Plato once said “a wise man speaks because he has something to say, a fool speaks because he has to say something!” Often the ability to speak (or not) is used to gauge a person’s language proficiency. Speaking is one of the four language skills which includes listening, reading and writing. However, of all the four skills, the first skill that is portrayed is a person’s speaking skills. A person’s speaking skills (or lack of it) is often used by future employers to evaluate the oral communication abilities of their employees. This is because speaking has many different functions and failure to understand the varying functions may lead to anxiety among the speakers. This pilot study is done to investigate the usage of the English language in undergraduates’ interaction and transaction in their everyday lives, their speaking performances and their speaking anxiety. Data is analysed using SPSS and presented in the form of mean scores. Findings for interaction and transaction showed that English is used during formal transaction. In addition to that, the discussion on academic matters is a necessity to speak English. Next, findings for performance revealed that no matter how good or poor their achievement in this second language, speakers have to make it happen – this is one of the challenges that the speakers have to face. Lastly, the speaking anxiety may impact their (speakers) interaction with other people. Results of this study bear interesting implications towards the acquisition and learning of speaking in English among learners. <p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0736/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Communication strategies are basically ways utilised by students to manage their interactions in a target language learnt. Fear of oral presentations is still common among students due to many reasons. In order to cope with such fear when communicating in English, communication strategies (CS) are employed by students to assist them in communicating in the most effective way they feel they could. This preliminary study on CS and fear of oral presentations are conducted to investigate how CS influences oral presentations and how factors leading them to fear oral presentations influence their oral presentations. A survey was done on 51 undergraduates of a public university. Data was analysed using the SPSS and reported in a form of mean values. Findings on participants' use of communication strategies in influencing their oral presentations revealed that most participants were inclined to use more strategies involving human factor in influencing how they would present orally. Furthermore, findings on fear of oral presentation in influencing their oral presentations indicated the highest concern on evaluation marks and nervousness in reflecting how they would perform oral presentations. These findings could reflect the need for the university to guide students on communication strategies available to them so that they could be employed by students to communicate more effectively in public.

Effective public speaking is a necessary and desired ability that university graduates need to possess. This is to build into them a sense of confidence and success in communicating in today's challenging, evolving and borderless working world. However, fear or anxiety among university students still prevails and affects the way they communicate, and thus they utilise communication strategies (CS) to help them communicate orally effectively. There are multiple triggers of learners' fear of public speaking which could be externally and internally driven. Therefore, this study aims to continuously explore the influence of CS on fear of oral presentation, the influence of fear on oral presentation and the strength of the relationship between CS and fear of oral presentation. Quantitative data on the influence was analysed utilising the SPSS for mean values and Pearson correlational analysis through a 4-section survey derived from 134 respondents from a public university. Results indicated that CS preferred by most of the respondents were mostly externally influenced in shaping their oral communication and assessment marks and feeling nervous were their largest causes of fear of public speaking. Furthermore, correlational findings revealed that communication strategies may reduce fear of oral presentation to some degree. These results could suggest the need for more formal strategy training to assist and build motivational needs for learners to manage their fear of public speaking to benefit more from communication strategies for effective public speaking.

<p>“<em>To become a champion requires a good mental attitude toward preparation. You have to accept the most tedious task with pleasure</em>”, Bruce Lee (1940-1973). The emergence of Online Distance Learning (ODL) amidst the pandemic Covid-19 forces the learners to have mental readiness in embracing the new normal mode of learning. This study is done to examine the presence of cognitive and behavioural processes that the learners experience, in developing their own mental readiness towards L2 online learning. 240 university students from several universities in Malaysia responded to the questionnaire. The quantitative data have been analysed by using SPSS version 26 to disclose percentage for the demographic profile and mean score for the variables. Findings indicate that cognitive and behavioural processes occurred when the learners develop mental readiness in L2 online learning despite being ambivalent about the effectiveness of e-learning class as compared to face-to-face class. The study suggests the importance of the stability of the external factors, such as the technicality and the support system, which include a positive environment and enough aid from their instructor/teacher, will enhance learners’ e-learning experiences.</p><p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0933/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

“Words—so innocent and powerless as they are, as standing in a dictionary, how potent for good and evil they become in the hands of one who knows how to combine them”, Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864). It is true that from just words can become a phrase then a sentence but what we may need to realize is how hard and challenging it is to make the sentence right. To face the real world, writing is the most challenging skill to teach for language teachers mainly because students take time to grasp and digest the knowledge of writing skill. To make matters worse, writing test is also the most popular means of test for placement in entering schools and universities. Due to this reason, L2 learners crave to write clearly and accurately in English. Undeniably, how a person writes with acceptable choice of words and correct grammar represents the L2 learner’s competency in English Language. This study is done to explore the importance of having English grammar awareness to facilitate L2 learners in their writing activities. The study thus aims to determine how grammar awareness amongst the L2 and other support systems such as English classes & facilities help facilitating L2 writing. 84 undergraduate students answered the questionnaire. The quantitative data have been analysed at the end of the research. Some of the findings are 75% of the respondents indicated that they were still unsure on the use of proper grammar in writing despite 94% of the respondents agreed and strongly agreed that they understood when the instructor/teacher taught them English Grammar. The mix-up results in the findings have shown some drawbacks in the teaching and learning practices. Moreover, only 63% of the participants answered agree and strongly agree that their learning institution has an English classroom that is conducive for learning (self-access centre), which can be considered as not satisfactory since English Language is the second language in Malaysia. It is hoped that the government of Malaysia could provide complete conducive learning centre for schools and universities. <p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0758/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>