Exploring the Manifestations of English Speaking Anxiety in a Drama Performances
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24256/ideas.v14i1.9998Keywords:
Speaking Anxiety, Cognitive Anxiety, Drama Activities, EFL Classroom, Student Speaking PerformanceAbstract
This study investigates students’ speaking anxiety in drama-based speaking tasks in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom, focusing on its multidimensional manifestations and impact on performance. Using a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, data were collected from eleventh-grade students through questionnaires, classroom observations, and semi-structured interviews. The findings reveal that speaking anxiety manifests across emotional, cognitive, physical, and behavioral dimensions, with cognitive anxiety being the most dominant. Students frequently experienced memory lapses, loss of concentration, and reduced fluency during performance. In addition, anxiety persisted after the performance, particularly during video reflection. These findings indicate that while drama activities can enhance engagement, they may also intensify performance-related anxiety. Therefore, it is important for teachers to implement supportive strategies that address both cognitive and emotional aspects of anxiety to improve students’ speaking performance.
References
Ajiza, M., Rahayu, A. P., Deswarni, D., & Rohani, T. (2024). EFL Students ’ Anxiety in Speaking English : Factors and Strategies. Journal of English Language Teaching , 8(1), 565–572.
Anugrawan, R., & Samad, I. S. (2025). Exploring the Impact of Learning Styles on Speaking Anxiety : A Qualitative Study of English Education Students in Indonesia. Journal of English Language Teaching , 8(1), 83–98.
Atas, M. (2015). The reduction of speaking anxiety in EFL learners through drama techniques. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 176, 961–969. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.01.565
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006)., & Psychology., U. thematic analysis in. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology, (January). https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Diana, M., Renandya, W. A., & Dahliana, S. (2024). Researching factors and coping strategies of EFL students ’ speaking anxiety. Journal of Language and Education, 12(1), 250–271.
Elbalqis, P., & Pradana, S. A. (2022). Portraying Students ’ Speaking Foreign Language Anxiety Level During Online and Offline Learning. Journal of English Education , 15(1), 45–58.
Galante, A., & Thomson, R. I. (2017). (2017). The Effectiveness of Drama as an Instructional Approach for the, 51(1), 115–142. https://doi.org/10.1002/tesq.290
Hasselgreen, A., Khalifa, H., Weir, C. J., Wall, D., Davies, A., Green, A., & Jones, N. (2017). Second Language Assessment and Mixed Methods Research from testing and innovation theory solution academic writing in higher education use of multilingual proficiency frameworks.
Hawraa, L., Hameed, H., & Jawad, A. E. (2024). The Influence of EFL Apprehension in Speaking Performance. International Journal of Language Studies, 2(6), 20–30.
Horwitz, E. K., Horwitz, M. B., Cope, J., Horwitz, E. K., Horwitz, M. B., & Cope, J. (1995). The Foreign Language Classroom. The Foreign Language Classroom, 70(2), 125–132. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203820858
Kumar, T., Sattam, P., Abdulaziz, B., Science, C., & Sulail, H. (2022). Cypriot Journal of Educational using drama technique : An action research. Cypriot Journal of Educational Sciences, 17(2), 372–383.
Leong, L., & Ahmadi, S. M. (2000). An Analysis of Factors Influencing Learners ’ English Speaking Skill. International Journal of Research in English Education, 34–41.
Liu, M., & Zhang, W. (2008). An exploration of Chinese EFL learners’ foreign language anxiety, personality and self-esteem. Journal of Applied Linguistics, 5(2), 181–203. https://doi.org/10.1558/japl.v5i2.181
MacIntyre, P. D. (2007). Willingness to communicate in the second language: Understanding the decision to speak as a volitional process. Modern Language Journal, 91(4), 564–576. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4781.2007.00623.x
Nguyen, C. T. (2023). Effects of Applying Drama-Based Activities in Speaking Classes on EFL Students ’ Speaking Performance. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 16(3), 991–1012.
Palinkas, L. A., Horwitz, S. M., Green, C. A., Wisdom, J. P., Duan, N., Hoagwood, K., … Northwest, K. P. (2016). Purposeful sampling for qualitative data collection and analysis in mixed method implementation research, 42(5), 533–544. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-013-0528-y.Purposeful
Putri, H. E., Muhayyang, M., & Aeni, N. (2018). Analysis of Students ’ Speaking Anxiety in EFL Classroom, 29–39.
Raditya, G., Yudiarta, S., & Ganesha, U. P. (2025). Drama-Based Pedagogy to Improve Students ’ Fluency : A Classroom Action Research. Journal of Educational Research and Evaluation , 5(1), 54–61.
Sari, D. F. (2020). A Study of Anxiety Experienced by EFL. Journal of English Education, 7(2), 334–346.
Schoonenboom, J., & Johnson, R. B. (2017). How to Construct a Mixed Methods Research Design, 107–131. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11577-017-0454-1
Taherdoost, H., Business, H., Sdn, S., Group, C., & Lumpur, K. (2016). Validity and Reliability of the Research Instrument ; How to Test the Validation of a Questionnaire / Survey in a Research. International Journal of Academic Research in Management , 5(3), 28–36.
Widi, B., & Punjastala, N. (2025). Students ’ voices on how drama builds English -speaking confidence in an Indonesian university. Journal of Applied Linguistics , 4(2), 136–147.
Wijirahayu, S., Roza, E., & Praptiningsih, N. A. (2025). ADDRESSING ENGLISH SPEAKING ANXIETY IN VIRTUAL SCIENTIFIC, 05(02), 1–12.
Xu, W., Zhang, H., Sukjairungwattana, P., & Wang, T. (2022). The roles of motivation , anxiety and learning strategies in online Chinese learning among Thai learners of Chinese as a foreign language.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Salsabila Balqis, Suciana Wijirahayu
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under an Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See the Effect of Open Access)
