The Problems of Public Speaking Skills of B.Ed. First Year Students at Faculty of Education in Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University

Public Speaking Problems; Speaking Anxiety; B.Ed. Students, Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, Speaking Skill Development

Abstract

  The objectives of this study were: 1) to investigate the problems related to public speaking skills among first-year Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) students at the Faculty of Education, Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University (MCU); and 2) to propose practical solutions for improving the public speaking skills of these students. The study employed a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative methods. A questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data from 50 first-year B.Ed. students, and in-depth interviews were conducted with 5 lecturers for qualitative insights. Descriptive statistics, including Frequency, Percentage, mean (x̅), and Standard Deviation (S.D.), were used to analyze the quantitative data, while content analysis was used for the qualitative data from interviews.

  The general background of the student respondents showed that 37 (74%) were male and 13 (26%) were female. A plurality of respondents (40%) were aged 24 years and above, indicating a relatively mature student profile, while 38% were 20–23 years old and 22% were 17–19 years old. According to the questionnaire results, most students encountered considerable difficulties in public speaking. Overall, the level of public speaking problems was moderately high (average x̅ ≈ 3.40, S.D. ≈ 1.0 on a 5-point scale), indicating frequent challenges. Key problem areas included pronunciation clarity, applying proper grammar, forming sentences, and anxiety or lack of confidence when speaking before an audience. In contrast, the students demonstrated high agreement (average x̅ ≈ 3.63, S.D. ≈ 0.9) with various proposed strategies to improve their public speaking skills. Notably, strategies such as regular speaking practice, peer feedback, thorough topic preparation, and use of audio-visual aids received strong support (many items rated in the “High” level). Qualitative findings from lecturer interviews corroborated the quantitative results: students’ public speaking difficulties stem largely from fear of mistakes, limited English exposure, and insufficient confidence. Lecturers recommended practical solutions, including creating a supportive speaking environment, providing more speaking opportunities, integrating public speaking training into the curriculum, and using techniques like mindfulness and gradual exposure to reduce anxiety.