Psychological factors affecting english speaking performance of 10th graders at a high school in nha trang

The research uncovers the significance of motivation, anxiety, confidence, shyness, fear of making mistakes, and the learning environment.. These reasons could stem from the fact that En

NGUYEN TRAN THANH THUY

PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS AFFECTING ENGLISH SPEAKING PERFORMANCE

BỘ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO

TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC QUY NHƠN

NGUYỄN TRẦN THANH THỦY

NHỮNG YẾU TỐ TÂM LÝ ẢNH HƯỞNG ĐẾN KHẢ NĂNG NÓI TIẾNG ANH CỦA HỌC SINH LỚP 10 TẠI MỘT TRƯỜNG TRUNG HỌC

STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP

I certify my authority over the submitted thesis, titled

PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS AFFECTING ENGLISH SPEAKING

IN NHA TRANG

in fulfillment of the requirements for Master Degree

Except when noted in the text, this thesis contains no material already published elsewhere or extracted in whole or in part from a thesis for which I have qualified for or been granted another degree or diploma

No other person's work has been used without proper acknowledgement

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Firstly, I would like to thank my supervisor, Dr Bùi Thị Đào, for spending significant time offering me directions, guidance, constructive comments, and encouragement This thesis would not have been completed without the invaluable assistance of my supervisor

Secondly, I would like to thank my colleagues for their encouragement and sharing of their thesis-writing experience

Thirdly, I am appreciative to all of the students in my class who participated in the study and provided me with valuable insight into the research problem

Finally, I also owe my special thanks to my family, who have always expressed their warmest love to me Without their encouragement and support, this present paper would not have been completed in time

Regarding English language learning, speaking is recognized as a vital skill that needs continuous development and enhancement to facilitate effective communication However, many students at Ly Tu Trong High School in Nha Trang encounter difficulties in developing their speaking skills This research investigates the impact of psychological factors on the English-speaking performance of 10th-grade students The study uses mixed-methods approaches combining surveys, interviews, and observations The research uncovers the significance of motivation, anxiety, confidence, shyness, fear of making mistakes, and the learning environment The participants taking part

in the survey questionnaire include 90 tenth grade students from Ly Tu Trong high schools in Nha Trang Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the participation of five students and one teacher The researcher observed 4 sessions in 2 classes The study employs a quantitative research approach and qualitative descriptive method Data for the research was collected through questionnaires, observations, and interviews The findings of this research provided insights into the specific psychological factors that significantly impact students' speaking abilities Many students voiced their hesitation to speak English, primarily citing difficulties with pronunciation The majority

of these students have openly admitted that they avoid using English in conversation because they fear making errors The results of this study can contribute to the development of targeted interventions to improve English speaking performance among 10th graders The study also proposed a number

of implications, focusing on aiding the students to improve their speaking performance

TABLE OF CONTENTS

STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii

ABSTRACT iii

ABBREVIATIONS AND CONVENTIONS vii

LIST OF TABLES viii

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Rationale 1

1.2 Aim and objective of the study 4

1.3 Research questions 4

1.4 Scope of the study 5

1.5 Method of the study 5

1.6 Significance of the study 6

1.7 Organization of the study 6

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 8

2.1 Definition of speaking skills 8

2.2 Psychological factors 9

2.2.1 Lack of motivation 11

2.2.2 Anxiety 13

2.2.3 Lack of confidence 14

2.2.4 Shyness 16

2.2.5 Fear of making mistake 17

2.2.6 Performance condition 18

2.2.7 Learning environment 18

2.3 Speaking performance 19

2.4 Aspects of speaking performance 19

2.4.1 Pronunciation 20

2.4.2 Structural view 20

2.4.3 Function view 20

2.4.4 Fluency 20

2.4.5 Relating forms to meanings 21

2.5 Types of speaking performance 21

2.5.1 Imitative 21

2.5.2 Intensive 21

2.5.3 Responsive 21

2.5.4 Interactive 22

2.5.5 Extensive (Monologue) 22

2.6 The importance of teaching English speaking 22

2.7 Review of previous studies 23

2.8 Summary 25

CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 27

3.1 Research design 27

3.2 Participants 28

3.3 Data collection instruments 28

3.3.1 Questionnaire 28

3.3.2 Interview 30

3.3.3 Observation 31

3.4 Data collection procedure 32

3.5 Data analysis 32

3.5.1 Quantitative analysis 32

3.5.2 Qualitative analysis 33

3.6 Summary 34

CHAPTER 4 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 35

4.1 Research questions 1: What are psychological factors that influence 10th-grade students’ speaking skills? 35

4.1.1 Lack of motivation 35

4.1.2 Anxiety 39

4.1.3 Lack of confidence 42

4.1.4 Shyness 46

4.1.5 Fear of making mistake 49

4.1.6 Performance condition 52

4.1.7 Learning environment 55

4.2 Research question 2: What solutions can be taken to enhance the speaking performance of high school students? 59

4.2.1 Results from teachers’ interviews 59

4.2.2 Results from students’ interviews 61

4.3 Discussion 63

4.4 Summary 63

CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 64

5.1 Conclusions 64

5.2 Recommendations 65

5.2.1 Recommendations for educators 65

5.2.2 Recommendations for teachers 66

5.2.3 Recommendations for students 67

5.3 Limitations of the research 67

5.4 Suggestions for further studies 68

REFERENCES 70 APPENDICES

ABBREVIATIONS AND CONVENTIONS

EFL English as a foreign language

TESOL Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

LIST OF TABLES

Table

Page number

Table 4.3 Students’ lack of confidence in English speaking

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Chapter one presents the introduction of the study This chapter discusses seven parts, namely rationale, the aim and objective, the research questions, the scope of the study, the method, the significance, and the outline

of the study

1.1 Rationale

In today's globalized and modernized world, English skills have become crucial for connecting individuals across various regions, cultures, religions, and countries Many individuals are required to possess good verbal proficiency to interact smoothly in English Hence, the main goal of English language education should focus on equipping learners with the capacity to communicate proficiently in English as revealed by Davies and Pearse (1998)

In simpler terms, the aim is to help learners successfully reach their communication objectives

In the process of teaching English, it has become evident that speaking, out of the four language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing), is the one most English learners are eager to acquire swiftly Ur (1996) underscores its paramount importance, asserting it as the key factor in transforming learners into proficient English speakers Consequently, speaking serves not only as a mode of expression but also as a tool for cognitive development and academic advancement (Goh, 2007) Moreover, it stands as an essential component of effective communication (Shumin, 2002) Anggryadi (2014) emphasizes the importance of this by stating that many learners believe acquiring successful speaking abilities to be the primary goal when studying English as a foreign language

According to Fitriani (2015) and Leong (2017), the proficiency of

learners' speaking skills plays a significant role in the success of acquiring a foreign language Thus, language learners frequently encounter numerous difficulties To begin with, most students struggle with speaking fluently Then, they must use appropriate vocabulary for each and every situation Additionally, students must speak with proper grammar and, more importantly, produce proper pronunciation and intonation when speaking English Hinkel (2005) claims that communication problems arise when students encounter a word for which they do not know the meaning or form

As a result, they are unsure of how and when to use the word and are frequently interrupted while speaking

In recent years, together with the increasing need for English learning, great efforts in Vietnam and elsewhere have been made in order to improve the quality of English teaching, especially, speaking skills Based on my extensive experience as an English teacher for several years, I've come to realize that students frequently struggle with their speaking abilities These reasons could stem from the fact that English speaking classes are commonly disregarded by teachers in favor of focusing on other areas of language learning means such as grammar or vocabulary simply because high school students' speaking skills were not examined for the last tests On the other hand, all of the participants have the trait of being frightened and unwilling to communicate in English Furthermore, due to a lack of speaking opportunities

at school, children's oral English abilities are lacking Thus, how should we account for this fact? This might be because they are, firstly, worried about making mistakes fearful of criticism, or simply shy Secondly, they have no motivation to express themselves, as well as lacking confidence in expressing their intended communicative goals

Moreover, several experts emphasize that psycholinguistic factors have

a notably adverse impact on students' speaking endeavors Ellis (2000) mentioned that learners often discuss their practice, pinpointing issues and exploring potential solutions Haidra (2014) similarly asserted that psychological factors not only yield negative effects but also complicate students' English speaking proficiency For instance, Putri (2014) conducted research investigating the link between anxiety, a psycholinguistic factor, and students' speaking performance Notably, they found a significant positive correlation between low anxiety scores and enhanced speaking performance These psycholinguistic aspects influence students' oral competence and contribute to the creation of obstacles that limit their ability to communicate Even though English learners, especially Vietnamese high school students, understand how important speaking skills are, they still struggle to speak or express themselves in English In fact, a lot of high school students often find it hard to speak confidently Some students even get so frustrated that they cry or can't say anything during speaking performance This is a big problem for high school students in Ly Tu Trong high school too

However, those studies only pay attention to certain components or groupings of characteristics that have an impact on learners' oral performance singly or collectively under different conditions As a result, there is a lack of study on the variables influencing speaking performance for high school students in Vietnam, particularly in Nha Trang areas where English is now increasingly being used by students Due to this, the writer has conducted a title on "Psychological factors affecting English speaking performance of 10th graders at a high school in Nha Trang" in an effort to gain insights into the specific psychological dynamics that may affect the English speaking performance of 10th graders at Ly Tu Trong high school in Nha Trang and,

then to identify the most effective teaching strategies to enhance high school students' English speaking abilities generally

Moreover, conducting this research in a specific geographical location such as Nha Trang allows for a localized understanding of the factors such as cultural influences, educational policies, and the language learning environment in Nha Trang may have unique characteristics that impact students' psychological well-being and English speaking performance By focusing on this specific context, the research can provide insights that are relevant and applicable to the local educational system and contribute to the improvement of English language education in the area

1.2 Aim and objective of the study

The aim of this study is firstly to investigate how psychological factors impact the English speaking performance of 10th-grade students by exploring the interplay of motivation, anxiety, confidence, shyness, fear of making mistakes, the performance condition, the learning environment, and then, to some extents, to offer some solutions in order to improve students’ English speaking ability and speaking performance

To fulfill these aims, the specific objectives of the study include:

- To evaluate how psychological factors impact students' proficiency

in English speaking

- To provide potential remedies for enhancing students’ English

speaking abilities

1.3 Research questions

In order to reach the above aims and specific objectives, the research is

expected to answer the following questions:

1 What are psychological factors that influence students’ Engllish

speaking skills?

2 What solutions can be taken to enhance the speaking performance of students?

1.4 Scope of the study

The study was carried out with participation of 90 tenth grade students from 2 classes 10C1, 10C2 of Ly Tu Trong High School The study was based

on the survey questionnaires and interviews with the students and teacher The researcher did not analyze factors affecting all aspects of speaking skill but only focuses on psychological factors including ANXIETY, SHYNESS, LACK

OF CONFIDENCE, LACK OF MOTIVATION, FEAR OF MAKING MISTAKE, LEARNING ENVIRONMENT, AND PERFORMANCE CONDITIONS based on the theories revealed by Rao et.al (2019), Ghebard (2000) and Brown (2004) This is a descriptive study with three main instruments including the questionnaire, interview and observation

1.5 Method of the study

The current research was designed as a descriptive study using both quantitative and qualitative methods to find the answers for the research questions Data was collected through a set of the survey questionnaire which was delivered to 90 tenth grade students Additionally, to augment the survey questionnaire findings and enhance the study's reliability, informal interviews were conducted with 5 out of 90 students and one teacher from Ly Tu Trong High School to gather additional information Subsequently, classroom observations were conducted to illuminate the complex relationship between psychological factors and English speaking performance among tenth-grade students Ultimately, drawing from the outcomes of the study, comments, recommendations, and conclusions were presented

1.6 Significance of the study

In terms of theory, this research can supply valuable insighs into the psychological fators affecting students’ English speaking performance The findings of the study might be also utilized as a starting point for additional research on relevant topics By doing this study, the researcher hopes that students will assess their own speaking performance after gaining an understanding of their English proficiency and the factors that influence it This self-evaluation will guide their efforts to enhance their English speaking abilities; if they perceive their skills to be lower than those of their peers, they will engage in more frequent practice Understanding the elements that influence students' English speaking performance allows teachers to implement more effective English learning practices, resulting in higher student outcomes The school can develop targeted solutions, such as a new English program, to address performance factors affecting students' English speaking skills

1.7 Organization of the study

The study consists of five chapters:

Chapter 1 – Introduction – presents rationale, aim, objectives, the research questions, the scope, significance and organization of the study

Chapter 2 – Literature review – presents the concepts relevant to the speaking skills, psychological factors, speaking performance, aspect of speaking performance, types of speaking performance, teaching speaking, the importance of speaking competence and previous studies

Chapter 3 – Methodology – presents the research design, participants, data collection instruments, data collection procedures, and data analysis of the research

Chapter 4 – Findings and discussion – analyses and discusses the

data and the lists of major findings of the study

Chapter 5 – Conclusions and recommendations – is a review of the

study, and points out implications for the improvement, its limitations and suggestions for future research

The final section of the thesis contains the appendices that display all documents related to or used in the study

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

Chapter 2, Literature Review, is composed of eight sub-sections The first five sections presents the concepts relevant to the speaking skills, psychological factors, speaking performance, aspect of speaking performance, types of speaking performance The sixth and seventh sections present theories on teaching speaking and emphasize the significance of speaking proficiency, while the final section summarizes previous studies

2.1 Definition of speaking skills

Speaking is defined as a two-way process that includes true communication of opinions, information, or emotions by Eckard and Kearny (1981), Florez (1999), Howarth (2001) This top-down perspective sees spoken texts as the collaboration of two or more people in a shared time and context According to Bygate (1987), speaking is the act of producing auditory signals that cause listeners to respond verbally in a number of ways

It is thought to systematically combine sounds to form meaningful sentences Drawing from these aforementioned theories, it can be inferred that speaking constitutes an active and productive skill utilized for expressing ideas through spoken language Speaking is a skill frequently employed in everyday interactions between individuals to convey ideas, emotions, or thoughts

According to Nunan (1995), speaking skill is the ability to pronounce a word orally, communicate and interact with other people using spoken language, and accomplish a variety of communicative goals such as making a speech or making a request Brown (2001, p 9) states that speaking “isn't a singular skill; instead, it's an interactive procedure where meaning is constructed through the generation, reception, and comprehension of information.” Furthermore, Harmer (2001, p 15) highlights that speaking

encompasses two essential aspects: accuracy and fluency In essence, cultivating speaking proficiency involves not only employing vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation correctly but also being capable of spontaneous and fluent speech

According to Spratt, Pulverness, and Williams (2005, p.34), speaking is

“a skill involving using the speech organs to convey meanings to others, akin

to writing It's a crucial skill because it serves as a bridge connecting individuals who share the same language.” This ability enables people to communicate thoughts, ideas, emotions, and feelings to one another EI-Basel (2008, p 74) emphasizes that speaking skills “are essential for personal success These skills encompass a broad spectrum, ranging from casual conversations to formal public speaking.” Richards (2009, p 19) states that

“in speaking we tend to be getting something done, exploring ideas, working out some aspects of the world, or simply being together.”

Dorgham (2011, p 1) claims that “speaking abilities play a key role in the communication process and are integral to daily life and learning developing speaking skills facilitates effective connections within society.” Iqbal (2012) defines speaking as the oral mode of communication that is more difficult and complex than the other three language skills (Listening, Reading, and Writing) He emphasizes that speaking is more than just making sounds out of words; it is also about combining them to form meaningful messages

2.2 Psychological factors

According to Ellis (2003, p 1), psycholinguistics is “the study of the mental processes and structures involved in language acquisition and use Cognitive processes that result in logical and grammatically sound sentences are part of psychological considerations.” As part of this, expressions, words,

and text are formed as well as grammatical structures used In addition, the study of the neural mechanisms underlying language learning and usage is a key component of the scientific subject of psycholinguistics

Brown (2001) stated that there are numerous elements that influence learners during the process of learning and using an EFL, making it challenging for them to succeed in using English No successful cognitive or affective action can be carried out unless there is some degree of self-confidence, knowledge of oneself, and belief in one's own talents for that task Self-confidence is a measure of how much a person believes in and trusts themselves Some students with great self-confidence may give good evaluations of themselves during the observation classroom exercise, which supports their language acquisition Because of their lack of confidence, pupils who struggle with speaking English or feel less inclined to do so

Minghe and Yuan (2013) suggested that English students often struggle with speaking fluently due to their fear of making errors As a result, some students refrain from participating in English discussions due to vocabulary issues and this fear, leading to an inability to speak English proficiently Speaking in English becomes a source of stress for students, particularly when they need to perform tasks using the language This highlights the significance of psychological factors in students' speaking performance success

It is clear that psychological factors play a significant role in language acquisition, particularly in the speaking domain, and that they have a significant influence as revealed by Harmer (2007, p 345) i.e “shy persons are less likely to express themselves in front of others, therefore when asked for personal information or thoughts, students are frequently reluctant to talk.” Another common concern is the fear of making a fool of oneself in front of a

classmate by speaking poorly The impact of psychological factors on speaking performance has been acknowledged by numerous researchers Ghebard (2000) highlights key issues that affect speaking performance, including fear of making mistakes, shyness, lack of confidence, motivation, anxiety, learning environment, and performance conditions The performance

of pupils who practice speaking has been shown to be influenced by a number

of psychological elements, many of which are interconnected provided as follows:

2.2.1 Lack of motivation

Zua, (2008) stated that motivation is considered as an important factor

to successful communication Students with a strong motivation to succeed can persist in learning and gain better than those who have weaker motivation

of success show that building student motivation to learn is urgent for every teacher No matter what kinds of motivation the learners process it will enhance their study interest

The desire of students to study a language is seen as motivation According to Ellis (2000), it's critical to pay attention to students' motivation because it can have an impact on their reluctance to speak English The importance of motivation for students' learning performance is underlined Students must put up a lot of effort in addition to merely having the desire to learn the language in order to succeed As Alizedah (2016)’s stated, integrative motivation is the most prevalent type of motivation and exists in three different conditions, namely:

i A considerable emphasis on integrativeness

ii Students' substantial investment, effort, and enjoyment in language learning

iii The students' perceptions of the teachers and the curriculum being implemented

However, Gardner (as cited in Budianto, 2010) asserted that there are two types of motivation in language learning: integrative motivation and instrumental drive Integrative motivation focuses on students' favorable attitudes toward learning a foreign language and their desire to become further immersed in it Students' desire to get something real and useful from language instruction is an instrumental drive

Gaining proficiency in a second language requires motivation, according to Gardner and Lambert (1972) Ausubel's cognitive theory of learning suggests a reciprocal link between learning and motivation:

"motivation can boost learning, and learning can rekindle motivation" (Hong

& Ganapathy, 2017, p 17) Within language learning, Gardner and Lambert (1972) identified two motivation types: instrumental and integrative Instrumental motivation drives learning for tangible benefits, like improving speaking skills for job prospects or income growth Integrative motivation involves learning to be a part of a culture (Mahadi and Jafari, 2012) Thus, motivation, stemming from external and internal sources, significantly influences students' speaking abilities and performance

Woolfolk and Margaret (2007) further claimed that students that are motivated to learn languages perform better It's like a tool that keeps students interested and involved in learning (Zyngier, 2008) And when students are really involved in learning, they tend to do better in school When they care about learning a language, they try hard to achieve their goals Learning a language takes effort, and it's easier for people who are excited about it (Masgoret & Gardner, 2003) So, both learning and motivation are important because they work together Learning helps students gain new knowledge and

skills, and motivation pushes them to keep going and do their best in learning

2.2.2 Anxiety

Anxiety is a feeling of tension, apprehension and nervousness associated with the situation of learning a foreign language as defined by Horwitz et al, cited in Nascente (2001) Nascente further told that, among other affective variables, anxiety stands out as one of the main blocking factors for effective language learning The fact that anxiety plays an important role in students’ learning is also shared by other researchers like Horwitz (1991) as cited in Sylvia and Tiono (2004) He believes that anxiety about speaking a certain language can affect students’ performance

Language anxiety is seen as an important factor in language learning as claimed by Sutarsyah (2017) This means that the feeling of being anxious about language has become one of the things that affects how people learn languages Additionally, Khattak et al (2011) explained that feeling anxious when learning English can be really tough and might impact how well students reach their goals In simpler terms, anxiety is one of the most important things that can affect how people learn languages

Horwitz et al (2001) underscored that, among various affective factors, anxiety emerges as a primary hindrance to successful language learning Furthermore, it's crucial to address this aspect of learning Anxiety related to speaking a particular language can significantly impact students' performance, influencing the quality of their oral language production and potentially making them appear less fluent than they truly are The given definition suggests that teachers should strive to establish a learning environment that fosters comfortable situations for students during their learning activities

Horwitz et al (2001) further stated that anxiety arises spontaneously from the inner feelings of students while speaking English For example,

students might believe that their peers are more skilled than they are, leading

to psychological distress and consequently reducing their willingness to speak The attitude exhibited during speaking activities holds significant importance Depending on the context, students must select an appropriate attitude to achieve a favorable speaking situation This attitude involves evaluating whether topics, organizations, or individuals are of good or bad quality Attitude also encompasses the way feelings are expressed For instance, if students provide information about negative news without conveying sadness, the information might lack persuasiveness

Juhana et al (2012) identified three primary causes of student anxiety: communication apprehension, test anxiety, and fear of negative evaluation Communication apprehension refers to students' ability to effectively communicate in the target language A lack of proficiency in this area often leads to anxious feelings among many students Test anxiety, the next factor, revolves around students' fear of being assessed through tests The final factor

is linked to the evaluation of peers This study frequently observes that evaluations by other students trigger anxiety among the students themselves Additionally, Liu et al (2007) emphasized that the fear of evaluation by teachers is yet another factor impacting student anxiety

Language anxiety, according to Speilberger and Sarason (2005), is distinguished by two factors The first instance is when kids become worried under any circumstance The second quality is how well students believe they can communicate in a foreign language Students feel language anxiety because some students tend to undervalue their proficiency in learning a foreign language

2.2.3 Lack of confidence

Tsui (1999) mentioned that lack of confidence typically arises when

students notice that their conversation partners didn't understand them or when they struggle to comprehend others As a result, students might choose

to stay quiet, allowing others to dominate the conversation, revealing their lack of confidence in communicating Tsui (1999) also revealed that students who lack confidence in themselves and their English often experience communication apprehension This underscores the importance of teachers prioritizing the development of students' confidence This implies that teachers need to draw insights from both theories and real-world practice to effectively build students' self-assurance

According to Chen et al (2010), many students feel that they can't speak English well in this situation and that their English is poor The ability

to speak English fluently is the primary factor in students' confidence As Brown (2001) stated, a contributing factor to pupils' lack of motivation is their teachers' lack of support Teachers do not believe it is crucial in this situation

to show children they can speak English As a result, pupils find learning to

be demotivating rather than stimulating This suggests that motivating kids is essential for boosting their self-confidence

Self-confidence refers to an individual's belief in their abilities, how others perceive them, and their own strengths as claimed by Fitriani, (2015) Having self-confidence empowers learners to confidently and effectively speak English, even in front of a group On the other hand, if learners lack self-assurance, they might feel guilty, shy, and fearful of criticism, ridicule, and making mistakes These worries about errors and appearing inadequate in front of others can lead them to remain quiet during speaking lessons The absence of self-confidence places students in a position where they doubt their capabilities and potential achievements Consequently, it negatively affects their performance in speaking tasks

2.2.4 Shyness

Gebhard et al (2000) emphasized that shyness is an emotional state that many students go through, especially when they are asked to speak This shows that shyness can become a challenge in students' learning experiences, particularly in speaking-focused classes Addressing this aspect is quite important to support students in their speaking tasks within the classroom Moreover, as Gebhard et al (2000) stated, speaking in front of others is a common fear that many students face, and feelings of shyness can lead their minds to go blank or cause them to forget what to say As a result, students' struggle in speaking is also significantly affected by their shyness In simpler terms, it can be concluded that shyness significantly impacts how well students perform in speaking tasks

According to Robby et al (2010), a student's shyness is a result of their tendency to be very quiet Because most of the students in this study find speaking in front of the class quite scary, they tend to be shy and lack confidence Additionally, the majority of English-speaking students experience shyness when speaking the language because they worry about making a mistake in front of the class The students are also terrified of their peers making fun of them Students' feelings of inadequacy are reflected in their timidity Because of their poor English speaking skills, they are concerned that their friends would make fun of them

Robby et al (2010) further suggested that feeling shy can indeed impact students' confidence in speaking When students lack confidence, they might struggle to express themselves clearly This fear of making mistakes can lead to hesitation Moreover, being teased by classmates can also undermine a student's confidence in speaking For instance, a student might have a good understanding of the language for speaking, but their shyness

prevents them from practicing English due to fear of being ridiculed by their peers

2.2.5 Fear of making mistake

The fear of making mistakes stands out as a major reason why students hesitate to speak English in the classroom as pointed out by Lestari et al (2008) This fear is related to the concern of being corrected and negatively evaluated In simpler terms, this fear is also intensified by the worry of being laughed at by classmates or criticized by the teacher As a result, students often refrain from actively participating in speaking activities It's crucial for teachers to reassure their students that making mistakes is not a negative thing; rather, it's an opportunity to learn and improve

In such situations, students are apprehensive about making mistakes due to their fear that their peers might mock them or react negatively if they make errors while speaking English Kurtus et al (2001) noted that the primary reason for this fear of making mistakes is the students' worry about appearing foolish in front of their classmates and being concerned about their peers' perceptions of them This fear of making mistakes when speaking English is a widespread concern, particularly in foreign language contexts like Indonesia Middleton et.al (2009) proposed that many English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students are hesitant to try speaking in a new language In this study, students avoid speaking out of concern about seeming foolish in front of their peers On another note, they also worry about how they might sound and have a fear of sounding silly, among other things

Numerous theorists have made the case that students' hesitation to speak in English is mostly due to their fear of making mistakes (Tsui in Nunan, 1999; Yi Htwe, 2007; Robby, 2010) Aftat (2008) further explains that the fear of making mistakes is related to the concerns of criticism and

punishment As a result, one of the most frequent challenges faced by students

in speaking classes is their fear of being teased by their peers or scolded by the teacher when they make mistakes As a result, Hieu (2011) found that students frequently discontinue taking part in the speaking activity Hence, teachers play a crucial role in reassuring their students that making mistakes is not a negative or harmful aspect since valuable learning can arise from those mistakes

2.2.6 Performance condition

Zinio (2017) noted that performance conditions refer to the circumstances and situations in which performance takes place Performance conditions can indeed impact speaking performance These conditions encompass various aspects, including time constraints, preparation, performance standards, and the level of support Tuan and Mai (2015) suggest that students engage in speaking tasks under diverse conditions and emphasize the influence of performance conditions on speaking ability Furthermore, performance conditions have a crucial role in determining the success of speaking performance

2.2.7 Learning environment

Minghe & Yuan (2013) highlighted that since English is used for communication, a favorable language environment greatly aids learning An additional external factor impacting students' speaking performance is the absence of a conducive language learning environment Concerning the significance of the learning environment, Ames (1990) quoted that it is a critical factor in the learning procedure By the same token, when examining the critical position of the learning environment, Awan, Noureen, and Naz (2011) referred to necessary components of accomplishing an academic objective In a nutshell, one thing that is certain about both the past and the

future is the fundamental position of the learning environment in educational practice Students acquire new knowledge and skills through learning, and the environment encourages them to continue the process

2.3 Speaking performance

Brown (2004) affirmed that speaking, a productive skill that is observable but often influenced by the accuracy and effectiveness of the listener's comprehension, represents the use of oral communication by students to convey their thoughts This dynamic can challenge the reliability and validity of oral production assessments Nasr et al (2015) further highlighted that acquiring this skill necessitates a distinct ability beyond language mastery in terms of grammar and semantics Moreover, speaking encompasses more than sound production; it's a process of accomplishing objectives and conveying messages

Speaking performance might not always accurately reflect true competence Factors such as a disrupted night's sleep, illness, emotional disturbances, test anxiety, memory lapses, or other student-related reliability issues could potentially influence performance, rendering it an inconsistent gauge of actual proficiency as revealed by Brown (2004) These issues can impact students' speaking performance The challenges in students' speaking performance stem from reasons like illness, emotional distractions, test anxiety, and memory blocks

2.4 Aspects of speaking performance

Recognizing the significance of English speaking, it's advisable for students to dedicate attention to mastering language components, particularly within the English context Rao et al (2019) emphasized the importance of understanding three key elements that contribute to proficient English speaking, briefly outlined as follows:

2.4.1 Pronunciation

Along the speaking problems, pronunciation is paid a lot of attention to by the learners Pronunciation, as Rao et.al (2019) claimed, is a technique used by speakers to convey their words more clearly It is concerned with the phonological process, which is a name for the parts of grammar made up of the elements and rules that control how sound variations and patterns occur in a language Include segmental vowel characteristics, recurring vowel patterns, stressing, and intonation patterns in your pronunciation Correct pronunciation of English words must be used by the speaker

2.4.2 Structural view

The transfer of meaning is thought to be directly tied to a language's ability to hold structural features, according to the structural viewpoint as revealed by Rao et.al (2019) This part is also concerned with how a language becomes accepted so that a speaker's utterances may be understood by others

in terms of the phonetic, grammar, and lexical features

2.4.3 Function view

Language in this context refers to how the language's form is used in a communication context as stated by Rao et.al (2019), In this context, it is clear that the aforementioned structural perspective is still linked to the functional outlook This is because language, as a structural component, must

be capable of expressing the speaker's intended meaning as well as performing language duties

2.4.4 Fluency

In order to cope with the real-time processing, a learner's fluency is measured by how quickly and thoroughly they can speak without breaking frequently for pointless repetitions, self-corrections, or false starts Being able

to communicate clearly and without hesitation is a sign of fluency as suggested by Rao et.al (2019)

2.4.5 Relating forms to meanings

According to Rao et.al (2019), a teacher must ensure that a balance between the structural and meanings of a language is maintained in this section When a teacher believes that after teaching his students a lot of grammatical concepts, their ability to speak spontaneously will just naturally come to them, a problem will arise The pupils will as a result speak awkwardly, translate every word in a dictionary, and develop a fear of making mistakes because of relating forms to meanings

2.5 Types of speaking performance

There are five fundamental forms of speaking performance, as listed by Brown (2004, p 41-142):

2.5.1 Imitative

Imitative, as suggested by Brown (2004), is one of the sorts of speaking performance on a continuum that includes the ability to simply parrot back (imitate) a word, phrase, or possibly a sentence This type of imitation focuses only on one aspect of language form Word repetition is an example of an imitative task

2.5.2 Intensive

Brown (2004) stated that in order to reply in this type of engagement with an interlocutor, the speaker must be aware of semantic qualities The directed response tasks, reading aloud, phrase and dialogue completion, and other demanding assessment activities are some examples

2.5.3 Responsive

Respondent assessment tasks, as Brown (2004) claimed, may involve interaction and understanding testing, although they are generally confined to

brief exchanges of greetings and small talk, basic requests and comments, and the like Paraphrasing, giving directions and instructions, and asking and answering questions are a few examples of responsive speaking tasks

2.5.4 Interactive

Brown (2004) claims that interactive is comparable to speaking that is responsive, but there are variations between the two in terms of the complexity and length of the dialogue, which occasionally involves numerous participants For instance, role-playing exercises, discussions, and interviews

2.5.5 Extensive (Monologue)

As Brown (2004) mentioned, speeches, oral presentations, and storytelling are examples of tasks requiring extensive oral productions; during these tasks, listeners' opportunities for oral involvement are either nonexistent

or very restricted For complicated tasks, language style tends to be more deliberate and formal However, there are some informal monologues that cannot be ruled out, including speech that is delivered sarcastically

2.6 The importance of teaching English speaking

Harmer (2007) stated that in Vietnam, the objective of English teaching and learning is to cultivate balanced communicative skills encompassing listening, speaking, reading, and writing For this reason, teachers are tasked with providing students speaking assignments and affording them opportunities to employ the target language for effective communication Harmer (2007, p 345) underscores that encouraging student participation in speaking activities can often be straightforward In a conducive classroom environment, where students have rapport, possess suitable English proficiency, and are provided with fitting topics and tasks, they typically engage openly and enthusiastically Yet, challenges can arise, hindering this process Classroom dynamics may not be optimal, topic selection could be

amiss, or issues might stem from task organization

According to Harmer (2007, p 345), when teaching language and promoting general cognitive and educational development This is a good example of why topic selection is crucial Even though a topic may be well-known, it should be developed more or expanded so that students might learn something new Teachers can choose from a variety of linguistic exercise kinds and combine different activity types in order to support children's cognitive development

Nasr (2015) stated that the goal of speaking instruction is to help pupils produce their words more clearly As a result, language learning exercises in the classroom ought to concentrate on encouraging individual language use Since speakers of a language are referred to as such, speaking is the most crucial of the four skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) The fact that there is no use in knowing a lot about a language if you can't use it suggests that using a language is more important than simply knowing about it

2.7 Review of previous studies

Numerous research studies and articles conducted worldwide, particularly for non-Western languages, have aimed to investigate the factors influencing students' English speaking performance Heriansyah (2012) conducted a study towards speaking problems faced by the English Department students of Syiah Kuala University The results of this study showed that there were more than ten types of speaking problems faced by the students They were divided in two separate kinds which were linguistic problems and non-linguistic problems The researcher pointed out that the most challenging problems faced by the respondents were: lack of vocabulary, not confident to speak, not used to talking in class, and difficult to

express words or sentences

Hosni (2014) investigated a study on grade 5 teachers and students in basic education schools in Oman The results revealed that the main speaking problems faced by grade 5 students were linguistic features, mother tongue use, and inhibition He found that students couldn't speak English fluently because they lacked the necessary vocabulary for various topics, and they struggled with using the correct grammatical structures

Fitriani et al (2015) carried out the dominant problems in learners’ oral performance The result of the research examined that the most dominant problem encountered by the students was the psychological problems which include the aspects related to ones’ emotional states such as self-confidence and anxiety Moreover, his research pointed out that grammar was also one of the biggest barriers that affected the children’s speaking performance

Aryanti (2016) conducted the articles with the goal is to examine the psychological obstacles that students confront that impair their speaking abilities Additionally, the researcher wishes to observe phenomena that occurred in a speaking class in a real-world situation for this study The results of this study will demonstrate that because they are terrified of making mistakes, students often experience anxiety when speaking Students' low self-esteem in using English may be related in some way to why they combine it with their native tongue when speaking

Munir (2018) has described the psychological factors that impede SMA

N 2 pupils' English speaking competence The researchers hope to discover the psychological variables that impede students' ability to communicate in the classroom, as well as the origins of these difficulties and viable solutions

to overcome them

Khotaba (2019) surveyed "Foreign language speaking anxiety: a psycholinguistic barrier affecting speaking achievement of Indonesia EFL

learners." in Indonesia In his research, he wishes to focus on the evaluation

of speaking proficiency among English language learners It attempts to investigate how learners of Indonesian can talk more effectively when they are less anxious about speaking in a foreign language According to the study's findings, there is only a slender relationship between Indonesian learners' success in speaking and their level of speaking fear

In Vietnamese, Lê Hải Yến (2019) researched two main kinds of

factors that affected the learners’ speaking skills called internal factors and

external factors in High School, Thai Nguyen City, Vietnam The participants

of the research were 51 grade 10th students and 6 English teachers at this school Her findings suggested that the internal factors related to the factors coming from the students themselves, such as anxiety, lack of self-confidence Meanwhile, the external ones were from the outside aspects which were mainly about the linguistic factors like lack of vocabulary, poor grammar, and weak pronunciation The finding also suggested some recommendations to improve the learners’ oral skills For instance, students should outline what sentence structures, tenses and other aspects of grammar before speaking or teachers should balance the time on the importance of teaching speaking skills and other language skills as well as grammar

This study looked at a variety of variables that could influence how well people speak English Because of the circumstances, the researcher may have discovered more elements in addition to the three mentioned above The facilities and other external characteristics of the students in this study differ from those of other studies conducted around the world

2.8 Summary

This chapter has presented the relevant literature review, which has helped to form the theoretical framework for the study including the speaking

skills, psychological factors, speaking performance, aspect of speaking performance, types of speaking performance, teaching speaking, the importance of speaking competence and previous studies Various aspects related to psychological factors, such as anxiety, shyness, lack of confidence, motivation, fear of making mistakes, the learning environment, and performance conditions, have been discussed based on Gebhard's theory (2000) This is considered the core concept and the fundamental theoretical framework for the investigation in this research The detailed findings will be discussed in Chapter 4

CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter expounds on the research design adopted to investigate the psychological factors influencing English speaking performance among 10th-grade students at Ly Tu Trong High School in Nha Trang This chapter has reviewed relevant studies, encompassing research design, participants, data collection instruments, data collection procedures, and data analysis

a deeper understanding of the research issue compared to using each approach separately, a concept also recognized as "legitimate inquiry" research designs

by Brewer & Hunter (1989) To accomplish the research goals while enhancing reliability and validity, three data collection tools were employed: questionnaires, interviews, and observation In this context, the quantitative data from questionnaires and the qualitative insights from interviews and observations complemented and enriched each other

The choice of Ly Tu Trong High School as the research setting is motivated by its reputation for academic excellence and commitment to English language education The school's diverse student population and its importance as an educational institution in Nha Trang make it an excellent location for studying the impact of psychological factors on English speaking proficiency The researcher has organized the study into three distinct phases based on these theories Initially, during the first phase, students were administered a questionnaire Subsequently, in the second phase, interviews

were conducted with five student representatives and one teacher Finally, in the third phase, the researcher engaged in observations

3.2 Participants

The research focused on 90 students at grade 10 and their teachers at

Ly Tu Trong High School, in which five students were selected for in-depth interviews to gain qualitative insights into their experiences One English teacher will also be interviewed to understand their perspectives on students' speaking performance Classroom observations were conducted during four English speaking sessions to provide contextual insights Participants for the interviews were selected purposefully, based on the researcher's judgment The selection of 10th-grade students aligns with the developmental stage at which students are expected to engage more actively in communicative language tasks This grade level often marks a transition to more complex language learning, and students are at a juncture where psychological factors can significantly impact their language proficiency Additionally, 10th-grade students are likely to have accumulated sufficient language exposure and experience to provide valuable insights into their perceptions and experiences related to English speaking performance

3.3 Data collection instruments

Three types of instruments were used to collect data for the study: questionnaires, interviews, and classroom observation

3.3.1 Questionnaire

A survey questionnaire was selected for this study based on four key reasons Firstly, using a questionnaire is cost-effective and time-efficient for gathering data from a potentially large number of participants As Richards (1992) highlights, questionnaires are valuable for gathering information about teaching and learning aspects like beliefs, attitudes, motivation, and preferences This method allows for

the collection of a substantial amount of data in a relatively short period Additionally, Rowley (2013) notes that questionnaires enable researchers to systematically address their research objectives by structuring the questions they wish to ask

Secondly, data collected through questionnaires are straightforward to summarize and analyze since all respondents answer the same set of questions (Saris & Gallhofer, 2014)

Thirdly, questionnaires can provide insights into various aspects of participants' characteristics, such as thoughts, feelings, attitudes, beliefs, values, perceptions, personality, and behavioral intentions (Johnson & Christensen, 2000) Beaty et al (2020) emphasize that if educators aim to understand their students' perspectives, a questionnaire is a feasible and convenient tool Hence, this approach was anticipated to offer valuable insights into different dimensions of students' behavior and pre-speaking activities

Lastly, questionnaires offer students the opportunity to express their thoughts and needs without the fear of embarrassment or punishment, as they are not required to provide their names on the questionnaire sheets

A structured survey questionnaire was administered based on the Likert Scale

to measure psychological factors such as motivation, anxiety, confidence, shyness, fear of making mistakes, and perceptions of the learning environment (Appendix A) To prevent any potential misunderstandings due to language issues, both the Vietnamese and English versions of the questionnaire were provided simultaneously This approach ensured that students would fully comprehend each item and wouldn't face difficulties arising from language barriers

The questionnaire utilized to assess the psychological factors influencing the speaking performance of tenth graders was adapted from Yuliana's study (2021) Participants' responses were measured using a five-degree Likert

scale, consisting of five levels: Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Neutral, Agree, and Strongly Agree The adaptation of the questionnaire ensured its suitability for investigating the chosen research topic The aims of the items would be shown in the following table

Table 3 1 Description of the psychological factors used for the survey

It reflects the interviewer's interest in the interviewee and values their shared perspectives Interviews explore others' viewpoints thoroughly and flexibly within the context of a conversation, often in combination with observation Wiley (2016) suggested that to maintain a historical record of the interview project, it's important to outline the topics covered in each interview This practice helps researchers keep track of the conversation's