Multidisciplinary Collaborative Journal | Vol . 0 4 | Núm . 0 2 | Abr – Jun | 202 6 | https://mcjournal.editorialdoso.com ISSN: 3073 - 1356 40 Article Oral Communication Anxiety in EFL Learners at Universidad Agraria del Ecuador: A Case Study Ansiedad en la comunicación oral en estudiantes de inglés como lengua extranjera en la Universidad Agraria del Ecuador: un estudio de caso Gladys Vanessa Moreno Cartagena 1 * 1 Universidad Agraria del Ecuador , Ecuador , Milagro ; https://orcid.org/0009 - 0008 - 2800 - 6654 * Correspondenc e: gmoreno@uagraria.edu.ec https://doi.org/10.70881/mcj/v4/n2/149 Abstract: Oral communication anxiety (OCA) constitutes a pervasive affective barrier in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms, particularly at early proficiency levels. This study examined the nature, triggers, and manifestations of OCA among beginner - level (A1/A2) EFL university students enrolled at the Centro de Idiomas, Universidad Agraria del Ecuador (UAE). A qualitative case study design was adopted, involving 25 participants selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through semi - structur ed individual interviews and focus group discussions. Thematic analysis revealed four dominant anxiety sources: fear of negative evaluation, oral test anxiety, low pronunciation confidence, and presentation anxiety. Fear of negative evaluation and presenta tion anxiety emerged as the most prevalent constructs, each reported by over 80% of participants. Physical symptoms such as trembling voice, perspiration, and mental blocking were consistently documented. These findings suggest that the UAE EFL context pro duces high levels of communicative anxiety rooted in affective vulnerability and institutional assessment practices. Pedagogical implications point toward the urgent need for low - stakes oral activities, affect - sensitive instruction, and technology - enhanced speaking environments to reduce anxiety and promote communicative competence . Keywords: oral communication anxiety; EFL learners; fear of negative evaluation; case study; university English teaching . Resumen: La ansiedad ante la comunicación oral (ACO) constituye una barrera afectiva prevalente en los entornos de enseñanza del inglés como lengua extranjera (EFL), especialmente en los niveles iniciales de dominio. Este estudio examinó la naturaleza, los factores desencadenantes y las manifestaciones de la ACO en estudiantes universitarios de nivel principiante (A1/A2) del Centro de Idiomas de la Universidad Agraria del Ecuador (UAE). Se adoptó un diseño de caso de estudio cualitativo con 25 participantes seleccio nados mediante muestreo intencional. Los datos fueron recolectados mediante entrevistas individuales semiestructuradas y grupos focales. El análisis temático reveló cuatro fuentes dominantes de ansiedad: miedo a la evaluación negativa, ansiedad ante prueba s orales, baja confianza en la pronunciación y ansiedad ante presentaciones orales. Los hallazgos sugieren que el contexto EFL de la UAE genera niveles elevados de ansiedad comunicativa con implicaciones pedagógicas relevantes. Palabras clave: ansiedad e n comunicación oral; aprendices de inglés; miedo a la evaluación negativa; estudio de caso; enseñanza universitaria de inglés . Cita tion : Moreno Cartagena, G. V. (2026). Ansiedad en la comunicación oral en estudiantes de inglés como lengua extranjera en la Universidad Agraria del Ecu ador: un estudio de caso. Multidisciplinary Collaborative Journal , 4 (2), 40 - 53. https://doi.org/10.70881/mcj/v 4/n2/149 Rec eived : 0 5 / 03 /202 6 Revis ed : 12/0 4 /2026 Ac cepted : 20 /0 4 /2026 Publi shed : 28 /0 4 /2026 Copyright: © 2026 by the authors. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons License, Attribution - NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY - NC) . ( https://creativecommons.org/lice nses/by - nc/4.0/ )
Multidisciplinary Collaborative Journal Multidisciplinary Collaborative Journal | Vol.0 4 | Núm.0 2 | Abr – Jun | 202 6 | https://mcjournal.editorialdoso.com 41 1. Introduction Oral communication constitutes the cornerstone of language learning, yet it simultaneously represents one of the most anxiety - inducing dimensions of the foreign language classroom (Jalleh et al., 2021; Tsang, 2025). For EFL learners in Latin American university contexts, the act of speaking English is frequently entangled with deep - seated affect ive barriers that impede not only linguistic output but also the learner's willingness to communicate (Zarrinabadi & Saberi Dehkordi, 2024). These barriers, broadly categorized under the construct of oral communication anxiety (OCA), manifest as psychologi cal, physiological, and behavioral responses that interfere with the natural process of second language acquisition (Alrabai, 2025). Foreign language anxiety (FLA) was conceptualized by Horwitz et al. (1986) as a distinct, complex psychological phenomenon arising from the unique challenges of language learning. Within this framework, OCA has been recognized as a specific sub - construct that operates across oral performance modalities, including spontaneous conversation, structured presentations, role - plays, and oral examinations (Okyar, 2023; Tareen et al., 2023). Research consistently identifies fear of negative evaluation, communication apprehension, and test anxiety as the three core components of FLA, all of which have direct implications for oral task en gagement (Gökgöz - Kurt & Durukan, 2023). The Ecuadorian university EFL context presents a particularly understudied scenario. Students enrolled in language programs at public institutions such as the Universidad Agraria del Ecuador (UAE) typically enter with limited prior exposure to communicativ e English instruction, having been educated under grammar - translation methodologies prevalent in secondary education (Waluyo, 2024). These structural conditions, combined with institutional pressures related to mandatory English certification, create a fer tile ground for the emergence of OCA among A1 and A2 proficiency learners. Recent literature highlights technology as a promising mediator of speaking anxiety. Chen (2024) demonstrated that technology - enhanced language learning significantly reduced public speaking anxiety among EFL learners, while Tai (2024) documented the effectiveness of intelligent personal assistants in promoting out - of - class speaking practice. Similarly, Deep et al. (2025) reported that artificial intelligence tools positively influen ced anxiety reduction among college ESL learners. Nevertheless, these digital interventions remain largely absent from the pedagogical landscape of public Ecuadorian universities, where resource constraints and infrastructural limitations persist. Beyond t echnological factors, the social dynamics of the classroom exert considerable influence on learner anxiety. Alshammari and Mugaddam (2023) identified oral presentations as particularly threatening assessment formats for EFL university students, a finding e choed by Fan and Xie (2025) in their
Multidisciplinary Collaborative Journal | Vol.0 4 | Núm.0 2 | Abr – Jun | 202 6 | https://mcjournal.editorialdoso.com ecological case study of pre - service teacher anxiety. Suratina and Sribayak (2025) further documented that fear of peer judgment and teacher correction constitute primary anxiety triggers among adult EFL learners, regar dless of proficiency level. Despite the growing body of international evidence, empirical investigations into OCA within Ecuadorian public university EFL settings remain scarce. The present study addresses this gap by conducting an in - depth qualitative cas e study at the Centro de Idiomas, UAE. The central research objective is: to identify and describe the dominant sources and manifestations of oral communication anxiety among A1/A2 EFL learners at Universidad Agraria del Ecuador. 2. Materials and Methods 2 .1 Research design This study adopted a qualitative case study design (Yin, 2018) grounded in an interpretivist epistemological paradigm. Case study methodology was selected because it allows the researcher to explore a bounded phenomenon in this case, O CA among A1/A2 EFL learners within its real - life institutional context, preserving the richness and complexity of participants' lived experiences. The design aligns with recent EFL anxiety research employing qualitative approaches to capture the multidim ensional nature of affective constructs (Fan & Xie, 2025; Wang et al., 2025). 2.2 Participants and sampling The study was conducted during the 2024 – 2025 academic year at the Centro de Idiomas, Universidad Agraria del Ecuador, Guayaquil campus. Participants were selected through purposive sampling (Creswell & Poth, 2018) based on the following inclusion criteria: (a) enrollment in A1 or A2 English courses, (b) age 18 or above, (c) no previous formal communicative English instruction beyond secondary school, and (d) willingness to participate voluntarily. The final sample comprised 25 undergraduate students (14 female, 11 male) aged between 19 and 23 years (M = 20.7). Participants represented diverse academic programs including Agricultural Engineering, Agrono my, and Environmental Sciences. Table 1 presents the full participant profile. Table 1 Participant Profile (n = 25) Participant Age Gender Level Semesters P1 19 Female A1 1st P2 20 Male A1 1st
Multidisciplinary Collaborative Journal | Vol.0 4 | Núm.0 2 | Abr – Jun | 202 6 | https://mcjournal.editorialdoso.com 44 2.3 Data collection instruments Data were collected through two qualitative instruments. First, semi - structured individual interviews were conducted with all 25 participants, each lasting between 25 and 40 minutes. The interview protocol was designed around four thematic axes derived from the literature: (a) perceptions of oral tasks in the EFL classroom, (b) emotional and physical reactions during speaking activities, (c) sources of communicative anxiety, and (d) coping strategies. Second, two focus group discussions (FGDs) were organized, each comprising 6 and 7 participants respectively, with sessions lasting approximately 60 minutes. FGDs were used to triangulate individual interview data and elicit group - level percep tions of anxiety dynamics (Jalleh et al., 2021; Suratina & Sribayak, 2025). All instruments were developed in Spanish to maximize participant comfort and expressiveness. Interview and FGD sessions were audio - recorded with informed consent, subsequently tra nscribed verbatim, and translated into English by the researcher for analytical purposes. An external bilingual reviewer validated the translations for semantic accuracy. 2.4 Data analysis Data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke's (2006) six - phase themat ic analysis protocol: (1) familiarization with the data, (2) generating initial codes, (3) searching for themes, (4) reviewing themes, (5) defining and naming themes, and (6) producing the report. Coding was conducted manually following an inductive - deduct ive approach, with deductive codes derived from established FLA constructs (Horwitz et al., 1986) and inductive codes emerging organically from the data. Credibility was enhanced through member checking, wherein five participants reviewed preliminary theme summaries for accuracy. An audit trail was maintained throughout the analytical process to ensure dependability and confirmability (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). 2.5 Ethical considerations Prior to data collection, institutional authorization was obtained from t he Centro de Idiomas directorate and UAE's Academic Research Committee. All participants provided written informed consent. Anonymity was guaranteed through participant coding (P1 – P25). The right to withdraw at any stage without academic penalty was explic itly communicated. No compensation was offered for participation. 3. Results Thematic analysis of 25 individual interviews and two focus group discussions yielded four overarching themes representing the dominant sources and manifestations of OCA among the participating A1/A2 EFL learners at UAE. These themes are presented below wi th supporting participant excerpts and
Multidisciplinary Collaborative Journal | Vol.0 4 | Núm.0 2 | Abr – Jun | 202 6 | https://mcjournal.editorialdoso.com 46 class." This perception aligns with Okyar's (2023) finding that fear of negative evaluation is a robust predictor of speaking self - efficac y deficits in EFL contexts. Dag - Akbas (2024) similarly documented that explicit communication strategy training can disrupt these anxiety cycles by building learner confidence incrementally. 3.2 Oral test anxiety Oral test anxiety was reported by 21 partic ipants (84%) and was distinctively characterized by anticipatory anxiety preceding formal oral assessments. Participants described somatic symptoms including insomnia, accelerated heartbeat, and gastric discomfort in the hours and days before oral tests. A critical pattern observed in the FGDs was the phenomenon of mental blocking: during the oral examination itself, participants reported sudden inability to retrieve vocabulary or grammatical structures they had previously mastered. This cognitive disruptio n under evaluative conditions resonates with Ahmadi Safa and Lotfi's (2025) structural equation modeling findings, which demonstrated that test anxiety significantly and negatively predicted online speaking test performance among EFL learners, independent of proficiency level. 3.3 Low pronunciation confidence Low confidence in pronunciation was documented in 20 participants (80%), manifesting as accent insecurity and intelligibility concern. Participants at the A1 level in particular expressed uncertainty about whether their phonological production would be comprehensible to interlocutors, including their own peers. This insecurity was exacerbated in role - play and pair - work activities, where real - time pronunciation monitoring competed with seman tic processing demands. Tsang (2025) reported a significant positive relationship between self - perceived pronunciation adequacy and oral performance outcomes, suggesting that interventions targeting phonological self - concept may yield anxiety reduction as a secondary benefit. 3.4 Presentation anxiety Presentation anxiety constituted the most intensely experienced anxiety modality, despite being the most anticipated. Twenty - three participants (92%) reported elevated anxiety specifically in the context of str uctured oral presentations. Physical symptoms were more consistently reported in this modality than in any other oral task type, including visible trembling, voice alterations, perspiration, and cognitive dissociation. Participants noted that despite exten sive preparation, anxiety remained unmitigated on the day of performance. This finding concurs with Alshammari and Mugaddam (2023), who documented that EFL learners perceive oral presentations as disproportionately high - stakes assessment events, and with J in (2024), who observed that uncontrolled evaluative social contexts amplify performance anxiety beyond the reach of preparation - based coping strategies.
Multidisciplinary Collaborative Journal | Vol.0 4 | Núm.0 2 | Abr – Jun | 202 6 | https://mcjournal.editorialdoso.com 48 4.2 Oral Test Anxiety Oral test anxiety was reported by 84% of participants and was characterized by both anticipatory stress and in - performance cognitive disruption, particularly in the form of mental blocking. Participants described experiencing physiological symptoms such as insomnia, accelerated heartbeat, and difficulty concentrating prior to oral assessments, as well as sudden inability to retrieve known linguistic forms during performance. This pattern aligns with Ahmadi Safa and Lotfi (2025), who found that test anxiety significantly impairs speaking performance regardless of proficiency level. The mental blocking phenomenon o bserved in this study can be interpreted through the lens of cognitive interference theory, where anxiety consumes working memory resources necessary for language production (Muhammadpour et al., 2025). As a result, learners may underperform despite adequa te preparation. The findings highlight the importance of rethinking assessment practices in EFL contexts. Incorporating formative, low - stakes oral assessments and alternative evaluation methods may reduce performance pressure and allow learners to demonstrate their commun icative competence more accurately. Additionally, integrating technology - mediated speaking tasks, as suggested by Namaziandost et al. (2022), may help buffer the negative effects of evaluative stress by reducing immediate social exposure. 4.3 Low Pronuncia tion Confidence Low pronunciation confidence was identified in 80% of participants, reflecting a significant source of anxiety among A1/A2 learners. This anxiety manifested as both accent insecurity and concern about intelligibility, particularly in real - t ime communicative situations where learners were required to process and produce language simultaneously. These findings are consistent with Tsang (2025), who reported that self - perceived pronunciation competence plays a mediating role between anxiety and speaking performance. At early proficiency levels, limited phonological control may increase learners’ self - monitoring load, thereby intensifying anxiety and reducing fluency. In the present study, participants frequently expressed fear that their speech w ould not be understood, which in turn discouraged active participation. Chen and Hwang (2022) demonstrated that exposure to authentic communicative contexts can significantly improve both pronunciation confidence and overall speaking performance. In line w ith this, the integration of technology - enhanced tools such as speech recognition applications or AI - based conversational platforms may provide learners with opportunities for repeated, low - risk practice. Such interventions could contribute to the gradual development of phonological confidence and reduce anxiety associated with oral production.
Multidisciplinary Collaborative Journal | Vol.0 4 | Núm.0 2 | Abr – Jun | 202 6 | https://mcjournal.editorialdoso.com 49 4.4 Presentation Anxiety Presentation anxiety emerged as the most intense form of oral communication anxiety, affecting 92% of participants. Unlike other anxiety typ es, this form was characterized by persistent physical symptoms including trembling, voice instability, and perspiration as well as cognitive disruption that was not alleviated by preparation. This finding is consistent with Alshammari and Mugaddam (2023), who identified oral presentations as high - stakes assessment events that disproportionately elevate anxiety levels among university EFL learners. Similarly, Fan and Xie (2025) argued that public performance contexts activate heightened self - awareness and s ocial evaluative threat, which can override cognitive preparation and trigger embodied stress responses. In the UAE context, presentation tasks appear to function as critical anxiety triggers due to their formal, evaluative nature and the lack of gradual s caffolding. The persistence of anxiety despite repeated practice suggests that preparation alone is insufficient to mitigate stress in high - exposure contexts. As indicated by Deep et al. (2025), the use of AI - mediated rehearsal environments may offer a via ble solution by allowing learners to practice presentations in non - judgmental settings before performing in front of an audience. These findings underscore the need for a more progressive approach to oral task design, where learners move from private to se mi - public and finally public speaking contexts. Such scaffolding may help reduce anxiety intensity and improve overall performance. 4.5 Pedagogical Implications Taken together, the findings of this study highlight the need for a comprehensive, affect - sensi tive approach to EFL instruction in the UAE context. The high prevalence of all four anxiety types suggests that oral communication anxiety is not an isolated phenomenon but a systemic condition shaped by instructional practices, assessment methods, and le arner proficiency levels. Consistent with Chen (2024), Tai (2024), and Jin (2024), technology - enhanced language learning emerges as a promising avenue for reducing anxiety and promoting communicative competence. Tools such as digital speaking journals, vlo gging tasks, and AI - based conversational agents can provide learners with opportunities for repeated practice in low - pressure environments. Furthermore, Waluyo (2024) emphasizes that technology integration can transform individual differences into opportun ities for personalized learning, a perspective particularly relevant in heterogeneous EFL classrooms. In addition to technological interventions, teacher training in affect - sensitive pedagogy is essential. Educators should be encouraged to adopt feedback s trategies that prioritize communication over accuracy, create supportive
Multidisciplinary Collaborative Journal | Vol.0 4 | Núm.0 2 | Abr – Jun | 202 6 | https://mcjournal.editorialdoso.com 50 classroom climates, and design oral tasks that gradually increase in complexity and exposure. Such measures may help reduce anxiety levels and foster a more positive and effective lan guage learning experience. 5. Conclusions This study examined the nature and sources of oral communication anxiety (OCA) among A1/A2 EFL learners at the Centro de Idiomas, Universidad Agraria del Ecuador. The findings revealed that OCA is a pervasive and multidimensional phenomenon, with four dominant sources consistently identified across participants: fear of negative evaluation, oral test anxiety, low pronunciation confidence, and presentat ion anxiety. Among these, presentation anxiety and fear of negative evaluation emerged as the most influential, highlighting the central role of social and evaluative factors in shaping learners’ emotional experiences during oral communication. The results contribute to the growing body of research on foreign language anxiety by providing empirical evidence from a Latin American public university context, which remains underrepresented in the literature. In particular, the study demonstrates that early prof iciency learners (A1/A2) experience heightened vulnerability due to the combined demands of linguistic development and public performance. The presence of cognitive disruptions, such as mental blocking, alongside physical symptoms, underscores the extent t o which anxiety interferes with both performance and participation in EFL classrooms. From a pedagogical perspective, the findings emphasize the need for a shift toward more affect - sensitive instructional practices. Traditional approaches that prioritize a ccuracy and high - stakes evaluation may inadvertently reinforce anxiety and limit communicative engagement. Instead, the incorporation of low - stakes speaking activities, supportive feedback mechanisms, and gradual progression in task complexity is recommend ed to foster learner confidence and reduce anxiety levels. Additionally, the integration of technology - enhanced learning tools offers promising opportunities to create low - pressure environments where learners can practice speaking more freely and consisten tly. Despite its contributions, this study presents certain limitations. The case study design, focused on a single institutional context, limits the generalizability of the findings to other EFL settings. Furthermore, the exclusive reliance on qualitative data, while appropriate for in - depth exploration, does not allow for statistical generalization. Future research should consider mixed - methods approaches that combine validated quantitative instruments with qualitative insights to provide a more comprehen sive understanding of OCA. Expanding the scope to include multiple institutions and proficiency levels would also strengthen the external validity of the findings. In conclusion, oral communication anxiety represents a significant barrier to effective lang uage learning in the studied context. Addressing this challenge requires not only pedagogical adjustments but also a broader reconsideration of how oral performance is framed, practiced, and assessed in EFL classrooms.
Multidisciplinary Collaborative Journal | Vol.0 4 | Núm.0 2 | Abr – Jun | 202 6 | https://mcjournal.editorialdoso.com 51 Contributions authors: Conceptualiza tion, G . V . M . - C ; methodology, G.V.M. - C ; formal analysis, G.V.M. - C ; investigation, G.V.M. - C ; resources, G.V.M. - C ; original draft writing, G.V.M. - C ; writing, revision, and editing, G.V.M. - C ; visualization, G.V.M. - C ; supervision, G.V.M. - C . All authors have read and accepted the published version of the manuscript. Funding: This research has not received external funding. Acknowledges: The author acknowledges the support of Universidad Agraria del Ecuador and extend sincere thanks to all participating students and educators whose commitment and engagement were fundamental to the successful completion of this research. Data availability statement: The data are available upon request from the corresponding authors: gmoreno@uagraria.edu.ec Conflict of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest . References Ahmadi Safa, M., & Lotfi, J. (2025). Iranian EFL learners’ online self - regulated learning, use of communication strategies, test anxiety, and online speaking test performance: A Structural Equation Modeling approach. International Journal of Language Testi ng, 15(1), 173 – 192. https://doi.org/10.22034/ijlt.2024.466895.1361 Al - Obaydi, L.H., Rahul, D.R. & Pikhart, M. The effect of online oral reading on reading comprehension, reading anxiety, and c lassroom anxiety among EFL learners. (GXF,QI7HFKQRO 29 , 2841 – 2855 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639 - 023 - 11950 - y Alrabai , F. (2025). The predictive role of anxiety and motivation in L2 proficiency: An empirical causal model. /DQJXDJH7HDFKLQJ5HVHDUFK , (7), 3104 - 3142. Alshammari, N. A., Mugaddam, A. H. (2023). Oral Presentations as Assessment Criteria for EFL learners at University Level: A Saudi Instructors' Perspective. Eurasian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 9(2), 132 - 141. Doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.32601/ejal.902011 Chen, Y. chen. (2024). Effects of technology - enh anced language learning on reducing EFL learners’ public speaking anxiety. &RPSXWHU$VVLVWHG /DQJXDJH/HDUQLQJ , (4), 789 – 813. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2022.2055083 Chen, M. R. A., & H wang, G. J. (2022). Effects of experiencing authentic contexts on English speaking performances, anxiety and motivation of EFL
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