Exploring College Students’ Experiences and Speaking Confidence in an English Immersion Program at Australian Village

Amanda Zahratunnisa Wardana; Fitra Ramadani; Hartatya Novika; Supiani

doi:10.52760/jadila.v6i3.852

Authors

Amanda Zahratunnisa Wardana Universitas Islam Kalimantan Muhammad Arsyad Al-Banjari
Fitra Ramadani Universitas Islam Kalimantan Muhammad Arsyad Al-Banjari
Hartatya Novika Universitas Islam Kalimantan Muhammad Arsyad Al-Banjari
Supiani Universitas Islam Kalimantan Muhammad Arsyad Al-Banjari

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.52760/jadila.v6i3.852

Keywords:

English Immersion Program, Australian Village, Speaking Confidence, EFL Learners, Qualitative Descriptive

Abstract

The study investigates the lived experiences of students in the English Immersion Program at Australian Village, focusing on the enhancement of their speaking confidence. Utilizing a qualitative descriptive research design, the research involved six students from UNISKA MAB Banjarmasin who participated in a one-week immersion program, selected through purposive sampling to reflect diverse initial levels of speaking engagement. Data collection was achieved via semi-structured interviews and field observations, analyzed through thematic analysis. Key findings indicated that the immersive, English-only setting and structured activities—such as professional meetings, debates, seminars, and speeches—greatly aided language habituation and mitigated speaking anxiety. Participants benefitted from active peer interactions and supportive facilitators, which helped them conquer their fear of making mistakes, enhance fluency, and increase confidence in spontaneous expression. The outcome confirms that the immersion program successfully converted passive engagement into active involvement, greatly increasing EFL learners' speaking confidence. In order to develop students' oral communication abilities, the study advises educational institutions and EFL teachers to incorporate immersion-based models and English-speaking environment efforts into their curricula.

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