Anxiety and Speaking English as a Foreign language Among Male and Female MBA Students

Abstract

This research tries to explore the learning anxiety of speaking English and the causes of the learning anxiety. It also examined the reactions reported by 87 students studying for Master of Business Administration (MBA) at the University of Mandalay. To be able to compare the causes and learning anxiety which affect male students and female students, data were collected from almost the same number of male students (44) and female students (43). Since the MBA students are not the learners at the beginning stage of foreign language learning, they are believed to be at higher levels of English proficiency. The experienced researchers have proved that anxiety about speaking a foreign language is mainly apparent at lower levels of language competence. Consequently, this research also tries to find out whether anxiety is also relevant at higher levels of English proficiency. The questionnaire used for the data collection consists of 26 anxiety statements. It is divided into two parts. The first part (No. 1 to No.5) is used to find out the frequency of speaking English within one year. The second part is used to find out their anxiety concerning speaking. The findings indicate that lack of speaking practice is the major cause of anxiety and communication anxiety is the most frequent one that influences the MBA students. In addition, the female students are more emotional than male students while speaking English.