The Impact of Language Anxiety on Arabic Speaking Performance Among Arabic Literature Students at the University of North Sumatra in 2022

Abstract

This study aims to examine the influence of language anxiety on the speaking performance of students enrolled in the Arabic Literature program at Universitas Sumatera Utara, class of 2022. Employing a descriptive quantitative approach, the research involved 60 participants, consisting of 38 students with a pesantren (Islamic boarding school) background and 22 from general school backgrounds. Data were collected using a validated and reliable questionnaire, and analyzed through simple linear regression. The results revealed a regression coefficient of B = 0.801 with a significance level of p < .001 and a coefficient of determination (R²) of 0.450. This indicates that 45% of the variance in speaking performance can be explained by language anxiety. The findings suggest that language anxiety among the participants functioned as facilitative anxiety, wherein higher levels of anxiety motivated greater preparation and the use of adaptive coping strategies, ultimately enhancing speaking performance. The pesantren background played a contributory role in shaping students’ coping mechanisms toward anxiety, thereby supporting their oral proficiency. The study concludes that language anxiety does not necessarily act as a debilitative factor; rather, it can serve as a motivational force that promotes the development of Arabic speaking skills when managed effectively.