The document discusses research on speaking anxiety among English-major students in Ghana. It aims to identify the causes of in-class speaking anxiety and strategies to address it. The study collected qualitative data through interviews with 30 English-major students. The findings revealed that inferiority complex, fear of mistakes, lack of preparation, negative evaluation, limited vocabulary and self-criticism cause speaking anxiety. The students suggested creating a supportive classroom environment, peer assessment, more speaking activities, positive feedback, and resignation as coping strategies. The study recommends future quantitative research to generalize the outcomes.

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RESEACH ON EFL
English speaking anxiety among English-major tertiary students in ghana
LANGUAGE ANXIETYAMONG ENGLISH SPEAKING STUDENTS AT UNIVERSITY
NUR ISLAMIYAH
A 122 23 005

2. Language proficiency is an important component of effective communication and
academic success, especially in a globalized world where English serves as a lingua
franca in many academic and professional environments. Universities around the world,
including Tadulako University itself, have seen an influx of international students and
adopted English as the language of instruction. . Therefore, a differentiated
understanding of the language-related challenges faced by students, both native and
non-native speakers of English, is crucial. English language proficiency is an integral
part of academic achievement, it is important to know how a lack of vocabulary can
hinder a student's progress. At the same time, language anxiety, which is often a result
of these deficiencies, can have a detrimental effect on a student's self-esteem,
participation, and overall learning experience. By providing qualitative insights, it aims
to contribute to the development of targeted language education programs and support
mechanisms that can empower university students to achieve better English language
proficiency and reduce language anxiety, ultimately improving their academic and
professional prospects in this global era.
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introduction

3. Based on the explanation on the background, the researcher formulated research
question as follow:
"How do vocabulary deficiencies contribute to the development and cause of
language anxiety among English-speaking students at University and what coping
strategies do they employ to manage these intertwined challenges within the academic
environment?"
Research question

4. The first study entitled "The Importance of Vocabulary in Language Learning and How it is Taught" (ALQAHTANI, 2015) Academy in Saudi Arabia
discuss the importance of vocabulary in language acquisition and teaching. This research emphasizes that vocabulary learning is very important for foreign
language learners and plays a central role in language development. This thesis reviews previous research on vocabulary acquisition and highlights the
importance of vocabulary knowledge for successful communication and language use.
The article states that many teachers face challenges in teaching vocabulary effectively due to a lack of confidence in best practices. This journal article
also discusses the difficulties second language learners face in acquiring vocabulary and the need for vocabulary for various language skills, briefly touching on
the education system in Saudi Arabia, especially the teaching of English as a foreign language. It is stated that English is introduced to students in fourth grade,
and the authors state that vocabulary is very important for English language learners, although grammar is often given priority. The author suggests that teachers
be provided with appropriate techniques and materials to facilitate effective vocabulary teaching. Overall, this article emphasizes the importance of vocabulary in
language learning, explores the challenges in teaching vocabulary, and provides insight into the role of vocabulary in the Saudi educational system.
Related study

5. The second research was conducted (Sugiyati & Indriani, 2021)explored the topic of public speaking anxiety among English Department students. This
research focuses on the anxiety that students experience in relation to public speaking. This highlights that the pressure of speaking in front of an audience can led
to feelings of tension and anxiety. Students often try to avoid situations that require public speaking for fear of making mistakes and negative judgment from
others. This study used the Public Speaking Class Anxiety Scale (PSCAS) to measure the level of public speaking anxiety among the participants. The results
showed that 58.8% of students experienced moderate levels of anxiety. The main causes of public speaking anxiety are identified as fear of negative evaluation,
communication concerns, and test anxiety. It was also noted that only about half of students reported feeling comfortable when speaking English. This research
highlights the need for effective strategies to help students overcome their anxiety and develop confidence in public speaking. Overall, this study contributes to
the existing literature on public speaking anxiety among EFL students. This report emphasizes the importance of addressing this issue and provides insight into
the specific factors that contribute to anxiety in the context of public speaking. The findings of this study can inform the development of targeted interventions
and support systems to assist students in overcoming their anxiety and improving their public speaking skills.
Related study

6. The third research was conducted (Chen et al., 2022) with the titled "The Relationship Between Language Anxiety and English-Speaking Performance".
This study investigates the correlation between language anxiety and the speaking performance of Taiwanese students learning English. The participants were 59
students taking a semester-long English-Speaking Communication course at a university in central Taiwan.
The article highlights that speaking skills are considered more challenging to master compared to other language skills. The study suggested a moderate
negative correlation between FLA scores and second language achievement. This article also discusses the impact of anxiety on academic performance, where
anxiety affects learning outcomes and contributes to a vicious circle of decreased performance.
This research uses the Foreign Language Class Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) as the main instrument to measure students' anxiety levels. Overall, this article
provides insight into the relationship between language anxiety and English-speaking performance among Taiwanese college students and offers pedagogical
suggestions for second language educators.
Related study

7. Data collection procedure/method of the data collection used in this study involved
qualitative methods, specifically semi-structured interviews. Here are the key details:
a) Sample: The study collected data from 30 English-major students who attend a
college of education in the Western North region of Ghana.
b) Data Collection Instrument: Semi-structured interviews were used as the data
collection instrument. Semi-structured interviews involve a set of predetermined
questions or topics, but the interviewer has the flexibility to explore additional areas
of interest and probe for more in-depth responses.
Data collection procedure/method of data collection

8. The data analysis in the mentioned journal article utilized
inductive coding data analysis procedures and techniques. After
collecting qualitative data through semi-structured interviews
with 30 English-major students from a college of education in
Ghana, the researchers analysed the data. The analysis involved
identifying dominant patterns and themes emerging from the data
and grouping and examining them.
Data analysis

9. The article titled "English speaking anxiety among English-major tertiary students in Ghana" explores the
issue of speaking anxiety among trainee teachers in colleges of education in Ghana. The study aims to identify the
causes of speaking anxiety in learners and provide strategies to mitigate this anxiety. The research collected
qualitative data through semi-structured interviews with 30 English-major students from a college of education in
the Western North region of Ghana. The data were analysed using inductive coding data analysis procedures to
identify dominant patterns and themes. The findings of the study reveal that the major causes of speaking anxiety
among English-major students in Ghana include inferiority complex, fear of making mistakes, lack of preparation,
fear of limited knowledge, negative evaluation from tutors and peers, limited vocabulary, and self-criticism .The
participants also suggested strategies to address the problem of speaking anxiety, such as creating a learner-friendly
and less formal classroom environment, implementing peer assessment, encouraging more speaking activities in the
classroom, providing positive evaluative feedback, and promoting resignation and avoidance as coping
mechanisms. Based on the findings, the study recommends that future research could employ a quantitative
approach to further explore and generalize the outcomes.
Interpretation the findings

10. It must be underscored that (English) speaking anxiety remains one of the most important issues in language teaching
and learning in a non-native context like Ghana. This study dealt with the causes of in- class English speaking anxiety among
trainee teachers in the college of education in Ghana, using a college in the Western North region as the case study. It also
examined the strategies that can be adopted to combat the complex phenomenon of speaking anxiety. The results revealed
that some of the causes of speaking anxiety among Ghanaian tertiary students are inferiority complex, fear of committing
mistakes, spontaneity and the lack of preparation, fear of negative evaluation from tutors and peers, limited knowledge and
vocabulary in the language and self- criticism. (Fenyi et al., 2023)To extend beyond just unravelling the problem, the study
also delved into the practical strategies to mitigate the speaking anxiety problem. From the perspective of the learners, some
of the strategies include creating a learner-friendly and less formal classroom environment, peer assessment, encouraging
the use of more speaking activities in the classroom, positive evaluative feedback and resignation and avoidance. The
findings of the study expect to contribute to the understanding of the complex phenomenon of speaking anxiety and provide
some useful insights into how English language students and teachers in Ghana, and in similar contexts globally, could
effectively handle the problem.
It must be emphasized, however, that, the empirical results presented in the study should be considering some
limitations. The responses that are provided the research questions are based on the data gathered through the interview
method from only the college of education students specializing in English language.
Conclusion:

11. References
Fenyi, D. A., Kongo, A. E., Tabiri, M. O., & Jones-Mensah, I. (2023). English speaking anxiety
among English-major tertiary students in Ghana. International Journal of Evaluation and
Research in Education, 12(3), 1716–1726. https://doi.org/10.11591/ijere.v12i3.25027
ALQAHTANI, M. (2015). The importance of vocabulary in language learning and how to be taught. International
Journal of Teaching and Education, III(3), 21–34. https://doi.org/10.20472/te.2015.3.3.002
Chen, I.-J., Cheng, K.-R., & Chuang, C.-H. (2022). Relationship Between Language Anxiety and English Speaking
Performance. English Language Teaching, 15(11), 78. https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v15n11p78
Sugiyati, K., & Indriani, L. (2021). Exploring the Level and Primary Causes of Public Speaking Anxiety Among
English Department Students. Journal of Research on Language Education, 2(1), 57.
https://doi.org/10.33365/jorle.v2i1.906

12. Thank you 