Speaking Anxiety Level of Gaza EFL Pre-service Teachers: Reasons and Sources

Abstract

Though speaking is perceived to be the most anxiety-provoking element of foreign and second language (FL, L2) education (Marzec-Stawrarska, 2015),very limited research has been conducted on this issue in the Palestinian English as a foreign Language (EFL) context. The present study's purpose was identifying Gaza EFL pre-service teachers' speaking anxiety level and the reasons behind such anxiety. For achieving the study purposes, 279 students were asked to respond to a closed-question questionnaire, 61 students completed an open-question questionnaire, and six EFL instructors were interviewed in this study. Analyzing the data, results showed that Gaza EFL pre-service teachers' speaking anxiety level was high, and the potential sources for such anxiety included teachers' inappropriate procedures, students’ inability to use only-English in English classes, students' fear of negative evaluation, and students' sensitivity to teachers' correcting comments. Finally, the study presented some relevant suggestions and implications for reducing Gaza EFL pre-service teachers' speaking anxiety.