Teachers’ Strategies in Reducing Students’ Speaking Anxiety in EFL Classrooms: A Multiple Case Study of Junior High School Teachers in Malang

Abstract

This study aims to investigate teachers’ strategies in reducing students’ speaking anxiety in EFL classrooms, the implementation of these strategies in classroom practices, and the challenges faced by teachers in managing students’ speaking anxiety. A qualitative multiple case study method was employed, with data collected through classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis involving two English teachers at SMP Islam Fatahillah Singosari and MTsN 1 Malang. The analysis identified five main strategies used by the teachers: scaffolding, collaborative learning, supportive feedback, motivational support, and classroom atmosphere management. The results show that these strategies were implemented through vocabulary and sentence preparation, guided speaking practice, pair and group activities, constructive feedback, encouragement, and the creation of a supportive classroom environment. The findings also revealed several challenges, including students’ low confidence, fear of making mistakes, limited vocabulary, uneven participation, differences in speaking ability, and limited classroom time. These findings indicate that reducing students’ speaking anxiety requires a combination of instructional and emotional support that enables students to participate more confidently in English speaking activities. This study is expected to contribute to EFL teaching practices by providing a better understanding of how teachers manage speaking anxiety and create supportive classroom environments for students’ speaking development.