EFL VIETNAMESE STUDENTS’ ANXIETY IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE SPEAKING AND LISTENING: A CASE STUDY AT TRA VINH UNIVERSITY, VIETNAM

Abstract

Anxiety in learning a foreign language should be explored as it can be a barrier to language acquisition. Therefore, this study examines students’ perceived anxiety in two English skills sessions: Speaking and Listening. The study employed 180 non-English-majored students pursuing their bachelor’s degrees at a university. They are from different majors. The study adapted the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale questionnaire, using a five-point Likert scale to measure their perceptions of anxiety. There are a total of 64 items in the questionnaire, of which 32 items belong to speaking skills and the other 32 items are for listening skills. For descriptive data analysis, the speaking skill is divided into positive (21 items) and negative (11 items). The listening skill also includes 21 positive items and 11 negative items. Three major results were found, including participants' responses to positive items, negative items, and both of them. For positive items, there was no statistical difference between the two sessions regarding their foreign language anxiety. The results related to negative items revealed that the student’s anxiety was perceived to be higher in the Speaking session than in the Listening session. As a result of this test (both positive and negative items), the student’s anxiety is perceived to be similarly moderate in both sessions. Overall, recommendations were made to reduce anxiety among students in English classes.