English Language Anxiety and Speaking Skill:A Perception Based Study of ESL Undergraduates in Pakistan

Abstract

This research examines how English language anxiety affects the speaking skills of undergraduate students who are learning English as a second language in Pakistan, with particular focus on the University of Sialkot. A perception-based quantitative method was applied to collect data from 100 students and 15 teachers using structured questionnaires based on a Likert scale. The collected data were analyzed through SPSS to generate descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations. The main aim of the study was to identify the key causes of speaking anxiety and to understand its effect on students’ speaking performance.The results show that a large number of students feel anxious when speaking English due to fear of making mistakes, low self-confidence, limited vocabulary, and fear of being judged by others. It was also found that anxiety has a negative impact on students’ fluency, pronunciation, and overall speaking ability. Teachers highlighted that a positive classroom environment, encouragement, and regular speaking practice can help reduce anxiety. The study suggests that proper teaching strategies and supportive learning conditions can play an important role in improving students’ confidence and speaking skills.