Silent struggles: Analyzing the causes of student silence in Yogyakarta’s EFL classrooms

This study uses qualitative research methods to investigate silence among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners in a high school in Yogyakarta. This study was conducted at a private high school in Yogyakarta, with the participants being students of classes 10th and 11th. Data were collected through classroom observations and semi-structured interviews to understand the underlying causes of students' silence in English as a foreign language class. After the observation was completed, the researchers used the interview technique as the final stage to collect information directly from the students. At the interview stage, the researchers asked 8 students as research subjects, 4 females and four males, with 8 questions that had been prepared. Interviews were conducted openly to obtain valid information for the needs of researchers. The results showed that fear of making mistakes, introverted and shy personality, low self-confidence, unpredictable dynamics emotions, low English proficiency, lack of interest in EFL classes, unsupportive classroom atmosphere, traditional teaching methods, and comprehension difficulties experienced by students contributed significantly to students' silence. Meanwhile, the most inhibiting factors were students' attitudes towards factors that hinder learning in the EFL classroom, including demanding teacher behavior, cultural beliefs, anxiety, and tolerance of ambiguity. This study highlights the importance of fostering a more supportive and interactive classroom environment to encourage active participation and improve language learning outcomes among EFL students.