TEACHER AND PEER SUPPORT AS KEY FACTORS IN EFL LEARNERS’ SPEAKING ANXIETY AND PROFICIENCY IN ONLINE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

Abstract

Studies have explored strategies to reduce speaking anxiety; however, the role of teacher and peer support in influencing speaking anxiety and proficiency in online settings remains understudied. These issues are particularly significant in online education, where students may experience isolation and decreased interaction, making supportive teaching practices essential. To address this gap, this study aims to investigate how teacher and peer support affect English as a Foreign Language learners’ speaking anxiety and proficiency. A true experimental design was employed, involving 26 students from a private university in Indonesia. Data were collected from speaking test scores and a closed-ended questionnaire administered before and after the intervention. Performed via IBM SPSS 22, the results of the paired sample t-test analysis revealed that learners who received both teacher support and peer support experienced a significant reduction in speaking anxiety, with a large effect size. Additionally, there was a significant improvement in speaking proficiency, with an exceptionally large effect size, highlighting the importance of teacher and peer support in enhancing speaking skills. These findings imply the importance of integrating teacher and peer support in language learning environments, particularly online settings, to foster a supportive and stress-reduced atmosphere that promotes learners’ psychological well-being, their speaking proficiency, and overall language acquisition success.