Abstract
In the age of globalization, learning the English language in Senior High School is essential. One way of learning the English language is through speaking activities. However, there are still students who are anxious whenever they engage in a speaking activity. Hence, this study aims to measure the speaking anxiety level of Grade 11 students and to determine its causes as well as to provide strategies to overcome speech anxiety. This study used a descriptive-comparative research design. The number of Grade 11 senior high school respondents was determined using purposive random sampling. James McCroskey's Personal Report on Public Speaking Anxiety (PRPSA) was used in order to determine the student's level of anxiety in public speaking. The results showed that the respondents had a moderately high level of anxiety. Also, variables such as strand, school graduated from, and socioeconomic status have no significant difference in their speech anxiety. Then, the sex of the respondents was found to have no significant difference with the respondents' speech anxiety. Furthermore, it was found that fear of negative evaluation is the most common reason why students experience speech anxiety. Meanwhile, preparation is the most effective way to use as a strategy in coping with speech anxiety. Therefore, this study has pedagogical implications for teaching and learning speaking.
