Let’s talk about what happens in the brain when we are afraid to speak English and what to do about it. Many of my students tell me that they understand a lot when they read, write, or listen in English, but when they have to speak, they often get stuck. This makes them feel anxious, and they get stuck even more. It’s like a never-ending vicious cycle.
Xenoglossophobia
Recently, while I was doing some research about language learning and fluency, I came across the word “xenoglossophobia.” Now, any word that is longer and harder to pronounce than my Polish last name always piques my curiosity 😅. The term comes from Greek, where “xeno” means foreign, “glosso” means language, and “phobos” means fear. Wikipedia describes “xenoglossophobia” as a foreign language anxiety, which is:
the feeling of unease, worry, nervousness and apprehension experienced in learning or using a second or foreign language.
I knew that this is exactly what many non-native speakers of English feel when they speak to native speakers. But I didn’t know it had an official name. So, there you go. If someone asks you why you never say anything, you can tell them that you suffer from “xenoglossophobia”. I’m sure they’ll leave you alone.
But jokes aside, let’s talk a little bit of what causes this anxiety.
Factors causing fear
There are several factors that can cause fear and anxiety when we learn English.
School system
The first one is the school system, which in many countries still uses the old-fashioned method of drilling grammar and words with no context. But this method doesn’t teach you how to speak; it just gives you some knowledge about the language. You are also punished for making mistakes on the tests, so eventually you develop fear because you think that people constantly judge your “bad” English.
Bias against nonnative speakers
Another factor is bias against nonnative speakers of English. If you live in an English-speaking country, you’ve probably heard comments about your accent. According to a study, speakers with certain foreign accents are perceived to be less friendly, less truthful, and sometimes even less intelligent. Because many people are aware of this stigma, they prefer not to speak until their English becomes “perfect.” But how can it become perfect if you never speak?
Self-confidence and personality traits
Other factors include self-confidence, personality traits such as being an introvert vs. extrovert, openness to new experiences, and friends and family support.
What happens in our brains
So, what happens in our brains when we feel such fear and anxiety is that two neural systems get activated – the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex. The amygdala is responsible for creating, maintaining, and modifying fear and anxiety. It’s responsible for our emotions and operates unconsciously. On the other hand, the prefrontal cortex is our thinking brain. It’s responsible for our logical reasoning, concentration, and conscious memories.
The information is first processed by the “emotional” amygdala, and later by the “logical” cortex. This emotional part of the brain triggers feelings and responses that are unknown to the logical part. For example, if you have previously experienced an emotional reaction to something in your life – an event, a person, an exam, a presentation in English etc. – if you are put in the same situation, the emotional part of the brain might trigger the same reaction in you before you have the chance to logically analyze what you are dealing with.
So unfortunately, when anxiety and fear start in the emotional amygdala, the logical cortex is not able to reduce this fear. This is almost like a fight between conscious and unconscious where the unconscious unfortunately wins.
To make things even more complicated, the logical part of the brain can also produce anxiety that might not be related to the situation we are currently facing. This happens because of overthinking and having doubts. “What if I make a mistake?”, “What if people think I’m dumb,” “What if I forget a word?” Such thoughts can create a self-fulfilling prophecy. This means that the situation might get worse just because we create bad images in our mind. And such thoughts can also create future fears and anxieties.
How to fight fear of speaking English
But don’t worry because every problem has a solution. The good news is that we don’t have to give in to fear. We can fight irrational anxiety and claim our power back. From a psychological point of view, there are two approaches that you can take to tame your fear of speaking English.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
The first one is Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). I know this sounds fancy, but what this means is facing your negative and limiting thoughts and swapping them with more positive ones. First, identify the root of your negative attitudes. Think about what triggered them. Has someone commented on your English in a condescending way? Has someone ever laughed at you because you made a mistake? Maybe you got a low score on a test, and you think your English is not good enough? Or maybe someone asked you to repeat what you’d said, and you think that your pronunciation is bad?
Once you identify what caused your negative belief about the level of your English, you can gradually start replacing it with a more positive belief. If you’ve been telling yourself “My English is not good enough. I’ll never sound the way I want to,” you can change it to “I might not be as fluent as I want to yet, but I am a good communicator and can convey any idea I want to.” Consistently tell yourself that you are capable of learning anything you put your mind into.
This approach might seem easier said than done. It’s hard to convince yourself of something you don’t believe to be true. It takes time, but it will eventually work if you are persistent. Surround yourself with positive people who support you and want you to succeed. And of course, keep learning. Positive thoughts alone are not going to do the magic if you don’t keep studying and practicing.
Confrontational therapy
The second approach to fighting your fear of Speaking English is confrontational therapy. This option is about being confronted with a situation that causes you anxiety. The goal here is that you face your fear and realize that there are no negative consequences. You can be mentored by a coach, or you can join a supportive group that will offer you a safe environment to experiment and “make mistakes.” You can also try to find a job that will give you an opportunity to speak English. For example, my first job in the US was at the front desk of a Marriott hotel. I pretty much forced myself to look for such a job because I knew that this would help me improve my English and reduce my fear of judgement. If you put yourself in a slightly more challenging situation, you will start to overcome your fear of speaking English.
In a world that constantly tells you to confront your fears and go out of your comfort zone, this approach can also seem intimidating. But it’s a crucial step towards your new YOU. The sense of accomplishment you are going to get is priceless.
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Let me know in the comments if you are or have ever been afraid to speak English. What did you do? How did you deal with your fear?
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