Public Speaking Anxiety Among Eleventh-Grade Students Of MA Darul Ihsan Samarinda In The Academic Year 2024/2025

Speaking skill is a process of interaction in which speakers strive to establish meaning by producing, receiving, and digesting data. However, the researcher revealed that eleventh-grade students of MA Darul Ihsan Samarinda often struggle with public speaking because of anxiety. This research aims to investigate how is the anxiety in the public speaking skills among eleventh-grade students of MA Darul Ihsan Samarinda in the academic year 2024/2025. The researcher used a qualitative approach to investigate how is the anxiety in the public speaking skills among eleventh-grade students of MA Darul Ihsan Samarinda in the academic year 2024/2025. Data consisted of interview results from the students’ voice notes, which were then analyzed using Horwitz’s theory. The subjects were selected through purposive sampling, involving 18 eleventh graders who can not reduce their anxiety, with further information gathered from the observation that the researcher did. The results found common factors for anxiety in public speaking, including direct communication, exam anxiety, and fear of a poor evaluation. While students answered the interview questions about their anxiety in public speaking, and they still exhibited various reasons. To sum up, eleventh-grade students at MA Darul Ihsan Samarinda struggle with anxiety in public speaking due to feeling nervous in direct communication, exam anxiety, and fear of a poor evaluation. The findings highlight the need for effective interventions to help students manage their anxiety and improve their public speaking skills. Implementing supportive teaching methods, such as peer discussions, structured practice sessions, and confidence-building exercises, can create a more comfortable learning environment. Additionally, fostering a positive mindset through self-reflection and encouraging gradual exposure to public speaking situations may help students develop resilience and reduce their fear over time.