INTRODUCTION

1. Rationale

Since the open policy was carried out in Vietnam, English has become a useful and
indispensable means for the integration of our country into the world community. Learning
English becomes a great necessity for Vietnamese people. Especially, learning speaking gains
a great stature as the need of communication is paid much more attention.
The result of learning a language, though, is determined and affected by a number of factors.
It is believed that there are some emotional factors in foreign language learning which affect
our learning abilities. These are mainly thought to be intelligence, motivation, attitudes and
anxiety. Among these, anxiety stands out as one of the major influential factors for effective
language learning. This foreign language anxiety is defined by some authors as “a feeling of
tension, apprehension and nervousness associated with the situation of learning a foreign
language.”( Horwitz & Cope, 1986, p.125)
In fact, in speaking lesson in Hung Yen University of Technology and Education, students
are usually reluctant to take part in class activities. Speaking tasks often take place in silence.
Some students may be very good at writing or reading English but they fail to speak English
fluently and naturally. Some students state that they cannot find words to say. And some say
that they do not like speaking in class. Some frankly admit that they feel nervous and anxious
when speaking.
Learning English in Vietnam has gained a considerable achievement. However, learning
speaking skill in Vietnam is not really efficient in comparison with other developed countries.
While a certain amount of research has been conducted to investigate the nature of anxiety in
second and foreign language learning, little has been done on anxiety in learning speaking
skill alone in Vietnam. As a teacher of English, therefore, I decided to conduct research on
the topic: “ A study on anxiety in Speaking class of the 1st year non-English major
students at HungYen University of Education and Technology”.

2. Objectives of the study

The specific objectives of the study are:

- to identify the anxiety and point out factors affecting students’ anxiety in learning
speaking skill
 - to suggest some realistic and appropriate pedagogical implications to improve students’
ability to cope with anxiety in learning speaking skill.
3. Research questions
The study is conducted to answer the following research questions:
- What are the anxieties encountered by the first year non English major students in
learning speaking skill?
- What are the factors affecting students’ anxiety in learning speaking skill?

4. Scope of the study

There are many types of anxiety. However, this study only focuses on anxiety of speaking
skill for the First Year Non English majors at Hung Yen University of Technology and
Education. This study is claimed to be an overview of current situations of the first year non
English majors when learning speaking skill and some suggestions for students to cope with
anxiety in speaking class as well as techniques for the teachers to improve their teaching
methods of speaking skills.

5. Methods of the study

The study will be conducted using quantitative and qualitative methods with questionnaires
for informants of one class of about 30 first- year non majors of English and 15 teachers at
the University of Technology and Education in Hung Yen- Department of foreign languages.
In addition to the questionnaire, informal interviews with the informants and their teachers
and personal observation will also be employed.

6. Design of the study

The study consists of three parts:
Part A, introduction, presents the rationale, the aims, the scope, the methods and the design
of the study.
Part B, development, consists of 3 chapters.
Chapter I - Literature Review – provides the basic theoretical background from literature
on anxiety such as definition, types of anxiety; and speaking activities. Especially, the effect
and possible causes of anxiety, which are the main issues of the study, are discussed
thoroughly in this chapter.
Chapter II – Data Analysis & Discussion – provides an analysis on the current situation of
teaching and learning speaking skill and reports the results of the survey research which are
carried out at the beginning of the third term of the 2009- 2010 academic year at the foreign
language department, UTEHY.
Chapter III – Implications for teaching and learning speaking skill– focuses on anxieties
facing students in learning speaking skill and suggested techniques and activities for the
teachers to improve their teaching, suggested solutions for students to reduce and cope with
anxieties facing them in speaking classes.
Part C, conclusion, summarizes all the key issues as well as the limitations of the study and
suggestions for further study.