The Effect of TikTok-Based Speaking Activities on Gen Alpha Students’ English-Speaking Performance and Anxiety

Abstract

Generation Alpha students, who have grown up immersed in digital environments, increasingly rely on social media platforms to learn English as a Foreign Language (EFL). However, many face persistent challenges in developing speaking proficiency due to limited authentic practice opportunities, low self-confidence, and elevated speaking anxiety, which inhibits classroom participation. While previous research has explored TikTok's potential for language learning, studies simultaneously examining both speaking performance and anxiety reduction remain scarce, particularly for junior high school students. This study investigated how TikTok-based speaking activities influence speaking anxiety reduction and speaking performance enhancement among Generation Alpha learners at SMP N 29, Semarang. The research employed a mixed-methods quasi-experimental design involving fifty eighth-grade students divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group engaged in TikTok-based speaking activities, whereas the control group utilized conventional picture series activities. Quantitative data were collected through speaking performance assessments and anxiety questionnaires and analyzed using ANOVA and ANCOVA. Qualitative data from semi-structured interviews were processed using MAXQDA to capture the students' perceptions. The results demonstrated that TikTok-based practice significantly improved speaking performance and reduced anxiety. The experimental group achieved substantially higher performance scores than the control group. Anxiety levels decreased notably in the experimental group and increased in the control group. Qualitative findings revealed that TikTok enhanced pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and comprehension, with students recognizing the platform as an engaging and interactive medium for developing English-speaking skills. These findings highlight TikTok's transformative potential as a contextually relevant digital learning tool for digitally native learners in modern language education.