TVU Non-English Majors’ Attitudes toward Utilizing Oral Presentations to Overcome Speaking Difficulties in English Classroom

Abstract

Mastering speaking is one of the biggest goals of students learning English. However, facing speaking difficulties is unavoidable. Impressively, the oral presentation is an effective solution or exercise for improving speaking. This study aims to determine non-English majors’ speaking difficulties and reveal their attitudes toward utilizing oral presentation to overcome speaking difficulties in English classrooms in a university in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam, particularly at Tra Vinh University. Two questionnaires were used to collect the data from 68 first-year students. According to the results, when speaking, students found it difficult to express themselves effectively in English, to communicate in English without preparation, and to create or engage in an English conversation. For the positive impacts of oral presentations on speaking, the responders in this research pointed out that they had the motivation to speak English, formed and participated in an English conversation effectively, and obtained various ideas for their speaking performance thanks to conducting oral presentations.