EEJ 12 (3) (2022) 356-363

English Education Journal

http://journal.unnes.ac.id/sju/index.php/eej

The Psychological Factors Impacts on the Students’ Speaking Skill

Muhamad Rifqi Bakhtiar, Suwandi Suwandi

Universitas Negeri Semarang, Indonesia

Article Info Abstract

______________ _______________________________________________________
Article History: English speaking skill can be difficult for students in any educational levels and
Accepted 08 May 2022 environments to acquire. The challenge is also encountered by the students of
Approved 04 July 2022
Published 15
the Islamic-based schools. This is caused by several factors, one of which is
September 2022 psychology. With the aforementioned problem, the researchers intended to find
______________ out how the psychological factors could affect students’ speaking ability. The
Keywords: investigation of this study focused on exploring the impact of anxiety, self-
Motivation, confidence, motivation and shyness on Islamic boarding school EFL learners’
Psychological Factors,
Self-confindence, speaking abilities. The research design is qualitative with observations,
Speaking Skills questionnaires, and interviews employed as the research instruments. Based on
______________ the analysis, state anxiety appeared to be the main problem for the students. Shy
pupils avoid speaking, offer brief responses to queries in the target language, and
prefer to remain alone. They have modest communication challenges, are
sluggish to express their emotions, and often do not respond when others express
their emotions. Self-confidence has an influence on pupils' speaking abilities. In
other words, students with high self-confidence are more likely to speak English
better than those of with low self-confidence. Another psychological factor -
motivation could be influenced by two aspects: internal and external forces. The
study's description is likely to be utilized as a consideration for other researchers
conducting more research on psychological aspects influencing students'
speaking ability in the English classroom.

Correspondence Address: p-ISSN 2087-0108

Pascasarjana UNNES Jl kelud Utara 3 Sampangan Semarang,
E-mail: mrifqibakhtiar@gmail.com
e-ISSN 2502-4566

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INTRODUCTION most of them have difficulties using the language

to speak, whereas when we analyze, we come to
In this era of globalization, knowledge of a know that most of them have a good level of
foreign language serves students well in the vocabulary or grammar (Alaraj, 2017).
interconnected world, it opens the door to job Therefore, it is not only the lack of grammar or
opportunities in the global economy and makes vocabulary, but it is also a question of
more media accessible, enriching public psychology, your belief, your confidence, and
discussion of current issues. At present, the your strong feelings about yourself (Irfani et al.,
language that dominates internationally is 2018). Most of those EFL students have weak
certainly English (Astuti & Lammers, 2017). In motivation; they never develop confidence in
Indonesia, English is considered as the primary themselves. They are always afraid of making
foreign language which is considered more mistakes, some are shy just because they feel
important than other foreign languages (Toubot insecure while using the target language to
et al., 2018). One of the productive skills of communicate. To overcome those fears, those
English teaching and learning is speaking. anxieties, they need to stop thinking a lot about
Speaking is so intertwined with daily interactions mistakes; they need to stop underestimating
that it is not easy to give a unique and concise themselves (Bourezzane, 2015).
definition to it (Haidara, 2014). Krisna and Syafii A number of studies have been exposing
(2020) stated that in language use situations when psychological factor faced by students in
people speak, it is not the case that they simply mastering English speaking. Ainy & Pratama
open their mouths and speak the words and (2020) investigated the correlation between
sentences. When people speak, they are doing so teacher social competence, student learning
in a cultural context, speaking to another person, motivation, and learning outcomes in English
and doing some interactions that the people need subject. Andas (2020) found out the students’
(Martínez & García, 2017). Many students in speaking problemsat the fourth semester of
Indonesia learn English for various purposes such English Study Program in Sembilanbelas
to become tourist guides, being able to speak at November University and factors affecting them.
an international level, getting better jobs, and so Oflaz (2019) investigated the relationship
on. So, English has become part of students’ between foreign language anxiety, shyness,
everyday activities in Indonesia. Most of them language learning strategies, speaking scores and
feel very proud once they are able to speak the academic achievement of university preparatory
language well. Unfortunately, most of those students learning German. Pratiwi (2021)
students always show increased levels of anxiety explored the factors inhibiting the students in
when it comes to using the target language for speaking English and knowing teacher’s
oral communicative purposes (Krismanti & perception toward the factors inhibiting the
Siregar, 2017). Those levels can appear due to the students in speaking English as a foreign
factors such as being called by the teacher to language. Rumiyati & Seftika (2018) investigated
present something in front of the class or to the classification level of speaking anxiety, the
respond orally to some questions. factors of student's anxiety in speaking class and
Nowadays, one of the big problems that the impacts of anxiety in students speaking
affect EFL learners speaking practices is without performance.
any doubt the psychological barrier (Ariyanti, The course provided in Islamic boarding
2016). Why does the researchers focus on school Al Ulya Kedungsuren is categorized as
psychology? Because they believe that formal education in learning the language. It is
psychology is the number one key to success for located in Kendal regency, Central Java,
most EFL students in their English speaking Indonesia. In order to support learning English,
performance (Nijat et al., 2019). Most of the EFL speaking, in Al Ulya Kedungsuren provides
students who learned English for many years, dormitories which are divided in two kinds,
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namely a dormitory provided for female learners (4) How is the impact of shyness on
and the other one is provided for male learners. EFL learners’ speaking skills in their classroom?
One of the reasons why members of the
dormitory do not use English in communication METHODS
is that they are afraid of making mistakes and
being laughed (Sutarsyah, 2017). In other words, The present research employed a
it can be said that the members were lack of self- qualitative case study design. The research data
confidence in using English. Therefore, were taken from questionnaires, observations,
conducting research that investigates the and teacher interviews. The data collection
strategies used by teachers in motivating the procedures of this study were started by giving the
students to speak English and enhancing their questionnaires, asking the participants to fill in
self-confidence is needed (Hadijah, 2015). the questionnaire, and finally, the researchers
Syahrial (2020) valuated the principles of learning compiled the questionnaire that will be answered.
and teaching speaking skills; the different After the data were collected, they were analyzed
activities and tasks associated to enhance the and recognized. The researchers observed
communication skill and finally, how to teach students’ activity in the teaching and learning
pronunciation to the learners of communication. process, in observation the researchers only
Therefore, to fill the gap, this present study noticed those students who have the low ability
attempts to help teachers identify problems and in speaking. Interviews with teachers were
investigate the factors faced by Islamic boarding- conducted after giving the questionnaires in the
based students in speaking English in their daily classroom.
activities. The subjects of this study were students
To find out the weaknesses of students in and English teachers at the Islamic boarding
speaking English, they can analyze what school Al Ulya Kedungsuren given pseudonyms
weaknesses they have, so that they can use them as Mr. Xy and Mrs. Yz. The students were in the
to improve in the process of learning English first grade of junior high school. One of the
(Aouatef, 2015). So, being aware of the factors reasons why members of the dormitory especially
that hamper learners to raise their levels of first-grade junior high school students do not use
speaking competencies is the key to achieving the English in communication was that they were
goal of being good speakers of English. In other afraid of making mistakes and being laughed. In
words, it is to give more explanations about the other words, it can be said that the members were
emotional barriers that hinder learners from lack of self-confidence in using English.
expressing their ideas and thoughts in the oral Therefore, conducting research that investigated
form and to look for some effective strategies in the strategies used by teachers in motivating the
which students can advance their levels of students to speak English and enhancing their
speaking capacities. self-confidence is needed.
How do the main psychological factors The researchers noticed that the period
affect EFL learners’ speaking skills in their when data collecting began was still in the middle
classroom? of a worldwide Covid 19 epidemic with a high
(1) How is the impact of anxiety on rate of contagiousness spread among humans.
EFL learners’ speaking skills in their classroom? Recognizing the potential danger to everyone, the
(2) How is the impact of motivation researchers and the school committee worked
on EFL learners’ speaking skills in their hard to optimize the effort of pandemic
classroom? prevention with tight regulations before the
(3) How is the impact of self- research could be conducted at school. According
confidence on EFL learners’ speaking skills in to the mutual agreement of the researchers and
their classroom? the school committee, the regulations that must
be followed before accessing the school as the
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study site are as follows: First, people with access The reasons behind the latter saying are:
to the site must have received at least the second mispronunciation, do not feel confident, lack of
dose or batch of any type of Covid 19 vaccination. motivation, anxiety, and face-to-face speaking,
Second, the Covid 19 health protocol, such as the which cause shyness for some students. Speaking
use of medical masks, thermal scanning before skills are essential to learning because they can
approaching the site, and social distancing, provide information to others well, but according
should be implemented. Third, students needed a to the survey, it is said that speaking English skills
written letter of permission from a respectable are challenging to understand; this is due to the
guardian in order to attend school anxiety experienced by students at the Islamic
Due to the aforementioned norms and boarding school Al Ulya Kendal. The writers
regulations, the only impediment uncovered by found that the students felt panic when they
the researchers was the absence of a minor wanted to speak English. It is identical to Rayani
number of students who were not permitted to (2016) who found that lack of vocabulary and
attend school by their parents. The reasons vary; preparation have also contributed to students
for example, one of the students has yet to be Trait Anxiety
vaccinated, and other parents were hesitant to Trait anxiety, is the tendency of a person to
allow their children to attend school. Overall, the be nervous or feel anxious irrespective of the
majority of the research subjects were eager to situation they are exposed to. This also happens
come to school, therefore the data was effectively to the students from the first grade Islamic
acquired owing to the cooperation of all Boarding School of Al Ulya Kendal. Some
elements. anxiety traits appear even though it is not in a
situation that threatens them, for example, when
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS they perform group performance. The previous
study from Fitriah (2019) revealed that students
The impact of anxiety on students speaking at IAIN Lhokseumawe were more anxious than
performance students at Al Muslim University. Generally,
Based on observation and interviews with students are highly anxious when attending
the study’s subjects, the students' anxiety in English classes. Based on the students' responses,
speaking English at Islamic boarding school Al the significant anxiety factors in this study were
Ulya Kendal is categorized into state anxiety, identified.
trait anxiety, and situation-specific anxiety. Situation-Specific Anxiety
State Anxiety It refers to the persistent and multi-faceted
State anxiety is nervousness or tension in nature of some anxieties. It is aroused by a
response to some outside stimulus at a particular specific situation or event such as public
moment. This type of anxiety arises in certain speaking, examinations, or class participation.
situations or stressful events and is therefore not Specific-situation concern, where the students
permanent. In other words, it is the feeling of should examine speaking. In addition, some
situational anxiety that goes away when the factors causing students’ anxiety were lack of
threatening situation goes away. As mental readiness, knowledge of vocabulary,
Interviewee#1 said in the interview : pronunciation, grammar, and prior knowledge of
“Students feel anxious when asked to come the classroom activities, including the pressure to
forward in front of the class because in that take the Anxiety Test. In this research, these
condition there are many students in the class students felt anxious when they were in certain
where they know each other, besides that some situations or events; this finding was also by the
students in the class disturb them when coming
expert opinion about students at the Islamic
forward to practice speaking English”
(Interview with Ms Yuyun January 5th, boarding school Al Ulya Kedungsuren that under
2022). certain conditions, students felt blank or lost their
memory when speaking in English, even not only
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English in doing other things, if in an atmosphere smaller percentage, do not feel nervous when
that students rarely experience, they will feel speaking in front of the course. Anxiety has a
anxiety. damaging impact on language learning. Many
The teacher here indicates that anxiety is investigations have determined that anxiety level
indeed one of the causes of anxiety experienced is an important predictor of foreign language
by students so that students become disturbed in achievement. As previously stated, various
specific situations. So, the conclusion is that research have documented the negative impacts
when in certain conditions, students still feel of shyness.
anxiety caused by external factors such as the To summarize, one of the most prevalent
surrounding environment, who they are with, phobias that students have is public speaking, and
and the atmosphere in the class. The anxious the sense of shyness causes their thoughts to go
student tends to be less concentrated, forgetful, blank or they forget what to say. According to the
heart beating, and sweating, which may lead to study, the instructor plays an important role in
negative behaviour such as avoiding the type or inspiring pupils and encouraging them to feel
procrastinating their homework. more secure in this circumstance. Allowing timid
kids to participate in classroom activities will
The impacts of shyness on students' English thereby alleviate their shyness. Furthermore,
speaking skills altering course material to provide a low-risk
Anxiety and shyness both have learning atmosphere for shy students might be
physiological impacts. Cold chills and shivering, advantageous. It is rather common for pupils to
rapid heart rate, parched mouth, stomach be hesitant and make blunders when speaking a
discomfort, and dizziness or fainting are only a foreign language. It should be noted that making
few of the physiological symptoms. An important errors is the best method to learn.
issue to take into account in the learning process
is how stress impacts learning and memory The Impact of Self-confidence
processes. People with low self-esteem are more
Shy pupils avoid speaking, offer brief troubled by failure, and they tend to exaggerate
responses to queries in the target language, and events as being negative. This statement is the
prefer to remain alone. Shy pupils have modest same as what Interview#2 said about the impact
communication challenges, are sluggish to of self-confidence.
express their emotions, and often do not respond "Yes, most students do not feel self-
when others express their emotions. conscious when asked to speak English. If there
Furthermore, these pupils struggle with brief are embarrassed students, usually they will not
talks, do not want to participate in school dare to speak, and vice versa. If students' self-
activities, and frequently avoid crowded confidence is high, they will speak up more. Self-
surroundings. Although the pupils' speaking confidence in students affects various aspects, one
abilities are advanced, they may be unable to of which is that when there are students who feel
demonstrate them in class due to shyness. confident, they will be more daring to speak up.
Shyness might act as a hindrance in the language It can be said that self-confidence can make
learning process. Shy people frequently dislike students dare to take risks." (Interview with Mr.
being in a crowd and have trouble meeting new Badawi January 3rd, 2022).
people. Some research demonstrate that shyness The majority of students (60%)
has a negative impact on language instruction. occasionally engage without being prompted by
Yousaf (2018), and Namaghi (2015) discovered the instructor, whereas those who reported
that shyness is both strongly and adversely related experiencing autonomy are (10%). Furthermore,
to English speaking scores and academic success. no student (0%) frequently participates unless
Most students (62.5%) feel shy when speaking in asked. This is an example of self-directed
front of the class, and the rest (37.5%), with a learning. On the other side, 30% of students are
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seldom engaged, and the remaining 0% of that One of the students' speaking abilities in
sample does not commit unless requested by the English at Islamic boarding school Al Ulya is
teacher. It is similar to some research that shown influenced by motivational factors, such as the
that psychological characteristics such as shyness, theory that has been explained. There are two
fear of making a mistake, anxiety, lack of influencing factors, namely internal factors and
confidence, and lack of enthusiasm impede external factors. Based on interviews that the
students' ability to talk in the classroom. researcher has done with the second English
One of the most powerful elements teacher, Interview#2, he has motivated students
influencing learning is self-confidence. It is one of to practice speaking English by providing
the primary drives in humans and can have an knowledge that they can visit famous places if
impact on a person's life. In other words, a person they can speak English fluently. "Maybe like
with strong self-confidence has a realistic opinion other English teachers. I give motivation by
of themselves and their abilities, which drives introducing the names of world-famous places
them to persevere in their efforts. Interview#1 frequently visited. So they will be motivated to
said that : "The most important factors which learn English." (Interview with Mr. Badawi
build self-confidence are: (1) Personal January 5th, 2022).
experiences; successful experiences increase the If students continue to remain
development of high self-confidence, while the unmotivated, it might be argued that external
experiences of failure have the opposite effect. (2) forces cannot encourage students at this
Social messages received from others. (3) institution. Of course, the reason serves a purpose
Community, home, school, and peers are in learning and generalization. Based on a survey
important for self-confidence growth. Sending distributed to students, the teacher's explanation
positive messages for others is thought to be gives them more enthusiasm to learn English.
detrimental to developing high self-confidence" The statics show that (75%) of students consider
(Interview with Ms. Yuyun, January 5th, 2022). that a motivational factor in participating more.
It can be concluded that according to English In comparison, the remaining (25%) of students
teachers and experts who have conducted do not feel motivated by the lessons given by the
interviews, they say that if students do not have a teacher in class. We deduce that learning styles
high level of confidence, the speaking can affect students' motivation to a certain
performance of students at Islamic boarding degree.
school Al Ulya Kedungsuren will decrease. A diagram depicts the study findings of
extrinsic motivation to learn in the Islamic
The Significant Role of Motivation for Students boarding school Al Ulya Kedungsuren's speaking
in Speaking English class. Praise, advise (teachers, parents,
Motivational factors are intrinsic factors surroundings), reward, punishment, and
that enhance performance and originate from emulating something are factors or signs that
someone (e.g., demanding work, recognition, form extrinsic motivation or external
responsibility), and they provide good encouragement. Among these factors, the
gratification. At the same time, hygiene elements guidance given to the individual by
are extrinsic variables that originate from outside parents/teachers/friends is the most powerful.
and influence someone's attitude (e.g., healthy) They will study hard and speak English actively
that do not motivate if present but result in if they continue to be urged to learn by those
demotivation if lacking. According to the closest to them. As a result, if they do not provide
foregoing description, Herberg's theory is a effective guidance, they are less inclined to
hypothesis of two variables, intrinsic and actively speak English. If they are not counseled,
extrinsic drive. Intrinsic motivation comes from this causes children to lose interest in studying
within a person, and extrinsic motivation, or English. According to a previous study by Alaraj
motivation, comes from outside sources. (2017), in a speaking context, students usually be
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more confident if they get some motivational Ariyanti, A. (2016). Psychological factors
speechs from their friends. Hence, giving the affecting EFL students’ speaking
students motivational letters can impact students performance. ASIAN TEFL Journal of
speaking English. Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics,
1(1), 91–102.
CONCLUSIONS Astuti, P., & Lammers, J. C. (2017). Making EFL
instruction more clt-oriented through
The impact experienced by boarding individual accountability in cooperative
school students is not much different from learning. TEFLIN Journal - A Publication on
students who are not in boarding school as with the Teaching and Learning of English, 28(2),
what was found in previous studies; they are 236.
afraid to speak in front of the class, blank when Bourezzane, N. (2015). Some psychological
asked to talk directly, and some feel doubts about factors that hinder students’ participation
speaking English. Students feel blank or lose their in learner-centered efl oral classroom
memory when speaking in English when they will activities. 118.
feel anxiety. Shy students avoid speaking, offer Chishti, K.H., Amin, F., & Yousaf, T. (2018).
brief responses to queries in the target language, Relationship between shyness and
and prefer to remain alone. If kids have both self- academic achievement among adolescents
confidence and language mastery, their speaking in Karachi. Bahria Journal of Professional
abilities will be extremely smooth and Psychology, 17(1), 83-98
substantial. Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation are Dewi, F. H., Faridi, A., & Saleh, M. (2021).
the two types of motivation. Psychological problems faced by nautical
students of politeknik bumi Akpelni
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