Exploring Factors Underlying Intermediate Students’ Silence in English as Second Language Classroom: A Phenomenological Case Study

Abstract

English is a prima facie case of high significance in the academic milieu. Therefore, the researchers attempted to understand students' performance, participation, and willingness to communicate; however, students’ silence in English as second language (L2) has received little attention leaving a chasm for investigation. Thus, this study aimed to explore the factors underlying students’ silence, and to uncover the dynamics of interaction of these factors in L2 classroom. To answer research questions, the pragmatist explanatory sequential design was adopted. The participant selection rested on silent student identification through quantitative survey results, and then interviews were conducted with the selected participants. The findings suggested that anxiety, fear, lack of confidence, lack of L2 knowledge, and first language interference impact students’ participation in L2 classroom resulting in silence. These problems directly affect students' speaking proficiency, speaking with confidence, and participating in L2 activities. This implies that the students need appropriate training of L2. Moreover, the innovative teaching methods may prove instrumental in developing students’ motivation to initiate active participation in L2, a conducive classroom environment creates a supportive culture for mustering courage to participate in L2 discussion without being belittled by the peers or teacher that may cause fear, anxiety, lack of confidence, and feelings of demotivation among learners which may limit learning experience in L2. Future research may focus on the instructor’s perspective to comprehend students’ in L2 classroom. The parental role in family structure, home psychology, and home sociology may induces silence. Mores studies may opt for cross sectional and longitudinal investigations.

Keywords: silence, confidence, L2 classroom, medical students, Government College