The Preliminary Cross-Cultural Scale Validation and Learner Variables Effects on L2 Classroom Speaking Embarrassment among Chinese EFL Learners

L2 classroom speaking embarrassment (L2CSE) has recently emerged as an important affective construct in oral English learning, yet empirical evidence from the Chinese EFL context remains scarce. This study aimed to validate the L2CSE scale among 208 Chinese college students and to examine how key learner variables shape their L2 embarrassment experiences during classroom speaking activities. Although the scale was originally conceptualized as a three-factor instrument, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) indicated poor model fit in the present context. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was subsequently conducted, and results supported a coherent one-factor structure, which was further validated through CFA, suggesting that L2CSE may operate as a unified construct among Chinese learners. Using the validated scale, the study investigated whether gender, major type, self-perceived English proficiency, and English classroom speaking frequency predict differences in L2CSE. Independent samples t-tests and one-way ANOVAs revealed that gender, major type, and general perceived English proficiency did not significantly influence embarrassment levels. In contrast, classroom speaking frequency showed a meaningful effect: students who almost never or sometimes spoke in English experienced substantially higher embarrassment than those who often participated in EFL classroom, with post hoc analyses confirming significant group differences. These findings highlight that L2CSE is less dependent on demographic or broad ability-related variables and more strongly shaped by learners' actual participation in oral tasks. The study provides a validated measurement tool for examining L2CSE in China and underscores the importance of creating supportive, low-pressure speaking environments that encourage active engagement in classroom communication. Implications for teaching and future research directions are discussed.