THE LEVELS OF STUDENTS’ ANXIETY IN SPEAKING PERFORMANCE

This study attempted to investigate the students’ anxiety levels in speaking
performance and to find out the factors causing students’ anxiety in speaking
performance. The respondent of this research was the eight grade students of SMP
Muhammadiyah 06 Belawan. A descriptive qualitative design was used to
conduct this study. The data were collected by FLCAS Questionnaire and
interview. This result of this study showed that, out of 60 students, there are seven
students (11.7%) are in a very anxious level, thirty students (50%) are in the
anxious level, twenty one students (35%) are in the mildly anxious level, there are
only two students (3.3%) in the relaxed level, and none of the students (0%) in the
very relaxed level. It occurred as a result of a combination of individual and social
factors. From individual factors such as communication apprehension and test
anxiety. While the social factor is fear of negative evaluation, such as being
laughed at by other students and being terrified of the students' and teachers'
perspectives of their speaking performance.