Kaygı düzeyi, sınav görevlisinin cinsiyeti ve konuşma konularının yabancı dil öğrencilerinin performansı üzerindeki etkisi

The current study explores the effect of topic type, examiner's gender, and learner anxiety on the speaking ability of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. The study particularly focuses on finding out whether the learners differ in responding to neutral and gender-biased topics, how their anxiety levels change after and prior to speaking tests, and if the examiner's gender impacts the performance results. The participant was university-level learners at the B1 B2 levels of proficiency, who performed speaking tests under diversified conditions. The data were gathered with the use of the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS), semi structured interviews, and analytical scoring rubrics. The results found that the learners significantly outperformed on neutral topics compared to the gender-biased topics, substantiating recent findings that emphasize the importance of topic familiarity and neutrality in the speaking test (Kim & Santos, 2023). Whilst the levels of anxiety decreased slightly from the pre-test to the post-test, the change was statistically insignificant, consistent with long-term EFL anxiety research (Al-Mutairi & Nguyen, 2022). Anxiety was negatively correlated with speaking proficiency, including specifically in the tasks with the gender-biased topics, in agreement with evidence that anxiety compromises speaking (Rahimi & Zarei, 2024). Additionally, the gender of the examiner significantly impacted the end-state of the tasks when interacting with topic type, something more well-documented in the high stakes test environment (Chen & Ward, 2023). The qualitative results also showed that the learners benefited from strategies such as preparing ahead, thinking they would say (cognitive rehearsal), and utilizing relaxation measures in order to cope with the experience of anxiety, in agreement with pedagogic guidance in the field (Ibrahim & Lee, 2022). Overall, the research illuminates the interaction of emotional, contextual, and interpersonal factors in speaking tests. The study is among the growing body of research on affective effects in language testing and suggests more equitable, inclusive measurement processes in EFL contexts.