Revealing High And Low Communication Apprehended Indonesian Efl Learners

Abstract

Speaking plays an important role in learning a language. Ur (2001) argues that "the speaking skill is the most important one since foreign language learners are most of all interested in becoming actual speakers of a language". However, speaking is the most complicated due to the fact that speakers have to construct a sentence in their mind not only grammatically, they also have to transfer the message that they are going to say from their language into the target language.Ellis (2005) states that having difficulties in oral production to high extend the most widespread problem that almost every foreign language speaker experiences during the process of language learning. Learners face difficulties to deliver something in front of people because of anxiety. One of anxiety is communication apprehension. There are two levels of communication apprehension in this study, high and low level. Therefore, communication strategy is a way for a learner who has communication apprehension to handle the problems that arise during the speaking performance. This study aims to know what types of communication strategy that are used by different level of communication apprehension learners and how they use the strategies. In conducting this study, theory of communication strategy proposed by Dornyei(1995) is applied. This study uses two types of data, which are qualitative and quantitative data. The quantitative data are from questionnaire to know the level of communication apprehension of participants. The qualitative data are from video recording and interview to know the types and how participants use the communication strategies. The results shows that communication strategy that is mostly used by the participants in high level of communication apprehension are appeal for help and communication strategy that is mostly used by participants in low level of communication apprehension is use of fillers strategy. In addition, participants in high and low level of communication apprehension have different oppinion about what make them feel anxious to speak in front of people. It makes them use different way to solve their difficulties. A certain communication strategy can fit for one participant, but it does not fit to other. It depends on how they feel and think about speaking. Using communication strategy to handle their apprehension in speaking can help them in their speaking performance, but in another side it makes them realize that they have to practice more to have a good skill in speaking.