Mindfulness and Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety: Developmental Trajectories of Saudi TESOL Student-Teachers
Laila Alghamdi, Suha Alansari
International Journal of English Linguistics March 17, 2026 DOI: 10.5539/ijel.v16n2p97 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative longitudinal study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Saudi female TESOL student-teachers at a Saudi university |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-Intervention Program (MIP) |
| Duration | Ten weeks |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Key findings | The authors report that a ten-week mindfulness intervention did not eliminate foreign language speaking anxiety but supported emotional regulation, reduced avoidance, and increased speaking confidence. They argue the program reshaped learners' emotional orientation toward speaking rather than directly improving linguistic competence, fostering greater willingness to communicate and more meaningful participation. |
Abstract
This study investigates how a Mindfulness-Intervention Program (MIP) influenced the speaking experiences of Saudi female TESOL student-teachers, focusing on the regulation of Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety (FLSA). Guided by Kabat-Zinn’s mindfulness framework and Dörnyei’s Ideal L2 Self construct, a qualitative longitudinal design was implemented over ten weeks at a Saudi university. Data from weekly reflection journals and post-intervention interviews were analyzed using reflexive thematic and deductive content analysis. Findings revealed a developmental trajectory marked by emotional fluctuation, gradual stabilization, and increased communicative engagement across five themes: Turbulence in Transition, Becoming Emotionally Anchored, Breaking the Chain of Anxiety, From Silence to Presence, and Perceived Improvements in Speaking. Although anxiety persisted, mindfulness practices supported emotional regulation, reduced avoidance, and enhanced speaking confidence. Rather than directly improving linguistic competence, the MIP reshaped learners’ emotional orientation toward speaking, fostering greater willingness to communicate and more meaningful participation in Gulf EFL teacher-education contexts.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on anxiety, most cited first.