Exploring the Level and Primary Causes of Public Speaking Anxiety Among English Department Students

Abstract

English public speaking anxiety is a crucial issue experienced by students and it needs to be coped with acknowledging the importance of public speaking proficiency concerning today's demands. As EFL students, many studies have found that they encountered a considerable level of public speaking anxiety in which significantly affects their speaking quality. Therefore, measuring students' public speaking anxiety is essential since it can help both the students and teachers to know the level and primary causes of public speaking anxiety so that effective strategies can be designed to overcome this particular issue. Hence, the researchers attempt to investigate the level and primary causes of EFL students' public speaking anxiety. This present study participated by 34 third-semester students of the English Department at Universitas Tidar. In collecting the data regarding the public speaking anxiety level, the researchers used the Public Speaking Class Anxiety Scale (PSCAS) proposed by Yaikhong & Usaha (2012). Furthermore, the results from the questionnaire are delineated to explore the causes of public speaking anxiety. The study found that 58.8% of students experienced a medium level of public speaking anxiety. In addition, most of the students agreed that fear of negative evaluation becomes the major anxiety-provoking factor following by communication apprehension and test anxiety—lastly, only almost half of the students’ experience comfort in speaking English.

The Level of Students’ Anxiety in Speech at Universitas Muslim Nusantara Al- Washliyah Medan

“…In addition, results of their research describe that the low selfconfidence factor accepted the highest average attended by fear of bad evaluation and communication apprehension element. Other studies conducted by Alnahidh and Altalhab [32] , and Sugiyati and Indriani [33] found that the level of moderate in Foreign Language Anxiety Scale of participants in English Class. Any time, when they performed speaking in the class, they already dealt with the anxiety.…”

Public Speaking Anxiety in Oral Presentation Class among Undergraduates

“…The findings show that majority of students encountered a medium level of anxiety were similar to previous research done by Faizah and Tuan (2021), Sim et al (2020), Hidayoza et al (2019 and Sitti Kurniawanti (2017). In addition, Melouah (2013) expressed the reason for moderate level of speaking anxiety among students due to low proficiency in speaking English (as cited in Sugiyati and Indriani, 2021). Thus, an average level of speaking anxiety can act as a motivational factor for the learners' to further improve their proficiency.…”

Student's self-confidence in practicing speaking during online learning: up or down?

“…A study in Malaysia reported that it was found that female and male students experienced anxiety when they were faced with debating activities which was caused by a lack of critical thinking skills (Anthony, Othman & Ismail, 2018). Another study also stated that many of the students experienced medium anxiety when they had to speak publicly which was caused by fear of negative evaluations from lecturers (Sugiyati & Indriani, 2021). In Nila's description, she felt that the criteria for speaking debate require those who can deliver arguments critically and firmly.…”