Empowering English Language Learners: Mitigating Speaking Anxiety through Team Assisted Individualization (TAI) Model in the EFL Junior Highschool Context

Abstract

This study investigated the efficacy of the Team-Assisted Individualization (TAI) model in reducing speaking anxiety among ninth-grade students at SMPN 30 Makassar. The research utilized a pre-experimental design, collecting data through observations and Likert Scale questionnaires analysed descriptively. Initially, none of the 20 students experienced low levels of anxiety; however, post-treatment results showed a significant reduction in anxiety levels with no students reporting high or very high anxiety, and 80% reporting low anxiety. Significantly, the mean questionnaire score increased from 49.25 before the intervention to 82.10 afterwards, indicating a substantial decrease in anxiety. This outcome aligns with existing literature suggesting that lower anxiety levels facilitate better language performance. Observational data also reflected a decrease in student engagement from 89% in the first session to 57% in the fourth, suggesting varying levels of participation throughout the study. The TAI model's effectiveness in significantly lowering anxiety was confirmed through a t-test showing a significance level of 0.000, which is well below the conventional threshold of 0.05, thereby supporting the acceptance of the hypothesis that TAI reduces speaking anxiety. These findings underscore the potential of interactive and individualized teaching strategies in reducing language learning anxiety. The sustained engagement and active participation fostered by the TAI model suggest that such approaches can significantly enhance language learning environments by reducing anxiety and encouraging more active involvement from students.

Keywords

• team-assisted individualization
• speaking anxiety
• learning model
• experimental study