Students' English Speaking Anxiety at 9th Grade of SMP Muhammadiyah Sokaraja

ABSTRACT Learners consider speaking skills to be the most challenging aspect of foreign language learning. Many Language learners sometimes evaluate their success in language learning based on how well they have improved their spoken language ability. On another side, Anxiety could make an impact on students’ learning. It means that if the students have low anxiety, they will be more successful in acquiring English. The current research aimed at investigating the types of speaking anxiety, the factors that causing students’ anxiety in speaking English, and students strategies to reduce anxiety. The subject of the research were students’ of SMP Muhammadiyah Sokaraja, especially 9th grade D. The object of the research were to find out the types of speaking anxiety, to indicate the factors causing speaking anxiety, and to find out students’ strategies in reduce their anxiety. A qualitative research was employed as the research design of this research. The data obtained from observation, interview, and documentation. Data analysis in this research was data reduction, data display, and conclusion or verification The result of the research showed that there were two types of students’ English speaking anxiety that appeared at 9th Grade of SMP Muhammadiyah Sokaraja. They were state anxiety and specific-situational anxiety. The researcher indicated Four factors causing students’ English speaking anxiety. They were afraid of making mistakes (vocabularies, grammar, and pronunciation), self-perception (shynes and confidence), being laughed at by the others, and lack of preparation. Therefore, the researcher also found some strategies that were used by students in reducing anxiety in speaking English. Those are: preparation, positive thinking, peer of seeking, avoid eye contact to the audience, and relaxation. Keywords: Students’ anxiety, English language, Speaking skil