Strategies to Overcome Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety: A Study Conducted at the Faculty of Languages, Cultures and Communication, South East European University

Abstract Considering that speaking is a productive skill, the target of each language learner is to develop and enhance it. Very often language learners struggle to improve their speaking abilities due to the speaking anxiety (SA). According to many researchers speaking anxiety is a very complex and multidimensional phenomenon which occurs in different learning settings. If not approached and directed accordingly SA might hinder student’s ability to use the target language, being reluctant to participate in classroom activities. In this context, language teachers rarely manage to identify the anxious students and the reasons for their lack of motivation and low speaking performance. This study aims to identify the strategies for reducing students SA and provide teachers with tools that can be used with language learners to overcome it. It also examined the characteristics of anxious students and in which way the SA can be identified and managed. The study included a mixed method design using qualitative and quantitative data. The data were obtained through an adapted questionnaire based on Horwitz’s “Foreign Language Anxiety Scale” (FLCAS, 1986) and semi-structured interviews done at the end of the semester. The findings of the research will help EFL teachers to use strategies that reduce the SA in foreign language classes. By utilizing these techniques, they can help learners to navigate their learning progress and increase their self-confidence