Difficulties Faced by Undergraduate Students in English Public Speaking at a Malaysian University

Abstract

The ability to speak English in public with confidence is essential for university students; both for their studies and employment purposes after graduation. Nowadays, employers seek staff who can speak English confidently. This study, therefore, aims to explore difficulties and factors that hinder effective public speaking among undergraduate students at a Malaysian university. The study employed a qualitative method through face-to-face semi-structured interviews and gathered data from a purposive sample of 44 undergraduate students. The interview data were analyzed using an inductive-thematic analysis: identifying natural units of meaning, labeling, categorizing, and organizing them, constructing narratives, and interpreting the findings. The findings showed that undergraduate students face various difficulties concerning English public speaking due to poor language skills in terms of grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and fluency. Additionally, the findings revealed several factors that hinder public effective speaking among students, including dislike for English, nervousness, low self-esteem, lack of confidence, shyness, eye contact, gender differences as well as lack of idea, practice, and audience attention. These difficulties may result in students having a high level of anxiety during public speaking. This study offers valuable insights to educators in overcoming English speaking difficulties among undergraduates to enhance learning outcomes.