Level and causes of English-speaking anxiety among Saudi students at Jazan University.

Abstract

The current study aimed to explore the level of speaking anxiety and its causes among English language students at Jazan University. It employed Horwitz and Cope’s (1986) Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS), which was modified by Altamni (2015). The questionnaire was distributed online to explore the students’ levels of speaking anxiety and the associated causes. The participants consisted of 50 female students currently studying the English language at Jazan University. Subsequently, three female students were interviewed to further investigate the levels and causes of reported speaking anxiety. The results revealed that the female students had moderate speaking anxiety. The primary cause of this anxiety was identified as the student’s language proficiency, which led to the student experiencing speaking anxiety.