An Investigation into EAL Students’ Speaking Anxiety in In-class Presentations at International School Ho Chi Minh City (ISHCMC)

Abstract

The study done for and reported in this M.A. thesis investigated EAL students’ speaking anxiety in in-class presentations at International School of Ho Chi Minh City. To comprehend the genuine nature of this psychological and pedagogical phenomenon, the researcher investigated its sources and levels from the student and teacher subjects’ perspectives via a triangulation process of synthesizing questionnaires, classroom observations, and interviews. The sources of speaking anxiety were classified into two categories: internal and external. Audience, presentation characteristics, teacher-related factors, self-esteem, memory, self-perception, low proficiency, and fear of making mistakes were examined. The study also revealed that only 12.5% of the population experienced a low anxiety level and that 87.5% of them endured from moderate to high anxiety levels. Some significant manifestations were also informed.