G285 Okada, Y., Sawaumi, T., & Ito, T. (2018, June). Can college-level English courses help reduce EFL learners’ public speaking anxiety? The 16th Asia TEFL International Conference University of Macau, Macau SAR, China 27th to 29th June, 2018
Abstract:
Learning how to design and deliver a speech in a native language context may reduce public speaking anxiety and increase feelings of confidence. This pilot study examined the effects of group instruction on delivering a speech in courses for English as a foreign language (EFL). Participants were 62 Japanese EFL learners in four different university-level EFL classes during Fall 2017. In the treatment group (n = 19), students were taught how to design a speech and were asked to deliver two or three speeches during the semester. In the control group (n = 43), students were taught such language skills as reading and listening rather than public speaking. McCroskey’s Personal Report of Public Speaking Anxiety (PRPSA) was then administered and analyzed, using a mixed-design ANOVA, for comparing class beginning and ending scores from the two groups. Pedagogical implications for public speaking instruction include the desirability of emphasizing the importance of opportunities for students to deliver a speech multiple times in the course, thus reducing speaking anxiety.
Similar a G285 Okada, Y., Sawaumi, T., & Ito, T. (2018, June). Can college-level English courses help reduce EFL learners’ public speaking anxiety? The 16th Asia TEFL International Conference University of Macau, Macau SAR, China 27th to 29th June, 2018
Similar a G285 Okada, Y., Sawaumi, T., & Ito, T. (2018, June). Can college-level English courses help reduce EFL learners’ public speaking anxiety? The 16th Asia TEFL International Conference University of Macau, Macau SAR, China 27th to 29th June, 2018 (20)
G285 Okada, Y., Sawaumi, T., & Ito, T. (2018, June). Can college-level English courses help reduce EFL learners’ public speaking anxiety? The 16th Asia TEFL International Conference University of Macau, Macau SAR, China 27th to 29th June, 2018
1. Can college-level English courses help
reduce EFL learners’ public speaking
anxiety?
Yasuko Okada, Saitama Women’s Junior College
Takafumi Sawaumi, Ryutsu Keizai University
Takehiko Ito, Wako University
The 16th Asia TEFL International Conference, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
E22-1009 (10), 15:40-16:05, 28th June, 2018
2. We aimed to examine the effects of group
instruction on reducing EFL learners’
public speaking anxiety.
2
6. A method of develop students’ public
speaking skills
• To improve their language and speech skills,
students’ performance was recorded using their
cellphones (Makino, 2014).
• Learners watched recordings of other students’
performance as models (Okada, Sawaumi, & Ito,
2017, in press).
6
7. Public Speaking Anxiety
• Fear that occurs when speaking in front of others.
• Various factors cause speaking anxiety in a foreign
language classroom.
• Public speaking anxiety was reduced by skill-training
program, t = 3.63, p < .010 (one-tailed), η2 = .422, R2= .422. (Pribyl, Keaten, &
Sakamoto, 2001)
• Group instruction on public speaking skills may be effective
to reduce learners’ speaking anxiety.
7
9. Experimental Groups (EG)
• With speech instruction
• Taught nonverbal and peripheral linguistic skills
• Delivered 2 or 3 speeches
9
Prepare a
draft
Deliver a
speech and
have it
recorded
Self &Peer
evaluation
10. Personal Report of Public Speaking Anxiety
(PRPSA)
10
• Developed by McCroskey (1970)
• 34 items on a 5 likert scale
11. Examples of PRPSA (McCroskey, 1970)
• _____1. While preparing for giving a speech, I feel tense and nervous.
• _____2. I feel tense when I see the words “speech” and “public speech”
on a course outline when studying.
• _____3. My thoughts become confused and jumbled when I am giving a
speech.
• _____4. Right after giving a speech I feel that I have had a pleasant
experience.
• _____5. I get anxious when I think about a speech coming up.
• _____31. I have trouble falling asleep the night before a speech.
• _____32.My heart beats very fast while I present a speech.
• _____33. I feel anxious while waiting to give my speech.
• _____34. While giving a speech, I get so nervous I forget facts I really
know.
11
13. A mixed-design ANOVA
13
Time: Pre-test vs. Post-test [repeated factor]
Group: Experimental vs. Control [between-participants
factor]
14. • Cronbach’s alpha: pre-test (.96), post-test (.96)
• Significant main effect on Time (F(1,61) = 3.16, p = .08)
• No significant main effect on Group (F(1,61) = 1.70, p = .20)
• No significant interaction effect on Time x Group (F(1,61) = 1.42, p = .24)
14
3.21
3.00
3.38
3.34
Pre-test Post-test
EG
CG
Average Scores of PRPSA
15. Discussion
15
• No significant interaction effects on experimental
and control groups.
• Different result from the earlier study (Pribyl,
Keaten, & Sakamoto, 2001)
16. Discussion
16
• When to conduct a post-test
• Students’ learning experience prior to the study
• Qualitative data
17. Group instruction helped reduce speech anxiety?
17
3.21
3.00
3.38
3.34
Pre-test Post-test
EG
CG
Average Scores of PRPSA
18. Conclusion
18
• Communication style as seen in low-context cultures
• Create a classroom environment to reduce speaking
anxiety and enhance their motivation for improving
public speaking skills
Notas del editor
Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for coming to my presentation. I’m Yasuko Okada, the first author of this study. In this presentation, I would like to talk about whether college-level English courses can help to reduce EFL learners’ public speaking anxiety.
In the study, we aimed to examine the effects of group instruction on reducing Japanese EFL learners public speaking anxiety.
Since this is an empirical study, first I will explain the previous studies before talking about the method. Then, after briefly reporting the results of the study, I will discuss our findings and conclude the presentation.
First, let me talk about how context culture affects our communication style.
In low context culture, people communicate verbally without depending on the contextual information and people are required to express explicitly. One of low context cultures is the United States. In this country, it is quite common that students are taught public speaking skills at high school or university. It is important to communicate straightforwardly in low context cultures. Among low context cultures, Switzerland and Germany are also included.
On the other hand, Japan is a high context culture. People in this context culture depend on context of the communication. China and Saudi Arabia are also the same context culture.
In these societies, it is important that we understand the speaker’s intention through contextual information. However, when Japanese students learn public speaking skills in English, they rarely pay attention to the importance of different communication styles, and therefore, they are not good at communicating straightforwardly.
However, some Japanese teachers and educators are interested in developing students’ public speaking skills to enhance their motivation for learning English.
For example, a study showed that learners improve their language and speech skills by having their performance recorded using their cellphones. Furthermore, our studies examined the effects of watching recordings of other students’ performance as models.
We found that showing student model video was effective for students to motivate to further practice on their speeches. These studies supported the idea that learners can develop public speaking skills through making use of video recordings in the classroom learning.
Now let me explain about public speaking anxiety. Pulic speaking anxiety is a fear that occurs when people speak in front of others. In particular, in a foreign language classroom, this kind of anxiety occurs due to various reasons, for example, speech skills, language levels, and speaking situations.
In a Japanese EFL context, a study conducted by pribyl, Keaten, and Sakamoto showed that public speaking anxiety was reduced by a skill-training program. Therefore, a group instruction of public speaking skills may be an effective approach to reduce learners’ speaking anxiety in the classroom.
So let’s move onto the method of our study.
In the study, 63 Japanese female students were participants. They were from 4 classes of two different schools at higher education.
In the experimental groups, students received speech instruction during the class. They were taught nonverbal and peripheral linguistic skills in addition to English pronunciations. During the 15 weeks of the course, students delivered 2 or three speeches based on the topic they were given.
On the other hand, control groups were not given any speech instruction, but they were taught to develop language skills, for example, reading and listening in their classes.
As an instrument, McCroskey’s personal report of public speaking anxiety was used. This measurement contains 34 items regarding communication apprehension. Students answered from strongly disagree to strongly agree on a 5 scale.
Here are some examples of the statements from PRPSA. This was developed to measure communication apprehension in public speaking, and not in communication in general.
To examine the effects of group instruction on reducing speech anxiety, PRPSA was administered to both experimental and control groups at the beginning and the end of the course as a pre-test and a post-test.
To analyze the scores of PRPSA, we used a mixed-design ANOVA with SPSS. Repeated factor was time, and between-participants factor was group.
Now, let’s move to the results of the study.
Pre-test and post-test PRPSA scores were examined for internal consistency by Cronbach’s alpha. It showed an extremely high level internal consistency for the both.
The average scores of PRPSA are shown. It is indicated that both experimental and control groups scored lower in the post-test.
We further conducted statistical analysis. The results showed that there was a significant main effect on time, but the main effect on group, and interaction effect on time and group were not observed.
Let’s move onto the discussion on our findings.
Our findings did not show a significant interaction effect on experimental and control groups. This was different from the earlier study, and we discussed the causes of why our findings were not consistent with those of the earlier study.
First, of the experimental groups, one group completed the last speech right before the post-test, but another group completed almost a month earlier. If the latter group had responded immediately after delivering the last speech, the results might have been different.
Second, the students in the experimental groups had been taking the first part of the course before taking this second part of the course and participating in the study. It would be possible that their public speaking anxiety might have already been reduced to some extent. Therefore, it is necessary to consider that students’ learning experience may have affected the findings of the subsequent study.
And finally, we used only quantitative data in this study, but in addition to this statistical data, we could have used qualitative data, such as open-ended questionnaire to examine how students’ public speaking anxiety changes over the course.
Now, let’s move to the results of the study.
Pre-test and post-test PRPSA scores were examined for internal consistency by Cronbach’s alpha. It showed an extremely high level internal consistency for the both.
The average scores of PRPSA are shown. It is indicated that both experimental and control groups scored lower in the post-test than the pre-test.
We further conducted statistical analysis. The results showed that there was a significant main effect on time, but the main effect on group, and interaction effect on time and group were not observed.
To summarize our study, we were not able to show the evidence that group instruction helped reduce public speaking anxiety in the Japanese EFL classroom.
However, it is obvious that to become a member of globalized societies and communicate effectively, students will have to develop public speaking skills that are expected in low-context cultures.
As a language teacher, it is important to create a classroom environment to reduce learners’ speaking anxiety and enhance their motivation for improving public speaking skills.
Thank you for listening.
