Abstract
This article examines speaking anxiety as one of the major psychological barriers affecting oral communication in EFL classrooms. Drawing on communicative and sociocultural theories, the study explores the role of strategic competence training in reducing learners’ anxiety and improving communicative effectiveness. The article reconceptualizes speaking strategies not merely as compensatory mechanisms but as essential communicative resources that enhance learner confidence, interactional flexibility, and participation in oral tasks. Through a critical analysis of theoretical perspectives and pedagogical implications, the study argues that strategic competence training creates supportive communicative environments that facilitate language development and emotional engagement in EFL contexts.
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