An Investigation of Speaking Anxiety and Proficiency Challenges among Thai University Students in English Language Learning.

บทคัดย่อ

This study investigates the factors influencing speaking proficiency among 48 second-year non-English major students enrolled in an English Speaking course at Thai university. The research focuses on emotional and psychological issues, low speaking proficiency, and the learning environment as key issues faced by students when studying English. Although not statistically significant, the results indicate that emotional and psychological factors, such as anxiety and lack of self-confidence, have some effect on students' ability to speak English. Additionally, students self-reported low speaking proficiency with a significant mean score of 3.90 (p=0.000), indicating a need for improving speaking skills. Regarding the learning environment, students disagreed with the idea that it was a major issue, with a mean score of 2.32, suggesting that while some issues exist, the learning environment was not a primary factor in their struggles. The findings highlight the importance of addressing emotional, psychological, and skill-based barriers in English speaking proficiency. Implications for teaching include creating anxiety-reducing activities, incorporating more speaking practice, and focusing on interactive and task-based learning approaches. The study emphasizes the need for further investigation into students' motivation and teaching preferences to enhance speaking skills.