Keywords
English speaking anxiety
College English teaching
Submitted : 2025-07-01
Accepted : 2025-07-16
Published : 2025-07-31
Abstract
This study investigated the influence of the production-oriented approach on English speaking anxiety among non-English major college students. A quasi-experimental design was implemented over one semester with two parallel classes of junior students at a university in northwestern China. Data collected before and after the intervention using a validated Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale indicated that students experiencing POA instruction showed a discernible decrease in overall speaking anxiety, particularly concerning communication apprehension and fear of negative evaluation, relative to peers instructed via the audio-lingual method. Analysis highlighted task-driven learning, scaffolded input facilitation, and formative process evaluation within the POA framework as contributing factors. Findings imply POA represents a potential pedagogical framework for addressing affective challenges in the development of EFL oral skills.
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