Abstract

Anxiety about speaking English poses a significant barrier for first-year English majors, particularly when communicating in front of lecturers and peers. Drawing on foreign language speaking anxiety (FLSA), the affective filter hypothesis, psychological safety, and social and emotional learning (SEL), this paper proposes an SEL-based model for a psychologically safe speaking classroom. The model comprises four pillars: norms for respectful interaction; a classroom culture that accepts mistakes and provides supportive feedback; empathetic and supportive peer interaction; and the organization of speaking activities to promote psychologically safe participation. The model aims to encourage students to engage confidently in communication, accept mistakes, and seek support without undue fear of negative evaluation. The paper also outlines steps for implementing the model in speaking classes and emphasizes the need for further empirical research to validate it.

Keywords: English-speaking anxiety, first-year English majors, psychological safety, social and emotional learning (SEL), speaking classroom.