Abstract
Public speaking as a form of communication skill has pervaded today’s learning environment. It is in contrast to the previous method of delivery in which oral communication is obscure. The vicissitudes occur because students need to be competent in the field of academics. This skill is vital for students, but hitherto much difficult because of their anxiety. Additionally, students think that the act of giving a speech needs strong volition and confidence. Therefore, it is crucial for them to tackle the fear before they endure the real journey in professional working life. Hence, this study aims to analyse the causes of fear in public speaking among students and how Social Cognitive Theory influences this anxiety. This study employed a quantitative survey comprising four sections in order to get a more in-depth data analysis. A total of 171 undergraduate students from Universiti Teknologi MARA served as the respondents of this study. The findings reveal that the students are influenced by several internal and external factors that cause fear in public speaking. In response to the influence of Cognitive and Behavior factors, the majority of those surveyed indicated that the size of the audience and nervousness lead to students’ anxiety. These findings add to a growing body of literature on the anxiety of public speaking as well as aid as a reference for students and teachers, especially in English classrooms. Future studies on the current topic are therefore recommended in order to corroborate the findings.
Highlights
Background of Study Language serves as mean of communication between people
How do situational factors influence the fear of public speaking? How do cognitive factors influence the fear of public speaking? How do behaviour factors influence the fear of public speaking?
This is followed by their perception of not being good enough compared to others and the fear of large audiences (M = 4)
Summary
Background of Study Language serves as mean of communication between people. Speaking is one of the four language skills: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Speaking for a larger audience or public speaking may cause anxiety and concern for some L2 learners. Fear of public speaking will cause communication breakdowns between the speaker and the listeners. Communication strategies contribute to the success of effective communication (Kencanawati, 2014) They are used to negotiate meaning when L2 learner and a speaker of the target language do not share both linguistic structures and sociolinguistic norms (O’Malley & Chamot, 1990). It is important for L2 learners to learn and explore more on communication strategies they can employ to perform better when speaking in public
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