Teachers’ Strategies in Overcoming Speaking Anxiety in ESP Classroom

Abstract

The present study aims to investigate the strategies that English for Specific Purposes (ESP) teachers use to overcome speaking anxiety in ESP classroom. This was a qualitative study. The data were taken using interviews. The questions were adapted from Lucas (1984), Hashemi and Abbashi (2014), and He (2017). The participants of the study were ten ESP teachers from Salatiga and Semarang. The participants have minimum three years teaching experiences. The study revealed that there were eleven strategies that the teachers use in the teaching and learning process. The strategies were classified into three, i.e.: creating safe learning environment, using students’ L1, and involving students in classroom activities. The study showed that creating safe learning environment was often used by the majority of the participants to help students to overcome speaking anxiety. The strategy was implemented by showing positive attitude and showing the students that their study process was also assessed not only the result. The least used strategy was using students’ L1 to make students feel relaxed. The findings of the study are expected to be useful for student teachers or language teachers who teach ESP.