Exploring Pronunciation Anxiety: A Comprehensive Analysis of Speaking Apprehension among Pre-Service Teachers in Public Speaking Activities

Abstract

Possessing a high level of competence in pronunciation and public speaking is considered to be essential for success in the field of education. Despite the fact that pre-service teachers are constantly exposed to public speaking opportunities, they still experience feelings of apprehension related to the use of language. This study investigated the perceived pronunciation and public speaking anxiety of participants using a mixed-method explanatory sequential design. The quantitative phase of the study involved 55 respondents. The findings revealed generally high levels of anxiety in pronunciation and public speaking. Further, the factors that contribute to the causation of the feelings of language-related anxiety were also ranked. Moreover, findings also revealed a statistically significant moderate positive correlation between pronunciation and public speaking anxiety. On the other hand, seven participants were involved in the qualitative phase. The participants shared experiences and perceptions through one-on-one interviews. Insights from the qualitative phase revealed the challenges in speaking and pronunciation that affect participants’ performance in public speaking contexts. Such findings give light to a better understanding of pronunciation and public speaking anxiety among pre-service teachers and provide insights into how to address these kinds of apprehension in academic and speaking contexts.