Nama

: Ahmad Muflih

NIM

: 20400111007

Fakultas

: Tarbiyah dan Keguruan

Jurusan

: Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris

Judul

: Reducing Students Anxiety to Speak English (Survey

Study at the ninth grade of MTSN Model Makassar).

A. Background of the Study

Empirical research shows that anxious foreign language students are less
willing to participate in learning activities, and have lower performance than nonanxious students (Aida 1994, MacIntyre and Gardner 1991, in Tsiplakides,
2009:39). So. Students anxiety to speak English very important to be solved.
Because it can be influence their speaking ability. Beside that, speaking English
must be practice to be succes pronounciation and vocabulary, especially to
improve their speaking ability.
Anxiety can be described as a perceived notion of psychological distress
which occurs due to the expectation of a disconcerting and potentially threatening
event. Although extensive research has focused on the concept of anxiety, it
cannot be defined by purely objective or concrete means (Rachman, 2004, in
Larson, 2007: 2 ). We define anxiety as an emotion characterized by feelings of
anticipated danger, tension, and distress and by sympathetic nervous system
arousal. (Davidoff, 1981: 356).
Many causes of students anxiety to speak English, its important for
students to reduce their anxiety to speak English, Because (Bailey, in Zhang,
2001:52) says: A contributing factor to learners' success or failure to master

second/foreign language is the manner that learners for their worries,

apprehension, and even dread when faced with a certain language
According to learning theory of Thorndike, As explained by Surya
(1996:29) stated The learning theory of Thorndike represents the original S-R
framework of behavioral psychology: Learning is the result of associations
forming between stimuli and responses. Such associations or "habits" become
strengthened or weakened by the nature and frequency of the S-R pairings. The
paradigm for S-R theory was trial and error learning in which certain responses
come to dominate others due to rewards. The hallmark of connectionism (like all
behavioral theory) was that learning could be adequately explained without
refering to any unobservable internal states. Thorndike's theory consists of three
primary laws: (1) law of effect - responses to a situation which are followed by a
rewarding state of affairs will be strengthened and become habitual responses to
that situation, (2) law of readiness - a series of responses can be chained together
to satisfy some goal which will result in annoyance if blocked, and (3) law of
exercise - connections become strengthened with practice and weakened when
practice is discontinued. A corollary of the law of effect was that responses that
reduce the likelihood of achieving a rewarding state (i.e. punishments, failures)
will decrease in strength.
In this case, the writer intends to take up that problem, through his paper
entitled: REDUCING STUDENTS ANXIETY TO SPEAK ENGLISH (Survey
study at the eight grade of MTSN 1 Rajadesa).

B. Reason for choosing the topic:

The writer choose the topic of his study based on the following reasons:
1. Students anxiety to speak English in the class is a problem commonly found in
English study, especially for speaking. Consequently, students cant improve their
speaking ability. So the writer choose this topics to give contribution in Reducing
Students Anxiety to Speak English.
2. All teachers need a place to share about students problem, especially students
anxiety to speak english problem to find out best solution.
3. Anxiety is one of the wide varieties of emotional and behaviour disorders, it is
a major predictor for low academic performance among students. To this, anxiety
should be taken seriously.
4. Anxiety is one of the fundamental sensations of humans. All human beings
become little anxious when faced to a perilous situation.
C. Problem Statement
1. What are the causes of students anxiety to speak English?
2. How the students anticipates to reduce their anxiety to speak english?
D. Research Objective
This research will be aimed at finding out:
1. The causes of students anxiety to speak English.
2. The students anticipates to reduce their anxiety to speak English.
E. Significance of the study
The result of the study are hoped to give benefits for teachers, the researcher, and
the other researchers:
1. For Teachers

Through this research, the teacher will be able to increase teaching speaking
better, to know The causes of Students anxiety to speak English. And how
students anticipates to reduce their anxiety to speak english.
2. For researcher
Through this study, the writer will be able to improve his knowledge in writing
good paper, and to improve his knowledge in students anxiety to speak English.
3. For other researcher
Other researchers can use the result of this research as a comparative study.
F. Research Scope
Based on the research question above, the writer will limit the discussion
of reducing students anxiety to speak english at the ninth grade of MTsN Model
Makassar. The research itself will focus to answer of problem statement.
G. Definition of Key Terms
1. Reducing : Overcome the students' anxiety to speak english.
2. Student: a person who studies a particular academic subject.
3. Anxiety: the problem in this study, anxiety is one of the psychophysiology
difficulties (Roger, 2001. Cited in Vitasari, 2010: 89). According to Sarason that
anxiety is a basic human emotion consisting of fear and uncertainty that typically
appears when an individual perceives an event as being a threat to the ego or self
esteem (Harris & Coy, 2003. Cited in Vitasari, et.al. 2010:89). Anxiety and fear
are sometimes distinguished from one another on two dimensions, 1. The object
of a fear is easy to specify, while the object of an anxiety is often unclear. 2. The
intensity of a fear is proportional to the magnitude of the danger.
(Davidoff,1981:356).

4. Speak English: One of student lesson of junior high school at the ninth grade of
MTsN Model Makassar as a foreign language.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
A. Design
According to Nunan and Bailey (2009:25) the overall purpose of a survey
is to obtain a snapshot of conditions, attitudes, and/or events of an entire
population at a single point in time by collecting data from a sample drawn from
that population.
Relevant to the purpose and research question above, survey study design
will be employed to capture the details about Reducing Students anxiety to speak
english. Survey study involves systematically gathering enough information about
a particular person, social setting, event, to permit the research to effectively
understand how the subject operate and how the subject solve the problem.
B. Procedure
The writer will carry out the research comprising some steps as follows:
1. Asking for permission to the headmaster of MTsN Model Makassar.
2. Giving the questionaire to the students at ninth grade of MTsN Model
Makassar.
3. Conducting the interview.
4. Calculating the percentage from the data of questionaire.
5. Making the transcrift of interview.
6. Generalizing the data of interview.
7. Making Conclusion.

C. Population and Sample

As population, the writer will take the students at the ninth grade of MTsN
Model Makassar. To determine the sample, the researcher will use cluster
sampling technique. because there are more than one class in the school. There
will only be one class which will be given treatment. cluster sampling technique
is Restrict one's selection to a particular subgroups. from within the population.
(Nunan and Bailey, 2009:128)
D. Setting of the Study
This study will be conducted in one of junior high school in Makassar, i.e. MTsN
Model Makassar.
E. Data Collection Technique
It is impossible to collect the data from respondent without any instrument. There
will be several instruments used by writer to get the data from respondents, i.e,
questionaire and interview. Meanwhile, to discover the causes of students anxiety
to speak english and the students anticipate to reduce their anxiety to speak
english, the researcher will use a questionaire and interview. The interview will be
conducted to validate data from the questionaire.
DATA ANALYSIS TECHNIQUE
1. Data Analysis of Questionaire
To investigate the causes of students anxiety and the students anticipates or
strategis to anticipate the difficulties, the researcher will give a questionaire. the
writer will use Closed items on Questionaire method. According to Nunan and
Bailey (2009:130) Closed items on Questionaire which the range of possible
responses is determined by the researcher and the respondent select from or
evaluate the option provided. The data from questionaire will be analyzed by

using Closed Items on Questionaire. And the percentage computation as

suggested by Hatch and Lazaraton (1991:136) as follows :

To interpret the obtained data from the percentage computation, the writer will
use percentage categories according to Ali (1985:184) as follows:
0%

: none of the respondents

1%-25%

: small number of respondents

26%-49%

: almost half of respondents

50%

: half of the respondents

51%-75%

: most of the respondents

76%-99%

: almost all of respondents

100%

: all of the respondents

2. Data Analysis Interview

To obtain data of this study, the writer uses standardized open ended interviews.
According to Turner (2010:756) Standardized open ended interviews are likely
the most popular form of interviewing utilized in research studies because of the
nature of the open ended questions, allowing the participants to fully express their
viewpoints and experiences. The data from interview will be analyzed by
generalizing of the data.

LITERATURE REVIEW
1. Three Stages of Language Learning
Language anxiety has been theorized to occur at all the three stages of
language learning: input, processing and output. The description of these three
stages with relation to anxiety will point out why Second/Foreign language
learners make mistakes and the reasons of linguistic difficulties Second

language/Foreign learners face in learning and using the target language. This can
offer an insight to help understand anxiety experienced while communicating in
the target language.
This section discusses the psychological and linguistic reasons of language
anxiety that occurs at all the three stages of language learning: input, processing,
and output.
a) Input
Input is the first stage of language learning. It activates Language
Acquisition Device (LAD) an innate language specific module in the brain
(Tanveer, 2007: 20), which carries out the further process of language learning.
Anxiety at the input stage (input anxiety) refers to the anxiety experienced by the
learners when they encounter a new word or phrase in the target language. Input
anxiety is receivers apprehension when receiving information from auditory and
visual clues
Input anxiety is more likely to cause miscomprehension of the message
sent by the interlocutors, which may lead to the loss of successful communication
and an increased level of anxiety.
b) Processing
Anxiety at the processing stage, called processing anxiety, refers to the
apprehension students experience when performing cognitive operations on new
information (Tranveer, 2007:21). working on the Information Processing
Model have tried to explore how these cognitive operations are performed in
human brain and have explained the learners inability to spontaneously use
everything they know about a language at a given time.

The Cognitive Processing Model can also explain the difficulty learners feel in
remembering and retrieving vocabulary items while communicating in the target
language another important source of language anxiety for the EFL/ESL learners.
(MacIntyre and Gardner, 1991,in Tranveer, 2007:22), found a significant negative
correlation between language anxiety and ability to repeat a short string of
numbers and to recall vocabulary items.
c) Output
Anxiety while communicating in the target language is more likely to
appear at the output stage, which entirely depends upon the successful completion
of the previous stages: input, and processing. Anxiety at the output stage refers to
learners nervousness or fear experienced when required to demonstrate their
ability to use previously learned material. ManIntyre and Gardner asserted, High
level of anxiety at this stage might hinder students ability to speak in the target
language (Tranveer, 2007:30).
2. Some of The Causes of Anxiety
According to Horwitz et al. (1986: 127) says considering language anxiety
with relation to performance evaluation within academic and social contexts, drew
parallels between it and three related performance anxieties: (1) communication
apprehension (CA), (2) test anxiety, (3) fear of negative evaluation.(Tanveer.
2007:11). This description will general for the causes of students anxiety in
speaking english (foreign language). providing an insight to comprehend the
sources or causes it can originate from.
(a). Communication Apprehension (CA)
Students personality traits such as shyness, quietness, and reticence are
considered to frequently precipitate CA. These feelings of shyness differential

from individual to individual, and from situation to situation. According to

McCroskey and Bond (1980, 1984, in Tanveer, 2007:12) found seven factors that
could result in students quiet. (1) low intellectual skills, (2) low speech skill, (3)
voluntary social introversion, (4) social alienation, (5) communication anxiety, (6)
low social self-esteem, (7) ethnic/cultural divergence in communication norms.
(b) Test Anxiety
Test is also relevant to the discussion of foreign language anxiety. Test
anxiety, as explained by Horwitz et al. (1986), refers to a type of performance
anxiety stemming from a fear of failure. (Tanveer, 2007: 13).
(c) Fear of Negative Evaluation
Fear of negative evaluation is an extension of the second component (test
anxiety) of second/foreign language anxiety because it is not limited to test taking
situations, but, it may occur in any social, evaluative situation, such as
interviewing for a job or speaking in second/foreign language class (Horwitz et
al., 1986: 127. in Tranveer, 2007:14). It is also broader in the sense that it pertains
not only to the teachers evaluation of the students but also to the perceived
reaction of other students as well (Shams, 2006: 10. in Tanveer, 2007:14).
Where limited processing mental capacity may cause anxiety, conversely,
anxiety may restrict this operational capacity of the mind, and both together may
cause impaired performance or altered behaviour. Researchers have found a
recursive or cyclical relationship among anxiety, cognition and behaviour (Leary,
1990. Levitt, 1980. in Tanveer, 2007: 21-22).

2. Strategies to Reduce Students Anxiety

Language anxiety, being a student psychological construct, has been found
to make a huge difference in learning to speak a foreign language. Many studies
on language anxiety have suggested a variety of strategies to successfully
reducing students anxiety. Interestingly, all the subjects who have been involved
in the process of English language learning and teaching for many years seemed
to have given enough thought to the ways of reducing students anxiety.
As explained by Surya, The most frequent suggestion participants made
was to make the language classroom environment less formal and more friendly,
one where students can make mistakes without looking mistake ( Surya, 1996:2831).
A way forward to create less stressful classroom environment, as suggested by
ESL/EFL teacher, is that the instructors should create situations where students
can feel successful in using English and avoid setting up the activities that
increase the chances for the students to fail. (Tranveer, 2007:55).
It was also asserted that students self-related cognitions and beliefs should be
taken into account in order to successfully cope with language anxiety. As a first
step, it was generally maintained that teachers should take time to discuss or
initiate discussion in the class by pointing out that it is very common for students
to feel uncomfortable, uneasy and anxious while speaking English, thus inviting
their thoughts about its possible reasons as well as solutions. The discussion, it
was assumed, would heighten their awareness that the feelings of anxiety are
common in most of the learners and are not associated with any particular
individual. Thus, it would also help them to take away the feeling of competition
or comparison that others are all smarter and more confident. (Price, 1991:107.
in Tranveer, 2007:56).
Students should be encouraged to think about their positive personality
traits and thus gather their own strengths and build upon them. (Tranveer,
2007:58) This way, instructors can build students confidence and self-esteem in

their second/foreign language ability via encouragement, reassurance, positive

reinforcement, and empathy (Onwuegbuzie et al., 1999: 232, in Tranveer,
2007:58). Furthermore, the teachers should identify the signs of perfectionism in
the learners and should work to explore their earlier belief systems in order to help
them to step down from the set standards at the early stages and then work
patiently to achieve the desired standards gradually, stated the Pakistani
participant. (Tranveer, 2007:58)
In spite of the variety of techniques found in this study, as well as those
reported in previous studies, language anxiety seems to continue to flourish in the
language classrooms. It suggests that these strategies are just a guideline for the
teachers, as well as for the ESL/EFL learners, rather than a treatment of language
anxiety This also confirms the view that language anxiety is a complex
psychological phenomenon, one which requires special attention by the language
instructors if it is to be adequately dealt with. However, it can be postulated that
apt implication of these strategies can reduce language anxiety to a considerable
extent, even if they cannot completely alleviate it.

BIBLIOGHRAPHY
Davidoff, L.L. 1981. Introduction To Psychology. Mc Graw-Hill International
book company.
Hatch, E. And Lazaraton, A.1991. The Research Manual: Design and Statistics
for Applied Linguistics. Massachusetts: Heinle and Heinle Publishers.
Larson, H.A. 2007. Reducing Test Anxiety Among Third Grade Students Through
the Implementation of Relaxation Techniques. Eastern Illinois University.
Nunan, D. And Bailey, K.M. 2009. Exploring Second Language Classroom
Research. Sherrise Roehr.
Rohmatika, Rina. 2007. The Rule of Teacher Training Program in the
Development of English Teaching Profesionalism at Elementary School. Galuh
University. unpublished.
Surya, Muhammad. 1996. Psikologi Pembelajaran Dan Pengajaran. Brunei
Darussalam University.
Tanveer, Muhammad. 2007. Investigation of the factors that cause language
anxiety for ESL/EFL learners in learning speaking skills and the influence it casts
on communication in the target language. University of Glasgow.
Tsiplakidess, L. 2009. Helping Students Overcome Foreign Language Speaking
Anxiety in the English Classroom: Theoretical Issues and Practical
Recommendations. MEd in TESOL, Greek Open University.
Turner, D.W. 2010. Qualitative Interview Design: A Practical Guide for Novice
Investigators. Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, Florida USA.
Vitasari, Prima. 2010. The Use of Study Anxiety Intervention in Reducing Anxiety
to Improve Academic Performance among University Students. Universiti
Malaysia Pahang, Malaysia.
Zhang, L.J. 2001. ESL Students' Classroom Anxiety. Institute of Education
(Singapore).

VI. APPENDICES
Appendix I
ANGKET SIKAP SISWA
Anda dimohon kesediaannya untuk memberikan pendapat terhadap pernyataan
mengenai sikap anda dalam pembelajaran berbicara (bahasa inggris). Angket ini
bukan merupakan tes. Tak ada jawaban yang benar atau salah tentang pernyataan
tersebut, jawaban anda tidak akan mempengaruhi nilai pelajaran anda. Namun,
informasi yang anda berikan akan sangat berharga untuk perbaikan pembelajaran
dalam pembelajaran (Bahasa inggris). Setelah anda membaca dengan seksama
suatu pernyataan, putuskanlah bagaimana pendapat anda tentang pernyataan itu
dengan seksama suatu pernyataan, putuskanlah bagaimana pendapat anda tentang
pernyataan itu dengan menuliskan checklist pada pernyataan yang sesuai dengan
pendapat anda, yaitu:
SS
: Sangat Setuju
S
: Setuju
NT
: Netral
TS
: Tidak Setuju
TS
: Sangat Tidak Setuju
Selamat bekerja dan jawablah dengan sejujur-jujurnya. Tidak lupa saya ucapkan
terimakasih.

No.
Pernyataan
1
Saya ragu untuk berbicara Bahasa
Inggris karena Saya tidak mengetahui
susunan kata yang benar, baik dalam
susunan kata (grammar), kosa kata
(Vocabulary), dan cara pengucapan
nya (pronounciation).
2
Saya sering diejek atau di tertawakan
teman ketika mencoba berbicara
Bahasa Inggris.
3
Saya suka ditegur guru karena salah
dalam berbicara Bahasa Inggris yang
benar, jadi saya memilih diam.
4
Saya malu untuk berbicara Bahasa
Inggris.
5
Saya mempunyai teman yang bisa
diajak berbicara Bahasa Inggris. Jadi
saya terbiasa berbicara bahasa
inggris.
6
Saya selalu gerogi jika berbicara
Bahasa Inggris.
7
Saya Ragu berbicara Bahasa Inggris
karena saya jarang belajar/latihan
berbicara dalam Bahasa Inggris.

SS

NT

TS

STS

8.
9.
10.
11.

12.
13.
14.

15.
16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

Saya menyukai pelajaran Bahasa

Inggris.
Saya pikir bisa berbicara Bahasa
Inggris begitu penting.
Saya ingin bisa berbicara Bahasa
Inggris dengan baik dan benar.
Saya tidak ragu untuk berbicara
Bahasa Inggris, walaupun saya kurang
menguasai Bahasa Inggris yang baik
dan benar.
Saya pikir siswa lain lebih baik Bahasa
Inggris nya daripada saya.
Saya takut resiko dari kesalahan dalam
berbicara Bahasa Inggris.
Saya merasa begitu percaya diri ketika
menggunakan Bahasa Inggris di depan
siswa lain.
Saya akan berusaha lebih santai/rilex
untuk berbicara Bahasa Inggris.
Saya ingin private Bahasa Inggris agar
bisa berbicara Bahasa Inggris dengan
baik dan benar.
Saya suka membaca tentang
dialog2/percakapan dalam bahasa
inggris.
Saya suka bertanya kepada teman jika
ada pembicaraan bahasa inggris yang
tidak diketahui.
Saya suka mendengarkan
dialog/percakapan dalam bahasa
inggris, baik di TV atau di kaset.
Saya memang siswa yang pendiam.

Appendix 2
For interview :
1. Apakah kamu ragu untuk berbicara bahasa inggris?
2. Faktor apa yang menyebabkan kamu ragu untuk berbicara dalam bahasa
inggris?
3. Bagaimana kamu mengantisipasi keragu-raguan kamu untuk berbicara bahasa
inggris?