ABSTRACT
Following a qualitative method approach, this study investigated the anxiety factors of non-native English as Second Language (ESL) teachers in compulsory schools (elementary school, junior high school and senior/vocational high school). This study involved four teachers as participants working at four different levels of school, and the data was collected through the qualitative method. The data collection instrument consisted of interviews, which were then transcribed. The findings derived from the qualitative data reveal that factors that make the teachers feel anxious are both teachers’ and students’ factors, including the students’ language background, classroom management, teaching experience, student numbers and, most importantly, the teachers’ physical condition. Teachers feel anxious in conditions such as when their physical condition is not good and when students are not competent enough to understand English material. All participants, especially the teacher at the elementary school, mostly used the Indonesian language instead of English as the medium of instruction.
