Aim: This study aims to assess students' concern regarding English speaking in the classroom, identify its roots, and formulate solutions. Method: Data were gathered from undergraduates enrolled in the Department of Tourism Guidance at Mardin Artuklu University's Faculty of Tourism. A mixed technique was utilized to correspond with the study's purpose, integrating both quantitative and qualitative research approaches. Data were collected from 106 students in the preliminary phase via a questionnaire. Subsequently, a series of focus group interviews were conducted with a cohort of 8 students to obtain more complete insights. A descriptive analytic technique was employed to examine the data acquired from the focus group interviews. As a result of the descriptive analysis of the responses received after the interview, themes and categories were formed.Results: The findings revealed that students displayed a considerable degree of anxiety over English speaking. The focus group interview revealed that students' speaking anxiety stemmed from their fear of being ridiculed by classmates for incorrect responses and pronunciation, coupled with a deficiency in self-confidence exacerbated by the presence of English-speaking peers in the classroom. Furthermore, the focus group interview revealed that the students' reluctance to interact in English primarily stemmed from their classmates, whereas the course instructor typically did not exacerbate any anxiety. Conclusion: Students' apprehensions regarding speaking stem from two fundamental elements. The primary component was identified as the reservations originating from their peers. This matter consists of two elements: peer harassment and a lack of confidence. The second key influence is the reluctance induced by instructors, which is specifically characterized by humiliation. These findings led to the advice to alleviate students' concern regarding English speaking and enhance their ability in the language.
Onur AKGÜL (2026) studied this question.