Teachers Public Speaking Ability in Teaching English at

Islamic Boarding School in Karawang Regency

Yousef Bani Ahmad1(), Mobit1, Andriamella Elfarissyah 2, Hasna Afifah 1, Dinda An-
nisa Syahida1, and Diajeng Nada Vici1
1
Department of English Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Universitas
Singaperbangsa Karawang, Karawang, Indonesia
2
Universitas Muhammadiyah Palembang, Palembang, Indonesia
yousef.baniahmad@fkip.unsika.ac.id

Abstract. Teaching and learning public speaking skills is one of the abilities that
the teacher must possess. Public speaking is essential for teachers because teach-
ers can convey information effectively, increase credibility, improve student en-
gagement, and teachers can affect positive change. Therefore, the purpose of this
study is to find out how is public speaking skills of teachers in teaching English
at Islamic boarding schools in Karawang. This research method used descriptive
case studies. To collect data, the researcher conducted observations, gave ques-
tionnaires, and interviewed the teachers. The data obtained were analyzed and
described in depth. The result of the implementation of this research is that teach-
ers' ability still needs to be trained, and their visualization, voice, and verbal abil-
ities must be improved. From these results, it can be helpful for teachers to con-
tinue to hone public speaking skills so that students feel happy in learning, easily
understand messages or information the teacher conveys, and are always moti-
vated to improve their English skills. This study aims to gain information about
teachers' need to enhance English communication skills.

Keywords: Teachers, Public Speaking, Teaching English

1 Introduction

The teacher's difficulty in public speaking is based on several reasons, including worry
and anxiety. The teacher feels that speaking effectively and persuasively in front of the
class or audience could be more optimal. Then there are time constraints. Teachers of-
ten have much material to present in a limited time. It can make them rushed and unable
to give a compelling presentation. Apart from that, there needs to be more public speak-
ing skills. Teachers are not used to speaking in public with engaging and effective
presentations.
Moreover, need for preparation. Teachers need more time to prepare their presenta-
tions properly. It can result in disorganized presentations, less informative and uninter-
esting to students. In addition, several phenomena occur when teaching English,
namely, teachers with limited English skills will have difficulty teaching in class. They
© The Author(s) 2024
Z. B. Pambuko et al. (eds.), Proceedings of the 4th Borobudur International Symposium on Humanities and Social
Science 2022 (BIS-HSS 2022), Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research 778,
https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-118-0_109
 Teachers Public Speaking Ability in Teaching English 951

may need help explaining complex concepts, sputtering, or correcting grammatical er-
rors. Then For some teachers, speaking English feels uncomfortable. They feel nervous
or worry about making grammar mistakes. It can affect their confidence in teaching and
make students feel uncomfortable.
Furthermore, English has many terms and expressions related to culture. It can be
difficult for students who are not used to the culture. In addition, teachers must also pay
attention to students' cultural sensitivity when teaching in class. Students and teachers
are more accustomed to using Indonesian as an everyday language so that it is easier to
understand the information conveyed.
Usually, there are ten problems when someone delivers a message. (1) Too much
information, (2) Monotone voice, (3) poor eye contact, (4) poor quality visuals, (5) No
interaction, (6) Too nervous, (7) Lack of appropriate humor, (8) Lack of energy, (9) No
audience participation, (10) lack of movement [1]. Teachers must be able to convey
informative messages to students in learning. If the teacher expects the audience to un-
derstand the message, they must build knowledge, use humor and intelligence, use sen-
sory aids, organize information, and reward their students [2].
In conveying a message, of course, one must use the power of 3v, visual, voice, and
verbal. Visual, non-verbal communication is a form of communication that involves
the use of body language, facial expressions, and other movements to convey messages
that are more interesting and can be understood easily. The element of nonverbal com-
munication is proxemics, the study of how we use space. How close or far we stand
from someone tells that person something about us. Then paralanguage includes the
tone (pitch or quality), volume (loudness), and rate (speed) with which we speak, and
all contribute to communication. Furthermore, we wear attitude, clothing and accesso-
ries, facial expressions, eye contact, gestures, and body movements.
Teacher preparation in teaching is crucial. There are five things that teachers do. The
first is selecting and narrowing a topic, the second is determining the purpose, the third
is developing a central idea, and the fourth is generating the main ideas. Fifth, Gathering
supporting material [3]. Teachers must prepare themselves before teaching because
thorough preparation will help improve the quality of teaching and student learning
outcomes. Careful preparation will assist teachers in planning and organizing teaching
well.
With careful preparation, teachers can consider various factors influencing student
learning outcomes, such as learning needs, abilities, and learning environment. By ad-
justing teaching to the needs of students, student learning outcomes can be improved.
Thorough preparation also helps teachers manage time effectively. Teachers can de-
termine the right time to carry out each learning activity so that students can get optimal
learning time. With careful preparation, teachers can minimize errors in the teaching
process. Teachers can comprehensively and appropriately prepare teaching materials
so students are clear and understood while studying. Careful preparation can also help
teachers create a fun and exciting learning atmosphere. The effectiveness of the use of
language determines students' understanding of the information obtained. Using lan-
guage effectively must be correct, precise, specific, appropriate, use oral style, and be
distinctive [4].
952 Y. B. Ahmad et al.

In conveying information, several points must be considered, such as Providing

basic, introductory facts—who, what, when, where, and how information, clearly de-
fining new terminology and jargon, Giving explanations and descriptions, Making links
to the student's knowledge by using literal and figurative analogies and by comparing
and contrasting the concept with something familiar, Help students understand why the
topic is relevant [5].

2 Method

The main focus of this research is to find out how the public speaking skills of teachers
in teaching English at Islamic boarding schools in Karawang Regency. This research
method used descriptive case studies. To collect data, the researchers conducted obser-
vations, gave questionnaires, and interviewed the teachers. The data was collected per-
sonally, tabulated as counting frequencies, and then analyzed through percentages. The
data collected through the questionnaire served the purpose of the researchers, and the
review of the related literature further throws light on speaking ability apart from the
questionnaire. The data obtained were analyzed and described in depth.
The study was conducted in one of the Islamic boarding Schools in Karawang Re-
gency. The researchers deal with a sample of the population consisting of EFL teachers.
There has been an underlying reason for making EFL teachers involved in the research
population because teachers play an intensive role in the public speaking skills of teach-
ers in teaching English at Islamic boarding schools in Karawang Regency.

3 Results and Discussion

3.1 Results
The questionnaire is addressed to nine EFL teachers. It mainly aims to report how teach-
ers' public speaking skills in teaching English at Islamic boarding schools in Karawang
Regency. In addition, its primary purpose is to show their impressions about the extent
of the teacher's speaking ability in teaching English.
Based on the data, eight % of the teachers, 89%, replied that they had ever learned
English public speaking skills, and only 11% responded that they had never learned
English public speaking. This implied that most of the teachers had learned English
public speaking skills. In this case, most of the teachers had English public speaking
skills learning experiences. Moreover, most teachers, represented by nine teachers,
stated that learning public speaking is essential. This implies that all teachers agreed
that public speaking skills are necessary for a teacher because the success of the teach-
ing and learning process depends on communication between teachers and students.
In the understanding of Public Speaking Skills Techniques, two of the teachers,
22%, answered that they knew its techniques. In comparison, seven % of the learners,
78%, replied knew a little. This indicated that most teachers had sufficient knowledge
of public speaking techniques to help them teach English in the classroom. According
 Teachers Public Speaking Ability in Teaching English 953

to teachers' current English public speaking skills, seven of the teachers, 78%, strongly
decided that their skills are pretty good in English public speaking. In contrast, two %
of the teachers, 22%, just decided that their skills are good in English public speaking.
Through the data, 22% of teachers stated that monotonous intonation is their weak-
ness when teaching English in class. Four of the teachers, 44%, decided that their weak-
ness when teaching English in class is a lack of visual media, body language, and ex-
pression. In contrast, three of the teachers, 34%, stated that their weakness when teach-
ing English in class is difficulty putting words together (unstructured words).
The results also displayed those teachers wanted to improve the quality of their
speaking, speak fluently, be structured, and be enjoyable. Therefore, teachers stated that
current English public speaking skills must be developed and improved to match the
student's needs in Islamic Boarding School in Karawang Regency. Teachers want to
master various communication techniques in teaching and learning to convey infor-
mation efficiently and persuasively.

3.2 Discussion
Based on the questionnaire, about 100% of participants agreed with the importance of
public speaking techniques as a teacher; this showed that all the teachers who teach
English at Islamic Boarding School in Karawang Regency know about English public
speaking skills. Of teachers who have studied public speaking, as much as 89% have a
basic knowledge that can be implemented during learning so that communication tech-
niques and persuasion to students are accessible, especially when conveying material
or giving assignment procedures. In comparison, 11% need to learn more about public
speaking and teaching skills obtained from teaching experience. Public speaking allows
a teacher to communicate clearly and effectively with his students. A good teacher must
convey subject matter in a way that is easy to understand and attracts students' attention.
Good public speaking skills help teachers to communicate ideas and knowledge effec-
tively.
Teachers who understand various techniques and apply them in class are 22%, while
78% only understand a little about public speaking techniques. Preparation is the key
to success in public speaking. Before teaching, the teacher plans well the material to be
delivered, organizes the structure of the presentation, and identifies the goals to be
achieved. The teacher also prepares supporting materials such as presentation slides,
visual aids, or relevant examples. With careful preparation, teachers can reduce anxiety
and communicate material better. If anxiety arises in the teacher when communicating,
it can affect the communication process to convey messages, ideas, and feelings. Eng-
lish proficiency is directly proportional to anxiety in speaking performance [6].
For this reason, the teacher prepares everything well so that the teaching and learning
process can follow the learning target. Good preparation, good English skills, and flu-
ency will make the teacher more fluid and structured in delivering material. It was also
conveyed in a research result those confident teachers with a high level of language
proficiency tend to be more confident in teaching English [7]. The techniques that are
often used are generally more about how to open learning well and fun, making students
enthusiastic and enthusiastic. In conveying material, the teacher also provides material
954 Y. B. Ahmad et al.

in language that is easy to understand and involves two-way communication between

the teacher and students. The technique of closing the lesson that is carried out is to
provide a summary and also test students' understanding of the material provided.
The ability of teachers who pay attention to and implement public speaking well in
learning is 22%, while 78% is quite good. These results were obtained based on data
from teachers who had good abilities because of their knowledge and experience re-
garding communication techniques and the length of time they had taught at school.
This experience makes it easier for teachers to deliver material efficiently and influence
students with positive and good things to achieve their achievements. While 78% of its
ability is quite good and of course, there is something that needs to be improved. Good
communication skills can significantly influence students' understanding of the mate-
rial. Among them is increasing participation in discussions. Teachers who have good
communication skills can make class discussion situations more active and open. This
can encourage students to express their ideas clearly, argue logically, and share their
experiences or thoughts with the group. In an open discussion environment, students
can gain additional points of view from classmates' perspectives, which can help them
deeply understand the material being studied in a fun way. A good teacher can change
students' feelings, not just convey particular learning material or topics [8].
In addition, it was found that 22% still needed to improve in varying intonation, 44%
were still lacking in using body language and expressions and using audio-visual media,
and 34% were still lacking in patterning sentences with language structures according
to grammatical rules. However, the message conveyed can be understood by students
well. The ability of intonation in public speaking has goals such as clarifying meaning,
keeping students' attention on learning, increasing attractiveness, helping information
retention, and strengthening emotions. In using body language, the teacher has ad-
vantages in teaching, such as building trust and credibility, managing the flow and
structure of communication properly, increasing the attractiveness and connectivity be-
tween verbal language and body language, and strengthening the verbal message. Body
language can convey emotions and feelings that are difficult to convey with words
alone. Facial expressions, hand gestures, body posture, and eye contact can provide
clues about understanding the emotional nuances in messages.
Overall, the teacher's ability in public speaking is quite good, and some need to be
improved, such as intonation. Teachers can master fine-tuning voices and vocals so
they are loud enough for everyone in the room to hear and vary the intonation of voices
so they do not get monotonous. The teacher can also practice using vocals, such as the
correct emphasis on words and appropriate pauses. Besides that, body language, struc-
tured material, English pronunciation, fluency in speaking English, and strategies to
make students feel happier in learning. Teachers need to pay attention to their body
language when speaking in public. Ensure a straight posture, steady eye contact, con-
trolled hand movements, and a confident attitude. Using good body language can help
build a connection with students.
 Teachers Public Speaking Ability in Teaching English 955

4 Conclusion

Public speaking is one of the skills that must be mastered by teachers, especially in
teaching English. Teachers are one of the factors determining the success or failure of
a learning process; with good public speaking skills, teachers will produce students who
are creative, innovative, and able to compete in the 21st century. Research results ob-
tained at a boarding school in Karawang Regency found that the public speaking skills
of teachers are good but still have to be honed so that the information conveyed by the
teacher can be easily understood by students and feel attractive. Therefore, to improve
public speaking skills, especially in English teaching, teachers are encouraged to attend
more training or seminars on English public speaking.

Acknowledgement. The authors would like to thank to Universitas Singaperbangsa

Karawang which has funded this research.

References

1. R. L. Sullivan and J. L. Wircenski, Technical Presentation Workbook. 2010. doi:

10.1115/1.859575.
2. J. C. Nelson, P. E., Titsworth, S., & Pearson, iSpeak: Public speaking for contemporary life.,
no. June. 2009.
3. S. A. Beebe and S. J. Beebe, “Public Speaking, 8th Edition- Steven A Beebe, Susan J
Beebe,” 2012.
4. T. H. E. Creative, P. For, P. Speaking, T. O. F. Speaking, S. To, and S. To, DK Guide to
Public Speaking (Lisa A. Ford-Brown) (z-lib.org).
5. R. F. Baumeister and B. J. Bushman, Tap into engagement. 2017.
6. A. J. Kusumawat and F. S. Fauzia, “Students’ anxiety in Indonesian EFL public speaking
class: A quantitative research,” ACM Int. Conf. Proceeding Ser., pp. 39–43, 2019, doi:
10.1145/3337682.3337703.
7. F. Deng, “An Exploration of Nonnative English Speaking (NNES) EFL Teachers’ Perceived
Language Proficiency and Self-efficacy in an off-Campus English Language Training Insti-
tutionin in Xiamen,” Front. Educ. Res., vol. 5, no. 12, pp. 22–30, 2022, doi:
10.25236/fer.2022.051205.
8. N. Thi Minh Tuyen and T. Cong Dan, “Obstacles and Solutions to English Public Speaking
from EFL Students’ Voices: A Case at Can Tho University, Vietnam,” no. 2001, pp. 389–
401, 2021.
956 Y. B. Ahmad et al.

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-
NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/),
which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any
medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the
source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.
The images or other third party material in this chapter are included in the chapter's
Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material
is not included in the chapter's Creative Commons license and your intended use is not
permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain
permission directly from the copyright holder.