Efl Students’ Listening Anxiety In An Online Intensive Listening Course

Abstract

Feeling anxious when learning a foreign language is normal, especially in English listening. Some factors can cause listening anxiety. Students who experience anxiety while listening will find it hard to comprehend the input. Therefore, students need to overcome their fear. This study aimed to determine the causes of students’ listening anxiety and their strategies to overcome it. This study was conducted in Intensive Listening classes at English Language Education Program, Universitas Kristen Satya Wacana (ELEP-UKSW). The classes were held online due to Pandemic COVID-19. The participants of this study were thirty-seven students from batch 2020, the academic year 2020/2021. The researcher used open-ended and close-ended questionnaire papers combined to collect primary data. A semi-structured interview was done to collect further data. Based on the survey, many students encountered listening anxiety during listening activities in the Intensive Listening class. The findings showed that the participants experienced anxiety from the teacher, students, listening materials, listening process, and other factors. They also used several strategies to overcome the anxiety causes, such as a positive attitude, preparation, and cultivating listening strategies. The results of this study are expected to benefit future students who will take an Intensive Listening class to help overcome their anxiety and increase their listening ability.