

  Strongly

  Strongly

  No. anxiety in English learning process

  disagree

  Disagree Agree agree

  4. I try to initiate to make a lot of

  preparation in English classroom