Investigating English Speaking Anxiety Among Undergraduate Students at Zarqa University

Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety (FLSA) is a phenomenon that significantly influences oral modality and English speaking fluency negatively, where second language learners potentially have impediments that prevent their fluency in different situations. This study aimed to understand the process and mechanism of FLSA in English among Jordanian students inside and outside classroom settings. The sample was chosen from the Zarqa University (ZU) in Jordan from English Language Department. The qualitative research method was used to explain the process and mechanism of the anxious behavior of the students’ speaking anxiety scenarios. The findings revealed that anxious behavior includes Fear of Negative Evaluation, Avoiding Participation, Shyness, Lack of self-confidence, Teacher-centered role, Oral Communication Apprehension, and Loss of Self Confidence. Implications were suggested to reduce and alleviate the negative impacts of these factors on the smoothness of oral communication and speaking fluency.