ASSESSING CAUSES OF STUDENTS᾽ LANGUAGE ANXIETY DURING ORAL COMMUNICATION IN ENGLISH CLASSROOM AT JACHO SECONDARY AND PREPARATORY SCHOOL: GRADE TEN IN FOCUS

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess causes of grade ten students’ language anxiety during oral communication in English classroom at Jacho Secondary and Preparatory School. In order to achieve this objective, explanatory case study research design was employed. All (Two English language teachers) were selected using available sampling technique and 114 Grade ten students were selected through random sampling technique from 260 students. Three data gathering instruments were employed such as questionnaire, interviews, and classroom observations. A five point Likert scale type questionnaires were prepared by the current researcher through adapting the nature of items from the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) that was previously developed standard questionnaire in the area (Horwitz et al., (1986). These questionnaires were distributed for those selected students in EFL classroom. Again, interview questions were used for those English teachers. Likewise, classroom observation was held two times each sections of grade ten in the school using checklist in EFL classroom. To analyze the obtained data, both quantitative methods and qualitative methods of data analysis were carried out in this study. The findings of the study showed that: Students᾽ fear of making mistakes during discussion, English teachers correction of learners’ error while discussing. Furthermore, students’ lack of self-confidence to express their ideas in EFL classroom, students᾽ poor background of linguistic proficiency, shortage of grammatical skills were causes of students language anxiety. What is more, teachers’ failures to apply active teaching-learning method were causes of students’ language anxiety. The study recommended that overcome students’ language anxiety in EFL classes: teachers should make students aware that making mistakes can be a learning experience. Ultimately, students ought to learn vocabulary in English classroom and sentence structure (grammar) through communicatively that to overcome their oral communication anxiety