THE CORRELATION BETWEEN VERBAL REINFORCEMENT AND THE REDUCTION OF ENGLISH-SPEAKING ANXIETY OF FIFTH SEMESTER ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT STUDENTS AT UINSI SAMARINDA IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2024/2025

Abstract

SITTATUL QOIDAH AQMARI. 2024. The Correlation Between Verbal Reinforcement and the Reduction of English-Speaking Anxiety of Fifth Semester English Education Department Students at UINSI Samarinda in the Academic Year 2024/2025. Thesis. English Education Study Program, Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teacher Training, Sultan Aji Muhammad Idris State Islamic University (UINSI) Samarinda. This research was supervised by Dr. H. Shafa, M.Pd as the first advisor and Dra. Sitti Hadijah, M.Pd as the second advisor.

Speaking English is essential for students of English Education, but many experience speaking anxiety. One strategy in teaching is the use of verbal reinforcement, such as praise and positive support, which can help boost their confidence and reduce anxiety. This research aims to determine the correlation between verbal reinforcement and the reduction of English-speaking anxiety of the fifth-semester students of the English Education Study Program at UINSI Samarinda in the Academic Year 2024/2025.

This research is a quantitative correlational study with a sample of 35 fifth-semester English Education students at UINSI Samarinda, selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected using a questionnaire, speaking test, and documentation, with validity and reliability tests applied. Data analysis involved product-moment correlation tests, T-tests, and determination tests.

The result shows a moderate correlation (0.400–0.599) between verbal reinforcement and English-speaking anxiety. It can be concluded that there is a significant negative relationship between the reinforcement variable and the English-speaking anxiety variable. This implies that the effective use of verbal reinforcement can help boost students' confidence in speaking English, thereby reducing their speaking anxiety overall.