Anxiety and Attitude toward Speaking In Relation to the Oral Communication Skills of Senior High School Students

Abstract

This study examined the relationship of English-speaking anxiety and attitudes toward speaking English with the oral communication skills of Grade 11 Senior High School students in Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte. A descriptive-correlational research design was employed, involving 153 students selected through random sampling. Data were gathered using a researcher-developed English Speaking Anxiety Scale, an adopted English Speaking Attitude Questionnaire, and a researcher-developed speaking rubric administered through an extemporaneous speaking activity. Frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, Pearson product-moment correlation, and regression analysis were used to analyze the data. Findings revealed that the students exhibited a high level of English-speaking anxiety, maintained a positive attitude toward speaking English, and demonstrated a satisfactory level of oral communication skills. Speaking anxiety was significantly and negatively associated with oral communication skills, indicating that higher levels of anxiety were linked with lower speaking performance. In contrast, students’ attitudes toward speaking English were not significantly related to their oral communication skills. Among the dimensions of speaking anxiety, dissatisfaction with one’s linguistic skills emerged as a significant predictor of oral communication performance. The findings highlight the importance of providing supportive, engaging, and anxiety-reducing classroom environments, along with appropriate instructional strategies and speaking opportunities, to strengthen students’ confidence and oral communication competence.