Factors affecting speaking anxiety in oral presentations among TESL undergraduates

Yeong, Chi Yan (2025) Factors affecting speaking anxiety in oral presentations among TESL undergraduates. Final Year Project, UTAR.

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Abstract

Speaking anxiety is a prevalent psychological issue among Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) undergraduates, particularly during oral presentations, which are essential components of teacher education programmes. This study investigated the level of speaking anxiety, the factors contributing to speaking anxiety, and the correlational relationships between English language usage, perceived teacher support, self-esteem, and speaking anxiety among TESL undergraduates from a private university in Perak and public universities in Malaysia. Guided by Horwitz, Horwitz, and Cope’s Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Theory (1986), Krashen’s Affective Filter Hypothesis (1985), and Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory (1977), a quantitative research design was employed. Data were collected through structured questionnaires adapted from established instruments, including the English Language Usage Scale (ELUS) (Salamonson et al., 2020), Perceived Teacher Support Scale (PTSS) (Wu et al., 2024), Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem Scale (1965), and the Public Speaking Classroom Anxiety Scale (PSCAS) (Bartholomay & Houlihan, 2016). A total of 196 TESL undergraduates responded to the questionnaire distributed through Google Forms. Descriptive and correlational analyses were conducted using SPSS version 29. The findings revealed that the overall level of speaking anxiety among TESL undergraduates was low to moderate, with fear of negative evaluation identified as the most prominent anxiety dimension. Correlational results indicated negative relationships between independent and dependant variables with perceived teacher support showing the strongest correlation. These findings suggest that increased language use, supportive teaching environments, and higher self-esteem contribute to lower levels of speaking anxiety. This study validates established anxiety theories within the Malaysian TESL context and provides practical implications for educators and institutions in fostering supportive learning environments.

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