public speaking

As in many other countries, universities in Indonesia have been closed since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, and lecturers have been forced to adapt to online learning. Students in this online course admitted to feeling anxious when studying public speaking. This descriptive quantitative study aims to analyze the potential factors (English oral proficiency, personality, lecturer's scoring criteria, classmates' responses, pronunciation, audience familiarity, unfamiliar speech topic, preparedness, English grammar, vocabulary) affecting the students' public speaking anxiety at four different stages. The respondents of this study were 60 undergraduate students. A questionnaire adapted from McCroskey (1970) was used, and data were analyzed using descriptive statistics of IBM SPSS statistics 26 software. The findings of this study revealed that the factors affecting the students' public speaking anxiety through online learning varied by stages. Through online learning, English oral proficiency and topic familiarity could be the most influential factors on students' public speaking anxiety. The findings of this study are useful for educators in helping EFL students overcome their public speaking anxiety and enabling them to perform better in public speaking.

The art of public speaking comes into play in many places. It is important not only in the delivery of speeches and public talks, but also in professional presentations, training events, and motivational speaking. ELT teachers, teacher trainers, lecturers and university professors, all have a reason at times to speak in front of others. A lackluster speaker can make a topic or proposal seem less than enticing, while a polished speaker can add allure to an otherwise mediocre proposition. Stephen E. Lucas’ “The Art of Public Speaking” is the leading public speaking textbook in the field. Whether a novice or an experienced speaker when beginning the course, every page-turner will learn how to be a better public speaker through Lucas’ clear explanations. Vivid examples, creative activities, annotated speech samples, and foundation of classic and contemporary rhetoric provide learners a strong understanding of public speaking . Lucas’ book which is under review in this paper reminds us that the most ordinary person can become extraordinary by developing their God-given potentials and unique gift of speech to be an inspiration and positive influence in the lives of others.