ISSN: 2222-6990
Open access
Having good English proficiency is crucial in today's borderless world for developing individuals with communicative competence. The ability of students to interact with others and share information in a common language is essential, particularly as Malaysia upholds English as a second language. However, despite receiving formal exposure to the English language since primary school, there are still cases where students, especially university students in Malaysia, still frequently encounter public speaking anxiety, which affects their academic participation and performance. While most students are seen to be scoring well in language proficiency tests conducted in universities, many students are reported to have high levels of anxiety during presentations, oral exams, and group discussions. This study aimed to explore English proficiency of second language learners and its relationship with public speaking anxiety. A questionnaire comprising 35 questions was administered to 121 English language learners at a public university in Malaysia. Findings depicted that there is no significant relationship between students’ overall English language proficiency and their public speaking anxiety (r = .025, p = .784). Future recommendations for studies to be conducted on giving emphasis on students’ communicative competence to match their English proficiency performances and achievement.
Alderson, J. C. (2000). Assessing reading. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Baker, S. C., & MacIntyre, P. D. (2000). Willingness to communicate in second language: The effects of context, norms, and vitality. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 22(2), 190–209. https://doi.org/10.1177/0261927X03022002003
Boukranaa, A., & Mjahad, R. (2024). Factors and effects of foreign language anxiety in EFL classrooms: Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University as a case study. Journal of World Englishes and Educational Practices, 217-226. https://doi.org/10.32996/jweep
Buriro, G. S., & Kakepoto, I. (2013). Analysis of a test or assessment procedure for IELTS speaking test. International Journal of English and Education, 2(3), 67-77.
Buser, T., & Yuan, H. (2023). Public speaking aversion. Management Science, 69(5), 2746–2760. https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.4500
Chen, I. J., Cheng, K. R., & Chuang, C. H. (2022). Relationship between language anxiety and English speaking performance. English Language Teaching, 15(11), 78-83.
Chua, Y. P. (2020). Mastering Research Methods. 3rd ed. Kuala Lumpur: McGraw-Hill Education (Malaysia).
Department of Statistics Malaysia (2023) https://open.dosm.gov.my/dashboard/kawasanku
Dewaele, J., & MacIntyre, P. (2016). Foreign language enjoyment and foreign language classroom anxiety. The right and left feet of FL learning. In Multilingual Matters eBooks. https://eprints.bbk.ac.uk/id/eprint/15072/
Gallego, A., McHugh, L., Penttonen, M., & Lappalainen, R. (2022). Measuring public speaking anxiety: Self-report, behavioral, and physiological. Behavior Modification, 46(4), 782–798. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0145445521994308
Grieve, R., Woodley, J., Hunt, S. E., & McKay, A. (2021). Student fears of oral presentations and public speaking in higher education: a qualitative survey. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 45(9), 1281–1293. https://doi.org/10.1080/0309877x.2021.1948509
Horwitz, E. K. (2010). Foreign and second language anxiety. Language Teaching, 43(2), 154–167. https:// doi.org/10.1017/S026144480999036X
Horwitz, E. K., Horwitz, M. B., & Cope, J. (1986). Foreign language classroom anxiety. The Modern Language Journal, 70(2), 125-132. http://www.jstor.org/stable/327317
Hymes, D. (1972). On communicative competence. In J. B. Pride & J. Holmes (Eds.), Sociolinguistics: Selected Readings (pp. 269-293). Penguin.
Kashinathan, S., & Aziz, A. A. (2021). ESL learners’ challenges in speaking English in Malaysian classroom. International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development, 10(2). https://doi.org/10.6007/ijarped/v10-i2/10355
Li, T. (2020). Analysis on the causes and treatment of public speaking anxiety. Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research (ISEMSS 2020), 466, 514-518. https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.200826.103
Liu M., Jackson J. (2008b). An exploration of Chinese EFL learners’ unwillingness to communicate and foreign language anxiety. Modern Language Journal, 92(1), 71–86. Crossref
Liu, M., & Jackson, J. (2011a). Reticence and anxiety in oral English lessons: a case study in China. In Palgrave Macmillan UK eBooks (pp. 119–137). https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230299481_6
MacIntyre, P. D., & Gardner, R. C. (1994). The subtle effects of language anxiety on cognitive processing in the second language. Language Learning, 44(2), 283–305. https://www.academia.edu/5307255/The_subtle_effects_of_language_anxiety_on_cognitive_processing_in_the_second_language
Malaysian University English Test (MUET) Regulations and Test Specifications. (2019). Malaysian Examinations Council.
Mukhtar, A., Shehu Muhammad, K., & Aminu, B. (2019). Reducing undergraduates speaking anxiety through class interactions and oral presentations. Asian Journal of Contemporary Education, 3(1), 36-43. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1265915
New Straits Time Online (2023) Malaysia ranks 3rd in Asia for high English proficiency (nst.com.my)
Pontillas, M. S. D. (2020). Reducing the public speaking anxiety of ESL college students through Popsispeak. 3L the Southeast Asian Journal of English Language Studies, 26(1), 91–105. https://doi.org/10.17576/3l-2020-2601-07
Saidalvi, A., & Adlina, A. S. (2019). Online peer motivational feedback in a public speaking course. GEMA Online Journal of Language Studies, 19(4), 258-277. http://doi.org/10.17576/gema-2019-1904-14
Tsai, Y. & Tsou, C. (2009). A standardised English language proficiency test as the graduation benchmark: Student perspectives on its application in higher education. Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 41(3), 631-634. https://doi.org/10.1080/09695940903319711
Tsui, A. B. M., & Cheng, Y. (2022). Foreign language anxiety and English medium instruction classrooms: An introduction. English Teaching & Learning, 46(3), 203-212. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42321-022-00122-9
Wijaya, K. F., & Mbato, C. L. (2020). English language education students’ perceptions of self-efficacy in public speaking class. Journal of English Language Teaching and Linguistics, 5(1). https://jeltl.org/index.php/jeltl/article/view/379
William, D. (1996). National curriculum assessments and programmes of study: Validity and impact. British Educational Research Journal, 22(1), 129–41.
Woodrow, L. (2006). Anxiety and speaking English as a second language. RELC Journal, 37(3), 308–328. Crossref
Zimmerman, B. J., & Bandura, A. (1994). Impact of Self-regulatory Influences on Writing Course Attainment. American Educational Research Journal, 31(4), 845-862. https://doi.org/10.3102/00028312031004845
Zulkflee, Z., Marimuthu, P., & Tahir, M. H. M. (2023). Speaking Anxiety during MUET-CEFR Aligned Oral Presentations among ESL Learners in Perak. World Journal of English Language, 13(2), 176. https://doi.org/10.5430/wjel.v13n2p176
Khaidzir, M. F. S., Kamal, M. A. A., Ramachandran, D. A., Adaha, S. A. M., Nuraddin, N. N., & Anuar, M. F. (2024). The Relationship between English Proficiency and Public Speaking Anxiety among Second Language Learners. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 14(11), 1208–1222.
Copyright: © 2024 The Author(s)
Published by HRMARS (www.hrmars.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode