PUBLIC SPEAKING LEARNING ASSISTANCE TO INCREASE STUDENTS' CONFIDENCE

Abstract

Public speaking is a skill that everyone, including students, should have to increase their self-confidence. Public speaking cannot be avoided since basically humans often have to do it with various purposes. However, many students feel unable to speak in public because they lack confidence, don't master the material, or don't understand how to do it. This community service activity aims to do learning assistance for public speaking to increase the self-confidence of students at Gajah Mada Middle School, Medan. The methods used were direct lecturer, simulations and interactive discussions regarding the basics of public speaking, effective and good communication techniques, and various tips for developing yourself, especially in terms of public speaking. During the learning assistance, participants received basic material and public speaking techniques as well as direct practice. Meanwhile, the research used qualitative method for collecting data. As for the research results, the community service recommends the following: 1) Add extra hours to improve students’ English speaking, 2) Add contest that can motivate students to increase their confidence in public speaking, especially in English language.

Full text

Journal of Community Research and Service, 8(2), 2024
291
JCRS (JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY RESEARCH AND SERVICE)
Vol. 8 No. 2: July 2024
ISSN (print): 2549-1849 ISSN (online): 2549-3434
Available online at https://jurnal.unimed.ac.id/2012/index.php/jcrs
PUBLIC SPEAKING LEARNING ASSISTANCE TO
INCREASE STUDENTS' CONFIDENCE
Abstract— Public speaking is a skill that everyone, including students, should have to increase
their self-confidence. Public speaking cannot be avoided since basically humans often have to do
it with various purposes. However, many students feel unable to speak in public because they lack
confidence, don't master the material, or don't understand how to do it. This community service
activity aims to do learning assistance for public speaking to increase the self-confidence of
students at Gajah Mada Middle School, Medan. The methods used were direct lecturer,
simulations and interactive discussions regarding the basics of public speaking, effective and good
communication techniques, and various tips for developing yourself, especially in terms of public
speaking. During the learning assistance, participants received basic material and public speaking
techniques as well as direct practice. Meanwhile, the research used qualitative method for
collecting data. As for the research results, the community service recommends the following: 1)
Add extra hours to improve students’ English speaking, 2) Add contest that can motivate students
to increase their confidence in public speaking, especially in English language.
Index Terms— public speaking, learning, students, confidence
I. INTRODUCTION
Public speaking training can be an important program to be implemented in schools. It is
since there are many factors that cause students to be afraid of speaking in public, both internal
factors such as shame, lack of self-confidence, trauma and external factors such as an unsupportive
environment. In fact, public speaking skills are one of the soft skills that children need to have.
1Fatin Nadifa Tarigan*, 2Alwi Fahruzy Nasution, 3Siti Aminah Hasibuan, 4Nurmayana,
5Epi Supriyani Siregar
1,2,3,4,5Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Indonesian Community Development University
* Corresponding email: nadifafatin11@gmail.com

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There are many benefits when someone trains their public speaking skills. The success of
a teacher, instructor, politician, salesperson, broadcaster and presenter demands this ability.
Meanwhile, public speaking skills are useful for developing vocabulary and speaking fluency;
develop personal abilities; develop leadership skills; learn to influence others; and making social
relationships better (Barnard, 2017). By having public speaking skills, strong character and a good
personality will be formed.
Public speaking skills also require the ability to master material, the ability to use body
language and the ability to overcome anxiety and nervousness. Speakers generally experience
anxiety or nervousness before and during a presentation or speaking [2]. However, if you continue
to train, your self-confidence will increase. It is why public speaking skills must be developed
from an early age. Students who are used to expressing opinions, are able to express themselves
and develop their potential will support their success in the future.
Public speaking is not something easy because the communication process is carried out
to large groups. Public speaking skills must be able to convey messages clearly and be understood
by the audience [4]. Public speaking does not only focus on spoken words but also body language
or often called non-verbal language [3]. For this reason, public speaking skills require good vocal
training, namely voice control so that the voice can be heard well, clearly, easily understood, by
using good, effective breathing and also good body language. There are four public speaking
methods that are commonly used, namely: (1) Impromptu method where public speaking is done
without preparation or suddenly; (2) Extempore method where the public speaking method is
carried out with the help of notes or outlines (3) Manuscript method is a public speaking method
which is carried out by reading a prepared manuscript; (4) The memoriter method is a public
speaking method that is carried out by memorizing a prepared script (Jalaludin, 2000). In this
activity, the method applied to train students' public speaking skills is the memoriter method.
Based on previous service, lack of self-confidence is often an excuse for those who make
mistakes in public speaking. In fact, the anxiety that arises in public speaking is caused not only
by substantial psychological (internal) feelings of fear, but it could also be due to a lack of practice
or not having the motivation to come forward [7]. From several community service activities,
public speaking training has been proven to increase students' self-confidence [1]. For this reason,
public speaking training for students at Gajah Mada Middle School needs to be trained with the
aim of improving their speaking skills and self-confidence. Public speaking learning activities can
be carried out through storytelling, speeches and presentations. The success of the training can be
seen from the participant's ability to retell, the participant's body movements and enthusiasm when
hearing and answering questions increases with public speaking mentoring training [6].
II. METHOD
This public speaking training activity was carried out through several stages: (1) early
observation; (2) orientation; (3) introduction to the material; (4) practice, and (5) evaluation. It
was done during 2 days since first day to explain the material for public speaking and in other days

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they practiced in front of other classmates. The methods used were direct lecture, simulations and
interactive discussions regarding the basics of public speaking, effective and good communication
exercises, as well as various tips for developing yourself, especially in terms of public speaking.
In observing students' perceptions of the implementation of public speaking in English language
learning to increase self-confidence, data were collected by using interview and questionnaires.
Public speaking practice was carried out after the orientation and material introduction stages.
III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Community Service activity at Gajah Mada Middle School was attended by 20 students.
This activity was carried out directly inside and outside the classroom. The students took part in
this training enthusiastically. At the initial observation stage, the service team found that many
students were still embarrassed to come forward. Based on interviews with several students, they
admitted that they had no ideas and were embarrassed to appear in public. Then at the orientation
stage, the team explained the public speaking material. The participants looked enthusiastic about
taking part in this session. During the question and answer session, participants were also
enthusiastic about asking some things that often happen when appearing in public and tips for
dealing with them. The service team provides tips on how to eliminate feelings of nervousness
when public speaking by practicing, mastering the material and understanding the choice of public
speaking objectives that they want to convey, whether a) to inform, b) to persuade, or c) to
entertain. After receiving an explanation, they were trained in public speaking.
In presenting the material, the team used the memoriter method where students were asked
to create concepts that they would present in front of the class and then memorize them. In practical
activities, it was found that many students did not have the courage either in public speaking in
the form of storytelling or even in presentations. For this reason, public speaking was carried out
in pairs, individual and groups. It was a strategy to increase their self confidence gradually.
Picture 1. Students practice Public Speaking in pairs

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Picture 2. Student practice Public Speaking individually
Picture 3. Students practice Public Speaking in group
The last step is evaluation. Evaluation was carried out directly by looking at the
participants' perceptions and practicing body language during public speaking material. Then, the
students were randomly asked how they felt after taking part in public speaking training, especially
regarding their self-confidence and what benefits they got from taking part in this training. Most
of participants felt that the training was useful for supporting their speaking skills and increasing
their self-confidence. The participants admitted that their knowledge and understanding had
increased after attending the public speaking training session. However, they expected this event
is supported by many contest so that they are more motivated with the gifts and their classmates.
IV. CONCLUSION
Based on observations, students' perceptions of public speaking in English were considered
difficult, and the problems faced by students can be resolved through learning assistance with the
service team. In addition, this activity gives students the opportunity to try the material they are
learning directly. Ultimately, students' involvement in public speaking training can help them
become more confident in speaking English and reduce their negative perceptions about English.
It is also expected that this activity can be carried out sustainably in the future to achieve the
overall goals of learning English. In order to further motivate students, some students
recommended that schools could carry out public speaking or other contest related to increase their
confidence and speaking skill.

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