Home⇛UE Research Journal⇛vol. 28 no. 2 (2025)

Designing an English Language Proficiency Program to Answer the English Language Anxiety of Junior High School Students

Swisa Almeyda

Discipline: others in language and area studies

 

Abstract:

The English language is deeply entrenched in the Philippine culture. However, despite the Filipinos' love for learning and speaking the English language, surveys from recent years indicated that English language performance is declining because of language anxiety. This study aims to determine the Filipino high school students’ level of language anxiety and to design a language proficiency program to address their language anxiety. Using a mixed method approach, the study adopted the FLCAS questionnaire administered to 195 respondents from 5 private schools in Manila. Weighted means and standard deviations were utilized to find how much anxiety was experienced and the reasons for the anxiety in the language. Parameters in this study are based on the most popular second language acquisition theory, Stephen Krashen’s Theory of Second Language Acquisition—Affective filter. Results showed that the prevailing level of language anxiety among Junior High School students learning the English language is anxious, which means that they lack self-confidence in speaking the language because of fear of negative evaluation. Furthermore, junior High School students showed an anxious level of speaking anxiety which means that the students’ learning and speaking of the English language may be affected by the anxiety they feel in the English classroom. In response to these results, a Speaking Program for Effective Communication at Home (SPEECH) was designed to address the speaking anxiety of junior high school students



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