Exploring the Interplay of Motivation, Attitude, and Anxiety in Iranian Intermediate EFL Students’ Task-Based Speaking Classes

This study was to uncover the interplay of motivation, attitude, and anxiety in Iranian intermediate EFL students’ task-based speaking classes. For this purpose, 120 Iranian intermediate EFL students of Safir-e-Andisheh Language Institute in Isfahan, Iran, who were homogenized by the Oxford Quick Placement Test (OQPT) were selected by convenience sampling. The data were collected using the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS), Motivation Questionnaire (MQ), and Attitudinal Questionnaire (AQ) and analyzed using standard multiple regression. The findings demonstrated that behavioral and cognitive attitudes predicted the changes in anxiety, and in terms of motivation, attitude toward learning languages, pragmatic benefits, and English for the workplace explained variances in anxiety. Furthermore, interest in foreign languages, attitude toward learning languages, obligation for learning English, and English for workplace predicted the variances in EFL learners’ attitudes. Concerning anxiety, the fear of negative evaluation explained variances in their attitude. This study revealed the complex interactions between motivation, attitude, and anxiety in shaping the speaking performance of Iranian intermediate EFL students, emphasizing the crucial role that positive attitudes and motivation play in mitigating anxiety during task-based speaking activities. Therefore, educators should focus on fostering positive attitudes and motivation among EFL students through engaging activities and supportive environments to enhance language learning outcomes and reduce anxiety in speaking contexts.