Speaking Anxiety and Strategy Use for Learning English as a Foreign Language in Full and Partial English‐Medium Instruction Contexts

Abstract

In recent years, Taiwan and other East Asian countries have begun to promote English‐medium instruction (EMI) at the tertiary level. Communicating through English in EMI classrooms is a basic requirement for English as a foreign language (EFL) learners, but it can be a challenge. Speaking a foreign language is a complex process that involves linguistic competence, speaking skills, and strategy use. Speaking strategies have been viewed as first aid devices used for interaction and communication, to address problems or breakdowns, and to remain active in communication. The purpose of this article is to investigate university students’ anxiety, strategy use, and difficulties when speaking English in full and partial EMI contexts. This research involved a large‐scale questionnaire survey of 638 students. The quantitative analyses were conducted through a multivariate analysis of variance, a hierarchical multiple regression, and chi‐square tests of independence. The results indicated that students receiving partial EMI exhibited high speech anxiety, a lack of confidence, and negative feelings toward English learning. Additionally, students in the partial EMI context were found to use rehearsal and paraphrasing strategies less frequently than those in full EMI contexts. Furthermore, a relationship was observed between the EMI context and difficulties in speaking reported by students.

Speaking Anxiety Among Postgraduate International Students in the Academic Context of a University in Malaysia

“…According to Crookall and Oxford (1991) instructors can improve the classroom atmosphere using pair work, small group work and other organized activities. Chou (2018) recommends having online chatting among students as an activity to reduce anxiety that results from face-to-face communication.…”

“…(2) giving additional guidance to students (3) utilizing more pair and group work in class; and (4) role-playing with preliminary activities to establish class rapport. Chou (2018) found that students especially in the full EMI context adopted practice or rehearsal strategies such as imitating native speakers of English, seeking out opportunities to speak, initiating conversations as often as possible and intentionally discussing unfamiliar topics. Zhiping and Paramasivam (2013) noted that instructors should make jokes, tell stories in class, show positive gestures to students' responses, appreciate students' answers and not call students' names in class.…”

“…Students express tension whenever they approach a speaking context, and this problem is common worldwide. Chou (2018) investigated university students' anxiety and strategy use in Taiwan when speaking English in full and partial English as a medium of instruction contexts (EMI) and the study showed that students in both types of contexts experienced anxiety that varied from high to moderate and used different kinds of strategies to cope with their anxieties. In the Chinese context, Liu (2018) found that both high and low proficiency Chinese university EFL learners experienced speaking anxiety when speaking in English and that both groups employed different types of strategies to manage their anxieties.…”

Explicit Affective Strategy Instruction to Develop Speaking Performance of Egyptian EFL University Students

“…Consequently, since the beginning of the communicative era, speaking's development has gained the attention of both teachers and learners. Yet, it is a complex process including linguistic competence, oral skills, and strategy use (Chou, 2018).…”

Enhancing 21st Century Skill through Teaching Model Collaboration in Indonesian EFL Classroom

“…The comunication competency will be considered by EFL students in this age since interpersonal communication skill lead the students to communicate with others by using English accurately, and by presenting the topic properly. Being able to speak English is the most demanding skill encountered by EFL students since English speaking is the most difficult skill of the four language skills that must be achieved by EFL students to involve in effectice communication [2][3][4]. There are three factors affecting the communication skill of EFL students, such as; langauge barriers, pshychological factors, learning enviroment, and language practice [5].…”