Journal of Emerging Trends in Educational Research and Policy Studies: Home

Abstract:
Anxiety is a real hindrance to public speaking. Yet, there is little empirical evidence to support the impact of impromptu speaking drills on anxiety reduction in public speaking. This paper aims to close this gap by examining the impact of a strategy that emphasizes weekly impromptu speaking sessions combined with teacher feedback on the reduction of public speaking anxiety for college students. Specifically, we use evidence from Personal Report of Speaking Anxiety (PRSA) and establish using quantitative methods that sustained impromptu speaking activities significantly reduce public speaking anxiety over the course of the semester for EFL students enrolled in a public speaking course; therefore enabling public speaking skill development. The results show that anxiety level decreased significantly for all students by as much as 24%, and that many students made the transition from high to very low anxiety level coupled with a staggering improvement in speech delivery skills, advocating for the effectiveness of this strategy for public speaking skill development.

Keywords: public speaking, speech anxiety reduction, sustained impromptu speaking, EFL speech anxiety,

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