PUBLIC SPEAKING: IT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN ESL STUDENTS

Abstract

In the past and also now, very often we hear complaints about the reticence of Asian ESL (English as a Second Language) students. Teachers handling oral sessions say the students only listen and are shy to participate because they are not comfortable or lack the confidence to use English in class. In her study on the behaviours of ESL learners in Malaysia, Bahiyah (1992) noted that the students felt insecure about their level of English and feared that their mistakes would make their classmates or teacher laugh at or look down on them.

The aim of this article is to find out if having the skills in public speaking can bring benefits to the students in terms of becoming more comfortable and confident in speaking before an audience in English. This article also discusses the findings of a survey among the students at the Centre for Preparatory Studies, Universiti Teknologi MARA who took the basic public speaking class. The findings showed the benefits and how lessons and skills taught helped students feel more confident when using English and dispelling some common misconceptions normally associated with ESL public speaking. The findings are based on students’ perceptions of what they have learned or gained after taking the course.