Managing English Speaking Anxiety in Online Classrooms: Coping Strategies of ESL Undergraduates

Speaking remains one of the most anxiety-inducing skills for most second language learners, and despite the global transition to online learning, language anxiety persists in virtual environments. Due to this reason, this study investigates the coping strategies employed by learners to manage speaking anxiety in online classrooms and identifies the strategies dimension they perceive as most effective. A set of questionnaires, adapted from He (2017) the Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety Scale (FLSAS), was administered to 190 undergraduates at a public university in Kelantan, Malaysia. Findings reveal that ESL learners draw significantly on supportive peer environments, positive teacher attitudes, vocabulary preparation, and their own readiness and behavioural strategies to mitigate speaking anxiety in online contexts. The study highlights the pedagogical importance of addressing speaking anxiety in digital platforms and provides useful insights for educators to design and implement targeted strategies that increase confidence and engage effective participation in ESL online classrooms.

Language anxiety, speaking anxiety

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