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1. Anxiety in Speaking English as a Second Language
Tianfei Jiang
GPP
University of Guelph
April 3, 2013

2. Tianfei Jiang
GPP University of Guelph
April 3, 2013
Anxiety in Speaking English as a Second Language
Students from non-English speaking countries are usually required to attain a certain
level of English language proficiency before engaging in further study in universities.
Generally, language barrier challenges international students both in academic areas and in
social life. These challenges for most of international students bring a feeling of anxiety that
could affect the successful acquisition of second language and the adaptation in target
academic environment. Numerous studies have found that anxiety is negatively related to
language achievement. As Mak states in his text that anxiety, as “a state of apprehension, a
vague fear”, is one of the “pervasive obstacles” in second language acquisition process. (Mak,
202).
According to the research data, international graduate students rank speaking as one of
the most important and difficult skills in university study. (Cheng, Myles and Curtis, p.58, 59)
As has been proved, anxiety is clearly an issue in language learning process, and it is mainly
manifested in speaking. (See Howeitz, Woodrow, & Mak) The results in Woodrow’s research
revealed that there were “significant negative correlations between both in-class and
out-of-class anxiety and oral performance”. (Woodrow, 317) Thus, this research paper aims to
find the speaking stressors as experienced by international students and their coping strategies.
Specifically, ethnicity and anxiety provoking factors including interaction with native
speakers, public performance, not being allowed to use the first language (L1) in the second
language (L2) class, and fear of negative evaluation contribute to speaking anxiety in English
as a second language context.

3. Tianfei Jiang
GPP University of Guelph
April 3, 2013
There is an evidence of variation between ethnic groups and varied degrees of speaking
anxiety. Due to different cultural value, international students react differently in speaking
class. According to Woodrow, Chen, and Mak, compared to non-Asian students, students
from China, Japan, and Korea are less active and more anxious in discussion and oral
performance. All of them pointed out that Confucian values, such as “face”, “silence”, and
“group unity”, affect students’ reaction in spoken English.
Woodrow explained in his article that English language learners from Confucius heritage
cultures valued “face” and “silence”. (Woodrow, 322) Mak also described the same trait of
“face” that he confirmed in his research. He reported that Chinese students are more easily
pressured than their European counterpart because “face” and “group unity” are threatened
when they speak in English within class. (Mak, 212) Likewise, the Korean interviewer in
Chen’s project stated that keeping silent, unless being invited to talk, is believed as a virtue of
students in Korea. She concluded in the text that ethnic tradition is one of the major aspects
that influence students’ in-class-speaking interaction. (Chen, 268) These studies indicate that
culture has an impact on students’ willingness to communicate and leads to various degrees
of anxiety. Regardless of international students’ different ethnic groups, non-native English
students reported that anxiety is pervasively experienced in language learning for different
causations.
In order to avoid attributing international students’ anxiety in English speaking simply to
ethnic/cultural background, several stress causations are discussed as below. To summaries,
the most prominent anxiety-provoking factors among ESL students are interaction with native
speakers, fear of public oral performance, fear of negative evaluation and not being allowed

4. Tianfei Jiang
GPP University of Guelph
April 3, 2013
to use the first language in second language classroom. These four factors are all showed in
Woodrow, Mak, Chen and Pappamihiel’s papers.
Among the four stressors, the most frequent stressful situation is interacting with native
speaker. In Pappamihiel’s study, when respondents were asked about their social and
interpersonal interaction, they said their interaction with English-speaking students is to be
“strained” and “avoided” because they are not comfortable when they speak to native
speakers. (Pappamihiel, 340) “Talking to native speakers” is presented as a stressful thing in
Woodrow’s project as well. (Woodrow, 319) Similar to Pappamihiel and Woodrow’s findings,
“unconfortableness when speaking with native speakers” also appeared in Mak’s study to
provoke anxiety. (Mak, 210) As can be seen, communicating with native speakers is found to
be most stressful.
Another major causation in speaking anxiety is fear of negative evaluation. All of Cheng,
Mak, and Pappamihiel found that fear of negative evaluation is substantially experienced.
Most of international students are embarrassed about being negative evaluated by instructors
and being teased by peers simply because of their speaking errors. (See Pappamihiel, Chen,
and Mak) For example, the interviewers in Chen’s study showed worry and
self-consciousness when they engaged in speaking in front of instructors and in
communicative tasks.
Besides, public performance and not being allowed to use the first language in second
language classroom are also prominent in previous studies. (See Pappamihiel, Woodrow, and
Mak) For instance, “speech anxiety”, “speaking with exposure to others” and “speaking in
front of the class in second language classroom without preparation” provoke high

5. Tianfei Jiang
GPP University of Guelph
April 3, 2013
speaking-in-class anxiety in Mak’s paper. (Mak, 209) Mak also reported that being allowed to
appropriately use the first language mitigates stress in spoken English within class. (Mak, 210)
Similar to this result, Pappamihiel states in her article that anxiety is relatively reduced when
teachers appropriately use students’ mother tongue in class. (Pappamihiel, 340)
Because anxiety interferes with an individual’s processing of learning and leads to poor
performance, strategies for reducing anxiety are extremely necessary in language learning
and communication. (Chen, 272) When coping in response to anxiety in spoken English
within and outside class, non-native English speaking students react differently. According to
the articles from Pappamihiel, Chen, and Woodrow, a numbers of coping strategies are used
by ESL students with high levels of English speaking anxiety. However, most students are
found to behave negatively when they coping with their anxiety. Negative strategies such as
avoidance, reticence, using peers who speak better as intermediaries, and refusing to befriend
with native classmates are normally used. (Pappamihiel, 328 & 345) All these strategies are
not expected in language learning process though. In Chen’s research, her respondents prefer
reticence, says “think deeply before talking” and “say little rather than too much”, as their
most frequent strategies. (Chen, 265&267) In addition, some students “pretend no one else
around or ignore the class and teacher when speaking”, even though this is not defined as a
negative strategy. (Pappamihiel, 345)
In terms of positive strategies, some coping mechanisms in Woodrow’s research are
recommended. To be specific, perseverance and improving language skills are the most
frequent positive coping strategies for ESL students in her research. Meanwhile, relaxation
techniques such as deep breathing and conscious efforts to calm down are also used among

6. Tianfei Jiang
GPP University of Guelph
April 3, 2013
ESL students. (Woodrow, 320) Undoubtedly, positive strategies are beneficial for ESL
students to overcome their anxiety in language learning, not only in speaking, because
language anxiety and language achievement act and react upon one another. As Pappamihiel
claimed, “when learners see situation as threatening, there can be an adverse affect on
learning.” (Pappamihiel,329) Meanwhile, he also found that there is a significant relationship
between language and language achievement, which indicates that English language anxiety
decreased when ESL achievement increased. (Pappamihiel, 340) Like a positive spiral, when
language skills improved, anxiety decreased. When anxiety is mitigated, students feel more
comfortable and confident to practice their language ability. On the contrary, students who
use avoidance as a coping strategy would negatively affect language learning and leads to
poor performance. In turn, it brings more anxiety in further language learning process and
academic achievement ultimately.
Overall, there is a negative relationship between anxiety in speaking a second language
and speaking achievement because anxiety has been found to interfere with learning and
performance. That is to say, language anxiety is either a cause or a result of poor language
learning, they negatively affect each other. Thus, coping strategies and attitude are vitally
important in language acquisition process.
In this research paper, it summarizes four major common oral stressors among
international students in English speaking countries and these students’ frequent coping
strategies. These findings call for the attention of the English language teaching profession.
For researchers, educators and instructor, while understanding the causations of anxiety and
students’ reactions appears to be important, it is even more important in seeking solutions to

7. Tianfei Jiang
GPP University of Guelph
April 3, 2013
help ESL students to minimize their anxiety. It is generally recommended that comfortable
and supportive atmosphere in class should be provided. In addition, understanding of how
learners approach language learning and their expectation for success or failure are also
necessary. Students who learn English as a second language are not only learn a new
language, but they also learn another culture and life.
In future study, to what extent anxiety is negatively related to speaking achievement
could be further researched. On the other hand, when further explore on ethnicity, researchers
could take both cultural aspects and individual variations into consideration to avoid
oversimplifying cultural background.

8. Tianfei Jiang
GPP University of Guelph
April 3, 2013
Work Cited
Cheng, Liying, Johanna Myles, and Andy Curtis. "Targeting Language Support for
Non-native English-Speaking Graduate Students at a Canada University." TESL
Canada Journal. 21.2 (2004): 50-71. Print.
Chen, Teresa. “Reticence in class and on-line: Two ESL Students’ Experiences with
Communicative Language Teaching.” System. 31 (2003): 259-281. Print
Mak, Barley. “An Exploration of Speaking-in-class Anxiety with Chinese ESL Learners.”
System. 39 (2011): 202-214. Print.
Pappamihiel, N. Eleni. “English as a Second Language Students and English Language
Anxiety: Issues in the Mainstream Classroom.” Research in the Teaching of English. 36.3
(2002): 327-355. Print.
Woodrow, Lindy. “Anxiety and Speaking English as a Second Language.” RELC. 37.3 (2006):
308-328. Print.