Beyond The Silence: Psychological, Social, And Linguistic Barriers to English Speaking Confidence

Abstract

Speaking English requires not only linguistic knowledge but also sufficient confidence to take communicative risks. However, some beginning EFL learners remain silent, avoid interaction, and experience anxiety when asked to speak publicly. This study explored the self-confidence barriers experienced by seventh-grade students in English speaking at SMP Muhammadiyah 1 Palu. A descriptive qualitative design was employed with all seven students in the class and one English teacher as a key informant. Data were collected through a ten-item closed-ended questionnaire, a ten-question semi-structured teacher interview, classroom observation, and documentation. The data were analyzed through data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing/verification, supported by triangulation across the data sources. The findings indicate that students’ confidence problems were shaped primarily by the interaction of social, psychological, and linguistic barriers. Although most students felt relatively comfortable with the teacher’s structured questioning and 71.43% reported that pictures or videos reduced nervousness, all students considered regular speaking practice beneficial and all preferred small-group speaking to individual performance. At the same time, 100% reported that fear of grammatical mistakes could make them remain silent, while 85.7% experienced sudden vocabulary loss when being observed by peers. In addition, 71.4% lacked confidence to maintain eye contact, 85.7% experienced physical symptoms such as trembling or a racing heart, and 71.4% preferred silence when they did not know an English word. The study suggests that speaking instruction should prioritize psychologically safe interaction, frequent low-stakes practice, visual scaffolding, and flexible communication strategies.