Indonesian EFL students' perceptions on speaking anxiety in online speaking learning activities : Covid-19 pandemic context

Anxiety and learning a foreign language are interrelated. In other words, anxiety often arises when learning a foreign language happens, especially in speaking. Thus, students' foreign language speaking anxiety occurs in face-to-face and online classes. The presence of this speaking anxiety adversely affects students' learning and language proficiency. Therefore, the primary purpose of this study is to investigate the students' perceptions of speaking anxiety in online English learning activities in COVID-19 pandemic context. With this aim in mind, this research involves all third semesters totaling 134 students majoring in English Education at one of the State Islamic Universities in Java, Indonesia. This study utilized a qualitative approach with a case study method as a design. In addition, the survey method used a 4-point Likert Scale for The Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety Scale, adapted from Alla et al., 2020, and semi-structured interviews were carried out as a data collection technique. The results obtained confirmed that the factors that cause students' speaking anxiety in online English-speaking classes are: communication apprehension, fear of negative evaluation, and test anxiety. This study also revealed that an effort to reduce students' speaking anxiety was by preparation and practice, relaxation, positive thinking, and peer thinking. Thus, students' perceptual awareness takes a main part in dealing with speaking anxiety in online English speaking classes. Based on the results that have been acquired, it is recommended for teachers to be able to build a classroom atmosphere that makes students feel safe in an effort to avoid speaking anxiety. In addition, students must also be able to understand the causes and efforts to overcome speaking anxiety