The Relationship between Anxiety and Accuracy of EFL Learners’ Task-based Speech

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24086/cuejhss.v10n1y2026.pp74-81

Keywords:

Accuracy, Anxiety, EFL learners, Task-Based Speech

Abstract

The present descriptive research study was conducted to take into consideration the possible relationship between Kurdish English as a Foreign Language learners’ accuracy of task-based speech and their foreign language classroom anxiety at Cihan University-Erbil. A total of 80 female undergraduate students participated in this study. Regarding the data collection, first, the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale questionnaire was filled out by the students, the IELTS test is acting as a proficiency test to test the current level of the participants before conducting the study. It is noted that their accuracy level was investigated according to the error-free t-units they produced, while answering the IELTS part one questions. The results of this study demonstrated that the Kurdish students suffer from high anxiety levels, and there was a statistically significant negative relationship between anxiety and the accuracy of the learners’ speech. That is, the more anxious the students are, the more inaccurate they will be. The results of this study have implications for policymakers, syllabus designers, teachers, and students, raising their awareness about the relationships among the variables investigated in this study regarding task-based speech.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Samrand Amini, Department of General Education, Cihan University-Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

Samrand Amini, a faculty member at Cihan University, Erbil, Iraq, holds a Ph.D. degree in English Language Teaching (ELT). He has over 18 years of teaching experience at universities, high schools, and language schools for different proficiency levels. 

Pola T. Mohammed, Department of English Language, Cihan University-Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

Pola Tahseen Mohammed is an Assistant Lecturer with an M.A. degree in English Language Teaching, serving as the head of the Department of English at Cihan University-Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq. His research interests include Discourse Analysis, Pragmatics, and Language Learning Strategies.

Shirin Shiralizadeh, Department of General Education, Cihan University-Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

Shirin Shiralizadeh  is currently an assistant lecturer at the Department of General Education, and with over 8 years of experience, she has actively contributed to language education by teaching English in various institutes and private classes. Shirin's academic achievements and extensive teaching background reflect her commitment to advancing language learning and pedagogy.

References

Abdi, M., Eslami, H., & Zahedi, Y. (2012). The impact of pre-task planning on the fluency and accuracy of Iranian EFL learners’ oral performance. SciVerse ScienceDirect. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences 69, 2281-2288. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.12.199

Aida, Y. (1994). Examination of Horwitz, and Cope’s construct of foreign language anxiety: The case of students of Japanese. Modern Language Journal, 78(2), 155-168. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4781.1994.tb02026.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4781.1994.tb02026.x

Alidoost, Y., Mirchenari, N. A. N., & Mehr, S. H. (2013). The effects of anxiety on Iranian EFL learners’ performance on final achievement test in English classes of high schools. International Journal of Language Learning and Applied Linguistics World, 4(3), 284-292.

Anaydubalu, C. C. (2010). Self-Efficacy, Anxiety, and Performance in the English Language among Middle- School Students in English Language Program in Satri Si Suriyothai School, Bangkok. International Journal of Human and Social Sciences, 5(3), 193-198.

Berko, R. M., Wolvin, A. D., & Wolvin, D. R. (2001). Communicating: A social and career focus. Houghton Mifflin.

Birjandi, P. & Seifoori, Z. (2009). The effect of training and task-planning on the complexity of Iranian learners’ oral speech. Applied Linguistics, 2(1), 57-80.

Brown, H. D. (1994). Principles of language learning and teaching. New Jersey: Prentice Hall Regents.

Brown, H. D. (2007). Principles of language learning and teaching (5th ed.). New York: Pearson Education Inc.

Carter, R., & Nunan, D. (2002). The Cambridge guide to teaching English to speakers of other languages. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511667206

Chastain, K. (1988). Developing second-language skills: Theory and practice. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc.

Chiang, Y. (2006). Connecting Two Anxiety Constructs: An Interdisciplinary Study of Foreign Language Anxiety and Interpretation Anxiety. The University of Texas, the USA.

Davaji, A. F., & Ghoorchaei, B. (2023). The effect of pre-task planning on the speaking accuracy of Iranian EFL learners. Journal of Contemporary Language Research, 2(1), 42-48. DOI: https://doi.org/10.58803/JCLR.2023.168993

Dewaele, J. M., & Furnham, A. (2000). Personality and speech production: A pilot study of second language learners. Personality and Individual Differences, 28, 355-365. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0191-8869(99)00106-3

Dewaele, J. M., & MacIntyre, P. D. (2019). The predictive power of multicultural personality traits, learner and teacher variables on foreign language enjoyment and anxiety. In Evidence-based second language pedagogy (pp. 263-286). Routledge. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351190558-12

Dorgham, R. A. S. (2011). The effectiveness of a proposed program in developing the speaking skills of English language among preparatory stage pupils in the light of multiple intelligences theory. Unpublished PhD thesis. Institute of Educational Studies. Cairo University.

Dörnyei, Z. (2005). The psychology of the language learner: Individual differences in second language acquisition. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Dung, L. Q. & Hung, T. L. (2020). Speaking Anxiety and Language Proficiency among EFL at A University in Vietnam. International Journal of Social Science and Human Research, 3(9), 124-133. DOI: https://doi.org/10.47191/ijsshr/v3-i9-01

Ehrman, M. E. (1996). Understanding second language learning. Sage Publications, Inc. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4135/9781452243436

El-Basel, R. M. (2008). The Effectiveness of Multimedia Program Using Animation to Develop the Speaking Skill in English for the Pupils of the Primary Stage. MA Thesis, Cairo University, Institute of Educational Studies.

Ellis, R. (2003). Task based language learning and teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Ellis, R., & Yuan, F. (2004). The effects of planning on fluency, complexity, and accuracy in second language narrative writing. Studies in second Language acquisition, 26, 59–84. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0272263104261034

Gawi, E. M. K. (2020). The Impact of Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety on Saudi Male Students' Performance at Albaha University. Arab World English Journal, 11(2), 258-274. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol11no2.18

Graciano, J. C. (2025). Action Research for Implementing Task-Based Language Teaching and Enhancing Speaking Skills in a Class of 12th Grade English Students in an Angolan School. Open Journal of Modern Linguistics, 15(3), 473-496. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4236/ojml.2025.153027

Hanifa, R. (2018). Factors generating anxiety when learning EFL speaking skills. Studies in English Language and Education, 5(2), 230-239. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24815/siele.v5i2.10932

Horwitz, E. K., Horwitz, M. B., & Cope, J. (1986). Foreign language classroom anxiety. The Modern language journal, 70(2), 125-132. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4781.1986.tb05256.x

Housen, A., & Kuiken, F. (2009). Complexity, accuracy, and fluency in second language acquisition. Applied linguistics, 30(4), 461-473. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/amp048

Kao, P. C., & Craigie, P. (2010). Foreign language anxiety and English achievement in Taiwanese undergraduate English-major students: an empirical study. Hongguang Daily, (61), 49-62. https://doi.org/10.6615/HAR.201012.61.04

Krashen, S. (1981). Second language acquisition and second language learning. Oxford: Pergamon.

Krashen, S. (1982). Principles and practices in second language acquisition. Oxford: Pergamon.

Krashen, S. (1984). Writing: Research, theory and applications. Oxford: Pergamon Institute of English.

Larsen-Freeman, D. (2006). The emergence of complexity, fluency and accuracy in the oral and written production of five Chinese learners of English. Applied Linguistics, 27(4), 590-619. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/aml029

Levelt, W. J. M. (1989). Speaking: From intention to articulation. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/6393.001.0001

Li, C., & Sui, M. (2025). The Relationship between Complexity, Accuracy and Fluency in L2 English Speech: Individual Differences and Dynamic Patterns. Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching, 15(3), 501-532. DOI: https://doi.org/10.14746/ssllt.28006

Luo, Z., & Xiong, Y. (2025). Is anxiety always harmful? An exploration of the impact of language anxiety on EFL learning motivation, EFL competence and EFL academic performance. BMC psychology, 13(1), 674. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-03017-z

Ma, Y. (2022). The triarchy of L2 learners’ emotion, cognition, and language performance: Anxiety, self-efficacy, and speaking skill in lights of the emerging theories in SLA. Frontiers in psychology, 13, 1002492. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1002492

Mahdi, D. A. (2024). Effectiveness of LEP activities in enhancing EFL students' oral communication skills at King Khalid University. Saudi Journal of Language Studies, 4(1), 28-46. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/SJLS-10-2023-0047

Mardani, M., & Shadbakht, N. (2025). The Influence of Task Type and Pre-Task Planning Condition on the Speaking Accuracy of Iranian EFL Learners. International Journal of Research in English Education, 10(1), 39-50.

Mehrang, F., & Rahimpour, M. (2010). The impact of task structure and planning conditions on oral performance of EFL learners. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2(2), 3678-3686. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.03.572

Melouah, A. (2013). Foreign Language Anxiety in EFL speaking classrooms: A case study of first-year LMD students of English at Saad Dahlab University of Blida, Algeria. Arab world English Journal, 4(1), 64-76.

Mora, J. C., Mora‐Plaza, I., & Bermejo Miranda, G. (2023). Speaking anxiety and task complexity effects on second language speech. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 34(1), 292-315. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ijal.12494

Norris, J. M., & Ortega, L. (2003). Defining and measuring SLA. In C. Doughty, & M. Long, Handbook of Second Language Acquisition (pp. 717-761). Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing Ltd. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470756492.ch21

Omaggio, A. C. (1986). Teaching language in context: Proficiency-oriented instruction. Boston: Heinle & Heinle Publishers, Inc.

Pallotti, G. (2009). CAF: Defining, refining and differentiating constructs. Applied Linguistics, 30, 590-601. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/amp045

Papi, M., & Khajavy, H. (2023). Second language anxiety: Construct, effects, and sources. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 43, 127-139. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0267190523000028

Rofida, A. (2021). The correlation between foreign language anxiety and students' speaking performance. RETAIN: Journal of Research in English Language Teaching, 9(2), 66-74.

Rouhi, A. & Saeed-Akhtar, A. (2008). Planning time: A mediating technique between fluency and accuracy in task-based teaching. The Journal of Applied Linguistics, 1, 103-133.

Sam, R., Yoeng, H., Tieng, M., & Chiv, S. (2024). Factors influencing English-speaking anxiety among EFL learners: A case study in Cambodian higher education. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4497347/v1

Scovel, T. (1978). The effect of effect on foreign language learning: a review of the anxiety research. Language Learning, 28, 128-142. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-1770.1978.tb00309.x

Scovel, T. (1991). The effect of affection on foreign language learning: A review of the anxiety research. In E. K. Horwitz & D. J. Young (Eds.), Language anxiety: From theory and research to classroom implications (pp.15-23). Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

Seifoori, Z., & Vahidi, Z. (2012). The impact of fluency strategy training on Iranian EFL learners’ speech under online planning conditions. Language Awareness, 21(1-2), 101-112. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09658416.2011.639894

Shalaby, E., & Badr, S. A. (2024). Enhancing EFL Speaking Skills of Secondary School Students through a Constructivist Learning Activities (CLAs) Program. Port Said Journal of Educational Research, 3(1), 138-168. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21608/psjer.2023.243563.1023

Shumin, K. (1997). Factors to consider: Developing adult EFL students' speaking abilities. English Teaching Forum, 35(3), 8.

Skehan, P., & Foster, P. (1999). The influence of task structure and processing conditions on narrative retellings. Language Learning, 49(1), 93-120. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9922.00071

Sletova, N. (2023). L2 writing as a scaffold for L2 speaking accuracy. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 33(2), 207-223. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ijal.12458

Swain, M. (1985). Communicative competence: Some roles of comprehensible input and comprehensible output in its development. In S. M. Gass, & C. Madden (Eds.), Input in second language acquisition (pp. 235-253). Rowley, Mass: Newbury House.

Tania, M., Danim, S., & Yensy, N. A. (2025). Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety: A Systematic Literature Review of Research Developments and Practical Implications. TPM–Testing, Psychometrics, Methodology in Applied Psychology, 32(3), 850-861.

Tavakoli, P., & Skehan, P. (2005). Strategic planning, task structure, and performance testing. In R. Ellis (Eds.), Planning and task performance (pp. 239-273). Amsterdam/Philadelphia. John Benjamins Publishing Company. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1075/lllt.11.15tav

Wang, W., Rezaei, Y. M., & Izadpanah, S. (2024). Speaking accuracy and fluency among EFL learners: The role of creative thinking, emotional intelligence, and academic enthusiasm. Heliyon, 10(18), Article e37620. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e37620

Wei, L., Hua, Z., & Simpson, J. (Eds.). (2023). The Routledge Handbook of Applied Linguistics: Volume Two. Taylor & Francis. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003082637

Widdowson, H. G. (1978). Teaching Language as Communication. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Yuan, F., & Ellis, R. (2003). The effects of pre-task planning and on-line planning on fluency, complexity and accuracy in L2 monologic oral production. Applied Linguistics, 24(1), 1-27. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/applin/24.1.1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/24.1.1

Zhang, W., & Wilson, A. (2023). From self-regulated learning to computer-delivered integrated speaking testing: Does monitoring always monitor?. Frontiers in psychology, 14, 1028754. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1028754

Zhang, W., Zhang, D., & Zhang, L. J. (2021). Metacognitive instruction for sustainable learning: Learners’ perceptions of task difficulty and use of metacognitive strategies in completing integrated speaking tasks. Sustainability, 13(11), 6275. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116275

Zhanibek, A. (2001). The relationship between language anxiety and students' participation in foreign language classes. Unpublished master's thesis, Bilkent University, Ankara.

Published

2026-03-20

How to Cite

Amini, S., Mohammed, P. T., & Shiralizadeh, S. (2026). The Relationship between Anxiety and Accuracy of EFL Learners’ Task-based Speech. Cihan University-Erbil Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 10(1), 74–81. https://doi.org/10.24086/cuejhss.v10n1y2026.pp74-81

Issue

Section

Articles
Received 2025-11-19
Accepted 2026-02-22
Published 2026-03-20

Similar Articles

<< < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.