CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE

INTRODUCTION

Rationale

As today’s world meets with the demands of competition and globalization,

learning is not anymore confined in the four walls of the classroom. Its practical

application becomes a good gauge to know whether the learner has managed to

put into practice what he/she has been taught. The learner must be able to

express him/herself to others and communicate to them the learning that has

been input into his/her system. In doing so, he/she has to engage in different

communication processes, incorporating perhaps a variety of ways in order for

his/her knowledge to be heard and understood.

This attempt of relaying to others what has been known may come in

several forms. Someone may choose to express these ideas using the skill of

writing, which is believed to be an integration of the macro-skills of the English

language. Others also consider delivering their ideas by means of oral

communication, waiting for feedback from listeners and allowing the continuous

exchange of information to go on.

Such is also the thrust of the K-12 Curriculum in the Philippines. Along

with many others, the curriculum stands to develop communicative competence

among the learners of today (Almario, 2016). It is said that the English curricular

programs in Grade 1 to Grade 10 in the country aim to promote skills and abilities
 2

that the 21st century learners can bring into their lives outside the school. A

student’s success in this particular task will allow him/her to relay information to

other people with integration, contextualization, and good construction. As for the

methods and techniques that learners get to employ in their desire to transmit

information to an audience, a variety of options is at hand, and one of them is

oral communication.

With regard to sharing information orally, one has to consider several

factors like when to deliver and share these significant knowledge and

information. It may happen casually—as in the case of the everyday

conversations that occur between and among people; it may also take place on

certain occasions and functions. For these particular instances where one has to

consider a significant event to share some form of knowledge, public speaking

comes to be the better term to use.

Though public speaking is generally defined as an activity of speaking to

the public, it also has its formal denotation. According to the Department of

Communication (2015) of the University of Pittsburg, the act of doing public

speaking places the speaker to acknowledge some standards, norms, and

expectations. In addition, the purpose of the said activity needs to be put into

account. This goes to show that public speaking may go for more than a casual

conversation among groups or peers; it has its requirements of attaining a

successful delivery.

This now puts a challenge to some speakers. As it turns out, there are

others who shy away from the task because of several apprehensions (Phillips,
 3

2014). Common in the list would be the natural fear of standing in front of a

crowd. Not everybody feels comfortable while facing an audience. Secondly,

others fear the idea of being judged at while saying some things to a crowd of

listeners. With quite a number to mention, all of these factors contribute to Public

Speaking Anxiety.

Public speaking anxiety is defined by Richard Nordquist (2018) as a form

of fear that can be felt when someone delivers or prepares to deliver a speech to

a group (audience). This is also being referred to as stage fright or

communication apprehension. This may happen to a beginner of public speaking

or even to an experienced public speaker (Verderber, et al, 2012). Moreover,

Black (2019) stated in an article entitled “Glossophobia (Fear of Public

Speaking): Are You Glossophobic?” that women are comparatively going to

experience this more than men.

With all of these claims, the researcher has been prompted to conduct this

study. The International Academe of EnScieMa, a private non-sectarian school in

the Municipality of Dauis in the province of Bohol, offers a Public Speaking

subject for high school students. Specifically, it is being offered to the Grade 10

class.

The school is an advocate of the English Campaign, requiring students to

speak in English within the campus and, if possible, even at home or in other

areas outside of the school. With this thrust, the school also provides many

school activities in which students are challenged to practice their skills in the use

of the language. Speaking competitions are held every school year and the
 4

school also joins competitions that encourage the same skill. A teacher then

trains the participant and spares several days honing the student into becoming

the speaker the school envisions of him/her.

However, a number of students decided not to join because of their

apprehension towards public speaking. The case of Public Speaking Anxiety is

also true in EnScieMa despite its efforts of training the students to be good at the

use of the language in speech and in writing. It is also significant to note that

when it comes to sex, there are more girls who tend to join in those competitions

while quite a number of the boys would choose to do otherwise.

On this end, the researcher is geared to knowing the public speaking

anxiety levels among high school students of EnScieMa. The concern for public

speaking anxiety is on the premise that a speaker has not yet delivered the

material to the audience. It is related to apprehensions and worries before

speaking in front of a crowd.

The public speaking anxiety levels of the boys will be compared to the

girls’. Moreover, the researcher will also look into the causes of these public

speaking anxiety levels. The same causes will also be differentiated in relation to

the sex of the high school students, hoping to clarify if such a group of causes

are quite true only to the boys or to the girls.

The researcher then hopes that the fruits of this research will provide

insight on what the school can do in order to reduce public speaking anxiety

levels among the high school students. The researcher believes that the

achievement of such goal will actualize not only the vision of the school of
 5

molding students who are ready to speak themselves up for the right occasion

and content, but also the vision of the Philippine educational system to produce

communicatively competent graduates.

Theoretical Background

This study is founded on the Theory of Avoidance Learning by O. Hobart

Mowrer (1947). This theory believes that a person experiences phobias in

relation to certain situations (stimuli) and his/her response develops and

maintains the phobia. It further explains that these phobias bring further distress

and interference in the activities that the person is supposed to be engaged in. In

effect, it may even result to the inability to participate in daily activities, tasks and

responsibilities.

This theory shows that a person who takes part in a public speaking

activity may eventually push him/herself away from the task if public speaking

anxiety comes in. It may not necessarily come in as a phobia to the speaker, but

the distress and interference could contribute as to why the person may choose

not to speak in front of the audience.

This study also finds its grounds on the Goal Setting Theory of Motivation

by Edwin Locke (1960). He proposed that particular goals are capable of setting

the amount of effort a person may exert to accomplish a particular task. In the

same way, the person may expect a form of feedback or comment coming from

people who are affected or part of the task. In addition, the theory presents
 6

characteristics which enable a person to fully achieve a task: Self-Efficiency and

Goal Commitment.

Locke points out that Self-efficiency speaks of a person’s confidence and

faith that he/she has the potential to accomplish the task. Significantly, such is a

requirement in public speaking for it allows the speaker not to question his/her

own capacity to finish a public speaking task. It is said that a speaker who invests

confidence on oneself is sure to achieve the success that is expected of him/her.

As for Goal commitment, it presents a person who has set him/herself

towards a goal and will make sure not to leave it. This reminds a public speaker

that he/she must not back down and must perform as expected since a public

speaking task has been assigned to him/her.

As for a legal basis, this study is grounded on Republic Act No. 9155

which is also known as the Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001. Section

3 Purposes and Objectives, Paragraph (g) states that the purpose and objective

of this act is to establish schools and learning centers as facilities where

schoolchildren are able to learn a range of core competencies prescribed for

elementary and high school education programs or where the out-of-school youth

and adult learners are provided alternative learning programs and receive

accreditation for at least the equivalent of a high school education.

This is relevant to this study since the International Academe of EnScieMa

(IAE) considers the ability to perform public speaking activities as a significant

skill. In fact, the school holds annual public speaking competitions to develop the

confidence of the students and the ability of the students to be able to conquer
 7

their fear to face the crowd. Moreover, the school believes that the skill of

speaking is so important that it must be developed at an early age so that when

students reach the higher years in high school, they will not anymore have so

many problems when it comes to speaking in front of an audience. IAE looks at

public speaking as a core competency even if other schools do not really call it

that way.

In addition, the same legal basis defines Basic Education as the education

intended to meet basic learning needs which lay the foundation on which

subsequent learning can be based (Sec. 4, Definition of Terms, Par. B). Also,

Quality Education is the appropriateness, relevance, and excellence of the

education given to meet the needs and aspirations of an individual and society

(Sec. 4, Par. K).

These definitions are significant to this study since IAE sees public

speaking a basic learning need because it enables the learner to express

him/herself whenever situations demand that he/she does so in front of an

audience. By being able to exhibit these public speaking skills, one may not

anymore find it difficult to develop his/her confidence. In connection, the goal of

IAE to provide quality education is relevant to the standards set by the society.

As the community expects the students to be able to speak their thoughts in front

of the crowd, IAE provides activities in public speaking that train them to be ready

when it comes to performing the said task.

Phillips (2014) presents eight causes of public speaking fear. As someone

who specializes in media and presentation training, he proposed that the fear of
 8

public speaking might be caused by a previous public speaking experience which

is negative. He referred to this as a “Learned Response” and presents the idea

that someone might be afraid to get up in front of others since something

unpleasant, risky, or even dangerous might have happened in the past.

Another cause that he presented is the feeling of worry even before a

public speaking activity has been performed, that once a task has been

announced, the speaker feels a sense of overwhelming anxiety beforehand. He

referred to this as “Anticipatory Anxiety”.

The third cause is the tendency of the speaker to hear in his/her own mind

what the audience thinks or feels towards his/her performance. It is as if the

speaker knows what the audience truly feels or thinks. He termed this cause as

“Mindreading”.

The fourth cause is a situation when the speaker exhibits a fear of being

seen by the audience as nervous. According to him, the speaker might fear

public speaking because the speaker thinks that if he appears nervous in front of

the audience, they might think that he/she does not know what he/she is talking

about; what is even worse is when the audience feels that he/she does not know

what he/she is supposed to do in front of them. This cause is termed as the “Fear

of Appearing Nervous”.

In relation to this is another cause which he termed as “Physical

Reaction”. There are those speakers who manifest their nervousness once it gets

overwhelming. Some forms of manifestations are the drying of the mouth,

sweating, gasping for breath, speaking with a shaky voice, and others.
 9

The sixth cause that he presented is quite the common problem that

public speakers have. Termed as the “Fear of Going Blank”, this cause is

manifested when the speakers are afraid that their nervousness and anxiety will

make them forget what they are supposed to say. There are others who tend to

feel that they might not be able to really say anything because of the

overwhelming effect of nervousness.

“Lack of Skills”, the seventh cause, explains that there are speakers who

think that they do not have the talent to be a public speaker. In effect, they tend

to question why they should be on the stage performing the task. There are also

others who doubt themselves because they have also started doubting

themselves in relation to the skills that they have. Some of them think that they

are not ready yet because they are still in need of more experiences and

exposure.

Lastly, Phillips explained that there are others who fear public speaking

because they tend to compare themselves with other people. Other speakers

have developed the tendency of thinking that they need to be excellent speakers

by the time they stand in front of the audience. This cause known as

“Performance Orientation” places the speaker to be at the same level as other

speakers, which later on puts a burden on the skills that the speaker really has.

These causes stated by Phillips are significant in this study because they

are going to be the reference for the causes that the researcher hopes to

examine from the respondents. Even if the researcher intends to utilize an

instrument from another research, the similarity of categories for the causes is
 10

still identifiable. Also, these causes are the building blocks for the development of

public speaking anxiety, thereby motivating the researcher to see if the causes

are evident in the International Academe of EnScieMa.

Raja (2017) conducted a study entitled “Anxiety Level in Students of

Public Speaking: Causes and Remedies” where he identified the lack of

confidence as the most common reason for public speaking anxiety. The reasons

behind this issue is the meekness of the students and their tendency to feel

uncomfortable if they stand in front of a crowd. However, it was also noted in his

study that with constant practice and rigorous rehearsal, the student may perform

well.

This work of Raja is seen to be significant in this study because it presents

one possible cause which the researcher hopes to identify from the respondents.

The researcher has also observed that a significant lack of confidence is quite

contributory to the tendency of the student to shy away from a public speaking

activity. In relation to one of her findings, the researcher believes that exposure

and practice of public speaking can definitely reduce the tendency of not feeling

confident.

A study entitled “Effects of Speech Anxiety on Students’ Performance at

Secondary Level” conducted by Asif Iqbal, Muhammad Safdar Bhatti, Sabahat

Parveen and Zahida Javaid (2017) presented a comparison of the performance

of both male and female students as both groups were exposed to public

speaking. The controlled group was exposed to the traditional method of public

speaking, where students made their way through the public speaking activities
 11

by means of personal efforts. The other group was exposed to another method

which involves training for presentations and question and answer preparations.

Results of the pretest showed that the females had higher public speaking

anxiety levels when compared to the boys. When interventions were provided, a

significant reduction of the public speaking anxiety levels was observed from the

girls.

This study of Iqbal, et al. (2017) has one of the aims of the present study,

that is to see which between the two sexes exhibits a higher level of public

speaking anxiety. As the researcher intends to compare the male and female

students of EnScieMa, the prior work of Safdar, Sabahat, Parveen, and Javaid

(2017) will provide a useful reference when it comes to public speaking anxiety

levels between the two sexes.

Another study that is significant to this paper is the work conducted by

Paradewari (2017). It is entitled “Investigating Students’ Self-Efficacy of Public

Speaking”. It involved 43 Public Speaking students in one of the universities in

Indonesia. In the study, students were aware that they have the capability to

finish a public speaking task only when they think and feel that they can.

Moreover, the students who motivate themselves get to demonstrate a better

performance in public speaking.

This study is seen to be relevant in this paper even if it is not talking about

public speaking anxiety levels because the decision to determine one’s capability

to succeed in a public speaking activity is contributory to minimizing levels of

anxiety towards the same task. Consequently, the researcher sees that a student
 12

with well-defined self-efficacy towards public speaking has reduced feelings of

anxiety. Once a student encourages him/herself to perform well in public

speaking, there is now a drive to accomplish the task at hand.

A contributor to Heraldo Filipino, the official student publication of De La

Salle University – Dasmariñas, posited that anxiety towards public speaking is

brought about by the concern regarding what the audience has formulated about

the one speaking in front. Viado (2015) believes that it is the fear that the

audience gives a harsh comment that drives a speaker to develop such levels of

public speaking anxiety. Although such problem exists, solutions are still

available as a list of suggested activities were placed in her article entitled

“Tormented tongues: Breaking down glossophobia” and she emphasized the

concept of repeated practices as a way to overcome this difficulty.

Since one of the thrusts of the researcher is to examine the possible

causes that have contributed to feelings of anxiety towards public speaking,

Viado’s discussion of criticism from the audience is hoped to stand as an answer

coming from the respondents when it comes to what increases their feeling of

anxiety towards any public speaking activity.

All these concepts, studies, and literature are considered important by the

researcher because they will provide good support to the variables of the study.

The discussion provided in those sources are strong enough to support the idea

that public speaking anxiety levels need to be examined from the students in the

International Academe of EnScieMa. Furthermore, the related literature cited will

 13

help explain whatever may be the result of the comparison between the male and

the female students in terms of causes and levels of public speaking anxiety.
14
 Legal Basis
Theories

Theory of Avoidance Republic Act No. 9155 known

Learning by O. Hobart as the Governance of Basic
Mowrer (1947) Education Act of 2001
Goal Setting Theory of
Motivation by Edwin Locke
(1960)

Causes of Public Speaking Anxiety

Male High School Female High School

Students of EnScieMa Students of EnScieMa

Public Speaking Anxiety Levels

Action Plan

Figure 1. Schematic Diagram

 16

THE PROBLEM

Statement of the Problem

This study aims to determine public speaking anxiety levels of high school

students of the International Academe of EnScieMa for school year 2019-2020.

Moreover, this study identifies the causes of these public speaking anxiety levels.

Specifically, this study seeks to answer the following questions:

1. What is the public speaking anxiety level of the male and female high

school students?

2. What are the causes of their public speaking anxiety?

3. Is there a significant difference in the public speaking anxiety levels

between the male and female high school students of EnScieMa?

4. Is there a significant difference in the causes of public speaking anxiety

between the male and female high school students of EnScieMa?

5. What action plan can be proposed to reduce the levels of speech

anxiety among high school students of EnScieMa?

Statement of the Hypotheses

1. There is no significant difference in the public speaking anxiety levels

between the male and female high school students of EnScieMa.

2. There is no significant difference in the causes of public speaking

anxiety between the male and female high school students of

EnScieMa.
 17

Significance of the Study

This study will be beneficial to the following:

Students. As the ones who experience Public Speaking Anxiety, they

need to be informed of the results of this study so that they can assess for

themselves if they should continue being affected by their fear to speak in front of

a crowd. They can then decide hopefully to break out of their shells and

experience public speaking.

Parents. With the knowledge that they can get from this research, they

can provide more support to their children so as to motivate them to join in public

speaking competitions, or at least, in public speaking activities in the classroom.

Teachers. They can then come up with possible strategies on how to

invite students to express themselves more through public speaking. Moreover,

they can also supervise the class in attempts of finding who among the students

would require more assistance whenever public speaking activities are to be

done.

Administrators. As they are part of the curriculum planning system, they

can then formulate more activities that the school can provide to the students in

order to develop their skills in public speaking. They can also come up with ways

on how students and teachers can work together to reduce levels of Public

Speaking Anxiety.

Public Speakers. This study serves as a guide for aspiring public

speakers and to those who are already in the field. While this study maximizes
 18

students as its respondents, the results are believed to be significant to a

significant population of public speakers since the feeling of anxiety towards the

same activity is not only limited to being experienced in schools.

Future Researchers. They can use this study as a future reference,

should they decide to make a similar undertaking.

Scope and Limitations

This study sets its scope to the responses of the high school students

from the International Academe of EnScieMa for school year 2019-2020. High

school students from both the Junior High School and Senior High School levels

are considered as respondents of this study. This also covers Public Speaking

Anxiety before the student speaks on the stage or in front of the classroom. The

casual ways and occasions of doing public speaking like chatting with friends,

teachers, and other family members are not included in this study.

This study does not create new questionnaires or research tools.

Instruments for determining the public speaking anxiety levels and the causes of

public speaking anxiety are available for download online. It is important to note

that the questionnaires that are ready to be downloaded are still in need of

proper citations, as requested by the owners who uploaded those tools.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research Design

This study will make use of a descriptive comparative design. It will

compare the public speaking anxiety levels of the male and female high school
 19

students of the International Academe of EnScieMa. It will also compare the

causes of public speaking anxiety coming from the same groups of respondents.

Research Environment

This study will be conducted in the International Academe of EnScieMa

(IAE). It is located in Barangay Totolan, in the Municipality of Dauis. The school

is a private non-sectarian institution. It offers academic services to the following

levels: kindergarten, elementary, junior high school, and senior high school.

The school was founded in December 2009. It was not more than two

years ago when the school started opening its Senior High School Program to

cater to senior high school students. In the Senior High School level, the school

offers an Academic Track. The Junior High School level provides major and

elective subjects in the English, Science, and Mathematics Areas.

Research Participants

The respondents of the study are the high school students of IAE. This will

include both junior high school and senior high school students. Every grade in

the high school department is composed of only one section. Because of this, the

whole population of the high school students will be utilized in this study.

The Grade 7 class is composed of 23 students. The Grade 8 students

total to 32. There are 30 students in the Grade 9 class. The Grade 10 class has a

total of 22 students. The Grade 11 class has reached a total of 14 students while

the Grade 12 class is composed of only 5 students. This yields a total of 126

students who would serve as respondents to this study.

 20

Research Instrument

This study will make use of the “Personal Report of Public Speaking

Anxiety” (PRPSA) by McCroskey, J. C. (2013). The material is available for

download on the condition that it be done with correct citation (See Appendix A).

This tool will determine the level of Public Speaking Anxiety.

The instrument is composed of 34 statements. Each statement is given

five options for the responses: 1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 =

Undecided, 4 = Agree, and 5 = Strongly Agree. A particular scoring system is

applied in order to determine the public speaking anxiety level of the respondent.

It is as follows: 1) the scores for items 1, 2, 3, 5, 9, 10, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23,

25, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, and 34 will be added; 2) the scores for items 4, 6,

7, 8, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 18, 24, and 26 will also be added; and 3) the following

formula will be completed: (72 – Total in Number 2) + Total in Number 1. If the

yielded value is higher than 131, the public speaking anxiety level is high; if the

value is lesser than 98, the public speaking anxiety level is low; and if the value is

within 98-131, the public speaking anxiety level is moderate. The same tool has

been standardized to have a standard deviation of 17.2.

To assess the causes of Public Speaking Anxiety, the researcher will use

the tool provided by Cho, Smits, and Telch (2003). The instrument is composed

of 23 statements with the same available responses as the instrument indicated

above (See Appendix B). Moreover, it has a standard deviation of 2.14.

 21

Date Gathering Procedures

After the research proposal, the first chapter of this study will be submitted

to the Ethics Review Board (ERB) of Holy Name University. With the approval of

the board, the researcher will then begin the gathering of the data.

The researcher will submit a letter to the office of the School Director and

to the office of the School Principal, asking for permission that the study be

conducted in IAE. With the obtained approval, the researcher will ask for the

complete names of the respondents through a letter. The assurance for

confidentiality will be reflected in the letter so as to protect the identity of each

student.

The questionnaires will be distributed during the period when the

researcher is handling a subject with a particular grade level. Regardless, a letter

will still be prepared for formality purposes. The said letter is to be distributed to

the respective class advisers, informing them that their advisory classes will be

asked to take part in the research.

Each respondent will be given a copy of each questionnaire on two

separate occasions. This is done in order not to overwhelm the respondents will

a lot of statements to answer in just one sitting. The respondents will be given

ample time to answer each questionnaire. The first instrument to be distributed is

the questionnaire about public speaking anxiety levels. The questionnaire

regarding the causes of public speaking anxiety will be distributed at least one

day after answering the first questionnaire.

 22

After all questionnaires have been answered, the researcher will gather all

of the papers and will have the data tabulated, analyzed, and then interpreted.

Statistical Treatment

As stated beforehand, a particular scoring system is employed to

determine the public speaking anxiety level of the respondents. However, to

consolidate all of the individual levels, the researcher will use two statistical

treatments.

This study will make use of the Weighted Mean Formula. This formula is

used to determine the weighted mean for the public speaking anxiety levels and

the causes of public speaking anxiety. The formula is as follows:

Weighted mean = Σwx/Σw

Where:

Σ = summation of values

w = number of sample values

x = value of responses

Since the study also aims to compare the male and female students in

terms of their public speaking anxiety levels and the causes of this public

speaking anxiety, the paired t-test formula is going to be used. The paired t-test

formula is as follows:
 23

DEFINITION OF TERMS

In order to have a better and clear understanding of the contents of this

study, some terms were defined operationally as follows:

Causes. This refers to the statements which reflect the reasons as to why

a student feels Public Speaking Anxiety. These statements are found in the

questionnaire provided by Cho, Smits, and Telch (2003).

Public Speaking Anxiety. This refers to the tendency of the high school

student to behave apprehensively towards any public speaking task assigned to

him/her. This anxiety is being felt before the student speaks on the stage or in

front of the classroom.

Public Speaking Anxiety Levels. This pertains to whether the student’s

Public Speaking Anxiety is high, low, or moderate. To determine these levels, the

scalefrom the research instrument of McCroskey, J. C. (2013) is used.

 25

REFERENCES

Almario, C. (2016). pressreader. Retrieved from Language in the K-12

Curriculum: https://www.pressreader.com/philippines/sunstar-
pampanga/20160913/281646779595425

Bhatti, M.S., Iqbal, A., Javaid, Z., & Parveen, S. (2017). Education and
Information Management. Retrieved from Effects of Speech Anxiety on
Students’ Performance at Secondary Level:
http://www.qurtuba.edu.pk/jms/default_files/JMS/special_edition/EIM/09%
20(AIC-EIM%202017)%20107-120%20Dr.%20Asif%20Iqbal.pdf

Black, R. (2019). Glossophobia (Fear of Public Speaking): Are You

Glossophobic? Retrieved from PSYCOM:
https://www.psycom.net/glossophobia-fear-of-public-speaking

Cho, Y., Smits, J., & Telch, M. (2003). Behaviour Research and Therapy.
Retrieved from The Speech Anxiety Thoughts Inventory: scale
development and preliminary psychometric data:
https://labs.la.utexas.edu/telch/files/2015/02/The-Speech-Anxiety-
Thoughts-Inventory1.pdf

Cuncic, A. (2019). verywellmind. Retrieved from Tips for Managing Public

Speaking Anxiety: https://www.verywellmind.com/tips-for-managing-
public-speaking-anxiety-3024336

Department of Communication. (2015). Speech Anxiety. Retrieved from

University of Pittsburgh: https://www.comm.pitt.edu/speech-anxiety

iEduNote. (2017). iEduNote. Retrieved from Goal Setting Theory of Motivation:

https://iedunote.com/goal-setting-theory

Jacofsky, M. et al. (2019). GracePoint. Retrieved from Operant Conditioning and

Avoidance Learning: https://www.gracepointwellness.org/1-anxiety-
disorders/article/38494-operant-conditioning-and-avoidance-learning

Nordquist, R. (2018). Public Speaking Anxiety Definition, Examples, and

Solutions. Retrieved from ThoughtCo.: https://www.thoughtco.com/public-
speaking-anxiety-psa-1691551

Paradewari, D. S. (2017). International Journal of Education and Research.

Retrieved from INVESTIGATING STUDENTS’ SELF-EFFICACY OF
PUBLIC SPEAKING: https://www.ijern.com/journal/2017/October-
2017/09.pdf
 26

Phillips, B. (2014). The Throughline. Retrieved from The Eight Causes Of Public
Speaking Fear: https://www.throughlinegroup.com/2014/08/13/the-eight-
causes-of-public-speaking-fear/

Raja, F. (2017). Journal of Education and Educational Development. Retrieved

from Anxiety Level in Students of Public Speaking: Causes and
Remedies: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1161521.pdf

The Official Gazette. (2011). The Official Gazette. Retrieved from Republic Act
No. 9155: https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2001/08/11/republic-act-no-
9155/

Viado, J. (2015). Heraldo Filipino. Retrieved from Tormented tongues: Breaking

down glossophobia: http://heraldofilipino.com/tormented-tongues-
breaking-down-glossophobia/
APPENDICES
 28

Appendix A

Questionnaire on Public Speaking Anxiety Levels

Name ______________________________ Grade and Section ___________

Instructions: Please read each item carefully. Put a check mark () on the
column that fits your choice of answer.

Strongly Strongly
Disagree Undecided Agree
Statements Disagree Agree
(2) (3) (4)
(1) (5)
1. While preparing for giving a
speech, I feel tense and
nervous.
2. I feel tense when I see the
words “speech” and “public
speech” on a course outline
when studying.
3. My thoughts become
confused and jumbled when I
am giving a speech.
4. Right after giving a speech I
feel that I have had a pleasant
experience.
5. I get anxious when I think
about a speech coming up.
6. I have no fear of giving a
speech.
7. Although I am nervous just
before starting a speech, I
soon settle down after starting
and feel calm and comfortable.
8. I look forward to giving a
speech.
9. When the instructor
announces a speaking
assignment in class, I can feel
myself getting tense.
10. My hands tremble when I
am giving a speech.
11. I feel relaxed while giving a
speech
12. I enjoy preparing for a
speech.
13. I am in constant fear of
forgetting what I prepared to
say.
14. I get anxious if someone
 29

asks me something about my

topic that I don’t know.
15. I face the prospect of
giving a speech with
confidence.
16. I feel that I am in complete
possession of myself while
giving a speech.
17. My mind is clear when
giving a speech.
18. I do not dread giving a
speech.
19. I perspire just before
starting a speech.
20. My heart beats very fast
just as I start a speech.
21. I experience considerable
anxiety while sitting in the
room just before my speech
starts.
22. Certain parts of my body
feel very tense and rigid while
giving a speech.
23. Realizing that only a little
time remains in a speech
makes me very tense and
anxious.
24. While giving a speech, I
know I can control my feelings
of tension and stress.
25. I breathe faster just before
starting a speech.
26. I feel comfortable and
relaxed in the hour or so just
before giving a speech.
27. I do poorer on speeches
because I am anxious.
28. I feel anxious when the
teacher announces the date of
a speaking assignment.
29. When I make a mistake
while giving a speech, I find it
hard to concentrate on the
parts that follow.
30. During an important
speech I experience a feeling
of helplessness building up
inside me.
31. I have trouble falling
asleep the night before a
 30

speech.
32. My heart beats very fast
while I present a speech.
33. I feel anxious while waiting
to give my speech.
34. While giving a speech, I
get so nervous I forget facts I
really know.

From: McCroskey, J. C.. (2013) . Personal Report of Public Speaking Anxiety

(PRPSA) . Measurement Instrument Database for the Social Science.
Retrieved from www.midss.ie
 31

Appendix B

Questionnaire on Causes of Public Speaking Anxiety

Name ______________________________ Grade and Section ___________

Instructions: Please read each item carefully. Put a check mark () on the
column that fits your choice of answer.

Strongly
Disagre Strongly
Disagre Undecided Agree
Statements e Agree
e (3) (4)
(2) (5)
(1)
1. I’ll get tongue-tied.
2. My speech won’t
impress the audience.
3. My speech will be
incoherent.
4. I won’t be able to
speak as well as
others.
5. When others are not
paying attention to my
speech, I worry that
the audience is
thinking poorly of me.
6. If I perform poorly,
then the audience will
remember me
negatively.
7. It would be terrible if
my voice will tremble.
8. If I make a mistake,
the audience will think
I’m stupid.
9. If I am anxious in this
situation, the
audience will not like
me.
10. I won’t know what to
say when I’m called
on to make a speech.
11. If I don’t speak well,
the audience will
reject me.
12. What I say will sound
 32

stupid.
13. It would be terrible if
others think I’m not
intelligent.
14. It would be terrible if I
make a mistake
during my speech.
15. I will not be able to
control my anxiety.
16. It would be terrible if
people notice that I’m
anxious.
17. My behavior will
appear awkward to
the audience.
18. I will be unable to give
a good speech.
19. I won’t be able to
complete my speech.
20. My mind will go blank.
21. I must deliver a good
speech in order to
gain approval from the
audience.
22. I worry that I will be
asked to give a
speech.
23. I won’t be able to
answer questions
from the audience.

From: Y. Cho et al. / Behaviour Research and Therapy 42 (2004) 13–25