Factors Contributing to Speaking Anxiety and Anxiety Reduction Techniques in Thai adult EFL Learners

Abstract

The aim of the study was to identify the factors that contribute to speaking anxiety in Thai adult EFL learners working in an online media company and enrolled in an English course provided by the company, as well as to discover the anxiety reduction techniques used by these learners. The results showed that significant contributors to speaking anxiety among participants can be categorized into internal and external factors. Internally, a learner's personality traits, such as self-inferiority, fear of making mistakes, lack of confidence, and their level of proficiency-including lack of vocabulary knowledge, grammatical inaccuracy, improper pronunciation, lack of skill in scriptwriting, and being unable to articulate things concisely-were major sources of anxiety. Externally, classroom activities, such as public speaking and impromptu speech activities, unclear explanations from teachers, and time constraints, also contributed to learners' anxiety. This study also showed that learners employed various techniques to reduce their anxiety, including preparation, relaxation, positive thinking, peer thinking and task-focused. This underscores the importance for teachers and companies to provide a learning environment appropriate for adult EFL learners and to equip them with tools to create an atmosphere that is less anxiety-inducing.