Journal of English Development
Vol. 6 No. 2 (2026): Journal of English Development

The Invisible Wall: An Analysis of Listening Anxiety in Foreign Language Contexts Among Tarbiyah Students at Universitas Ma'arif Lampung, Indonesia

Wiwied Pratiwi (Universitas Ma'
arif Lampung, Indonesia)

Nailul Izzah (Universitas Ma'
arif Lampung, Indonesia)

Siti Roudlatul Jannah (Universitas Ma'
arif Lampung, Indonesia)

Agni Pratistha Arka Dewi (Universitas Ma'
arif Lampung, Indonesia)

Nazala Ulya Ramadhani (Universitas Ma'
arif Lampung, Indonesia)



Article Info

Publish Date
19 Aug 2026

Abstract

Listening anxiety represents a pervasive affective barrier in foreign language acquisition, functioning as an "invisible wall" that obstructs comprehension and impedes learning outcomes. This study investigates the prevalence, intensity, and contributing factors of listening anxiety among 112 Tarbiyah (Islamic Education) students at Universitas Ma'arif Lampung, Indonesia. Employing a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, the research utilized the Foreign Language Listening Anxiety Scale (FLLAS) adapted from Kim (2000), complemented by semi-structured interviews and classroom observations. Quantitative findings revealed that 58.9% of participants experienced high levels of listening anxiety, 26.8% moderate levels, and only 14.3% low levels. The highest anxiety indicators were associated with rapid speech rate (M=4.21, SD=0.87), unfamiliar vocabulary (M=4.18, SD=0.92), and inability to control the listening process (M=4.09, SD=0.88). Qualitative analysis identified four primary anxiety sources: (1) input-related factors including speech rate and accent variation, (2) cognitive processing deficits, (3) psychological manifestations including fear of evaluation and test-taking pressure, and (4) environmental constraints. The study's novelty lies in its focus on Tarbiyah students—a demographic underrepresented in listening anxiety research—and its examination of how Islamic education contexts uniquely shape anxiety patterns. Findings suggest that listening anxiety operates as a multidimensional construct requiring targeted pedagogical interventions. Implications for curriculum design, instructional strategies, and technology integration are discussed.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

jed

Publisher

Subject

Education Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media

Description

Journal of English Development invites submissions of previously unpublished articles that address English language-related issues within Linguistics, applied linguistics, applied teaching, English as first, second and foreign language, language design and development, language testing and ...