Abstract:
This study investigated levels, major causes and determining factors of foreign language
speaking anxiety and students' perception of it in Gida Ayana Preparatory School and
Ask Preparatory School students who were learning English as a foreign language.
Sample population of the study was 120 from both schools. The data regarding the levels
of EFL speaking anxiety were collected through a questionnaire, and 24 participants were
interviewed to get in-depth data. The quantitative data were analyzed through descriptive
statistics, and the qualitative data were analyzed through context analysis (through the
situation in which the event happened). The results of the quantitative data and qualitative
data demonstrated that most of the students perceive speaking skill as an anxiety causing
factor. It was also found that pronunciation, immediate questions, fears of making
mistakes and negative evaluation are the causes of English as a foreign language
speaking anxiety. Regarding anxiety level, Ask preparatory school students' anxiety level
is higher than that of Gida Ayana preparatory school for communication apprehension
anxiety factor. Concerning test anxiety Ask PreparatorySchool students' anxiety level
indicated higher than Gida Ayana Preparatory School for this factor again. Additionally
for fear of negative evaluation, Ask Preparatory School students' anxiety level was
greater than that of Gida Ayana Preparatory School students' anxiety level. On the other
hand related to English classroom anxiety mean level, Gida Ayana Preparatory School
students' is higher than that of Ask Preparatory School students' anxiety mean level.
