EFL Pre-service Teacher’s Teaching Anxiety and the Coping Strategies during Teaching Practicum

Abstract

This research aims to investigate the sources of teaching anxiety as experienced by EFL pre-service teachers during the teaching practicum and the types of strategy used to cope with the teaching anxiety. This research used Aydin (2016) and Murray-Harvey et al. (2000) frames to investigate the sources of teaching anxiety and the strategies to cope with it. One English pre-service teacher was willing to participate as participant in this research. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The researchers found that the pre-service teacher was anxious mostly due to the lack of teaching experience, her personality, fear of making mistakes, difficulties in time management, lack of learner motivation, and technical issues. This research revealed that there are eight strategies used by the participant to cope with her teaching anxiety (i.e., cognitive strategies, behavioral strategies, emotional strategies, self-management skill, professional qualities, discussion with people, support from supervising teacher, and feedback from lecturer supervisor). Further implications and recommendations are also described in this research. The results from this research suggest alternatives for EFL pre-service teachers to cope with anxiety during teaching practicum.

Navigating Foreign Language Teaching Anxiety: Insights from Pre-Service Teachers during Teacher Professional Education Practicum

“…This strategy is also proven in research by Novitasari and Murtafi'ah (2022)-the results of this research state that institutional coping strategies can reduce pre-service teachers' anxiety. Preservice teachers greatly benefit from the guidance, encouragement, and advice their instructors provide, significantly aiding them in executing teaching duties during practical experiences.…”

Transitioning into a Professional Teacher: EFL Preservice Teachers' Anxiety in Teaching Practicum

“…For instance, Ulfa and Sholah (2023) have explored the level of anxiety experienced by seventh-semester English students who are enrolled in teaching practicum. The study showed that they have perceived low to high anxiety levels, with some contributing factors such as a lack of teaching experience (Novitasari & Murtafi'ah, 2022), poor self-confidence, and limited vocabulary (Ulfa & Sholah, 2023) fear of receiving a poor grade, lack of enthusiasm from students, and a problem managing their time (Sari & Anwar, 2021). Djawamara and Listyani (2021) also found that instructional materials and lesson plans, as well as the methods used for conveying the content, become the source of their anxiety.…”

“…This interest crosses the boundaries of clinical psychology, the classroom, language classes, and more recently, foreign language classrooms (Kobul & Saraçoğlu, 2020;Li et al, 2023;Rani et al, 2022). a significant number of studies concentrated on the anxiety related to learning a foreign language, which is one of the important affective factors that may negatively affect people when learning a foreign language (Gorospe, 2022;Ismail et al, 2022;Novitasari & Murtafi'ah, 2022;Sari & Anwar, 2021). This feeling of anxiousness, which is a component of the affective filter, might discourage individuals from participating in a classroom (Djawamara & Listyani, 2021;Liu & Wu, 2021;Liu & Xiangming, 2019;Liu & Yan, 2020).…”

“…However, despite the growing numbers of research on EFL preservice teachers' anxiety, most of the studies employ qualitative research by focusing only on the specific case in particular settings and involving preservice teachers who are in the final year of their undergraduate study at the university (e.g., Charisma & Nurmalasari, 2020;Djawamara & Listyani, 2021;Novitasari & Murtafi'ah, 2022;Sari & Anwar, 2021). Thus, the findings of these studies cannot be generalized, to the limited number of participants in the studies.…”

“…Then, Djawamara and Listyani (2021) in their study have investigated six English preservice teachers from a private university in Central Java. Also, Novitasari and Murtafi'ah (2022) have included one English preservice teacher from a private university in Yogyakarta in their study.…”