Investigating Syrian Learners’ Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety in Online EFL Classes: A Study in the COVID-19 Crisis

Abstract

The COVID-19 outbreak has prompted almost all educational institutions to adopt "online" distance learning methods to combat the spread of the virus, and the teaching of English as a foreign language (EFL) has not lagged behind in this sudden global transition to online courses. Speaking a foreign language face-to-face has been shown repeatedly to be an anxiety-provoking task in learning, but the question of whether the same is true for online EFL instruction is still being globally researched. This study, therefore, investigated the extent to which Syrian EFL learners in online English courses experience foreign language speaking anxiety (FLSA), what factors contribute to this fear, and what coping strategies Syrian learners use to deal with it. To that end, 30 participants who were learning English in online classes at the intermediate and upper-intermediate levels were involved in this study. The study was designed on a combination of quantitative and qualitative means of research that employed two data collection tools: a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The findings of the study revealed that Syrian students, generally, experience a moderate level of FLSA in online classes. Participants reported 20 factors as the reasons for their FLSA which were categorized into linguistic (5 factors), educational (4), individual (9), and environmental (2). Results also relayed 7 strategies Syrian EFL learners use to cope with their FLSA which were identified under the following strategy sets: preparation, positive thinking, resignation, and relaxation strategies.