ORAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES AMONG DEVELOPMENT

COMMUNICATION STUDENTS AT CAMARINES NORTE STATE

COLLEGE

A Development Communication Research Proposal

Presented to

Dr. Melanie D. Bacuno

Associate Professor II
Camarines Norte State College

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

for DEVC 40 Communication Research
for the Degree
Bachelor of Science in Development Communication

by

Espinosa, Hannah Vieve A.

Gardo a, Clabelle L.
Gardona, Clarisse L.
Polidario, Francin Joy P.

April, 2023
 Introduction

Background of the Study

Oral communication has become an increasingly important factor in the

success of individuals and organizations. It is a form of communication that
involves speaking and listening which is a critical part of the communication
process. It is also considered as public speaking which is a common assessment
tool wherein students give oral presentations that are sometimes using visual
aids. The ability to effectively communicate orally is essential for success in
both personal and professional life. In a development communication context,
effective oral communication is significant to create sustainable change in
school settings. However, many development communication students
experience anxiety in oral presentation, which can prevent them from engaging
in meaningful dialogue and expressing themselves confidently. Through oral
presentations, students get to practice their speaking skills and develop
confidence to speak to an audience. Students’ communication competence is
demonstrated by their ability to provide a particular audience, such as their
industry and faculty supervisors, with a compelling oral presentation that
prompts a response, understanding, appreciation, or critical inquiry (Yusoff,
2010). To be successful in job interviews and to deliver strong reports and
arguments in meetings, one needs to be able to effectively communicate
verbally. To perform well on tests and to share material with peers and
instructors in colleges and universities, one needs to have strong oral
presentation abilities. However, studies in various settings have indicated that
students often experience oral communication apprehension, particularly under
assessment conditions (e.g., Kakepoto et al., 2012).

According to a study, 60% of graduates spend their time talking to people

Trevelayan & Tilli (2008). Some students are able to communicate effectively,
while others find it difficult to achieve the same level of communication.
Moreover, through communication strategies, students can overcome various
communication obstacles and develop their communicative abilities (Canale &
Swaine, 1980). Additionally, communication strategies contribute to the success
of effective communication (Kencanawati, 2014). This research will determine
the oral communication skills and strategies employed by Development
Communication students when it comes to oral presentation. It will examine
how the strategies and skills help the performance of Development
Communication students to overcome the anxiety in oral presentation and to
identify the factors that affect the oral communication skills of the students.
Rationale of the Study

The purpose of this study is to examine the oral communication strategies

among Development Communication students at Camarines Norte State
College. Anxiety during oral presentations is a common issue among students,
hence, this research seeks to understand how oral communication strategies can
help to reduce or even eliminate the anxiety. By understanding the relationship
between oral communication skills and strategies and the effect they have on
reducing anxiety during oral presentations, it will be possible to develop more
effective strategies to help students become more confident in front of an
audience. This research will also provide valuable insights into how to best
prepare Development Communication students for oral presentations, enable
them to perform at their best and present their ideas in a more organized and
articulate manner.

Research Objectives

This study primarily examines the oral communication strategies among

Development Communication students.

Specifically, it will seek answer to this questions:

1. What is the demographic profile of Development Communication students in

terms of:

a. Age;

b. Gender;

c. Year level;

2. What factors affect the oral communication skills of Development

Communication students?

3. What are the oral communication strategies can Development

Communication students employ when it comes to oral presentation?

4. How does the strategies and skills help the performance of Development
Communication students to overcome the anxiety in oral presentation?
Significance of the Study

This study will provide various oral communication strategies among

Development Communication students. Oral communication contains a number
of things such as, clearly conveying your ideas, establishing and guiding
thoughts in argument using evidence in oral presentation, and presenting oral
presentation to a different audience. One of the benefits of developing oral
communication skills is that students can expand their capabilities in oral
communication in their lives, to reflect, to practice, and to get feedback on it so
that they can become better in oral presentation. Most importantly, oral
communication is an essential skill as it encourages leadership and confidence.

Specifically, this research will benefit the following:

Students. The main beneficiary of this research will be the Development

Communication students of Camarines Norte State College. This research will
help them in determining their skills. As a result of the study, students can
expand their strategies and skills in oral presentation.

Researchers. This study will also be beneficial to the researchers

themselves. Throughout the course of this study, the researchers themselves are
given an idea on how to gain oral communication skills and strategies in oral
presentation.

Future researchers. These research study findings will serve as a guide

and useful reference to future researchers who will conduct research studies
related to the oral communication strategies and skills to overcome the anxiety
in oral presentation.

Scope and Limitations

This research seeks to explore the oral communication strategies to

overcome among Development Communication students. It will focus on how
the strategies can be used to improve their confidence and reduce their anxiety
in the oral presentation. It will not consider the other students in the other
program. Additionally, it will not include the strategies of other communication
skills such as written communication skills.

The study was conducted to the selected Development Communication

students within the vicinity of Camarines Norte State College, in order to assure
the accuracy and reliability of the result. In addition, the questionnaire was
made to examine the demographic profiles, oral communication strategies, and
oral presentation anxiety of the respondents.

Review and Related Literature

This chapter presents gathered information and materials which have

relevance to the study and can serve as reference in understanding the factors in
oral communication, oral presentation apprehension, and oral communication
strategies.

Factors in Oral Communication

The study of Isna Humaera and Pina Pramustiara (2022), investigated the
factors that causes student to feel anxious during impromptu activities in
speaking class. Qualitative descriptive methods were employed. An open-ended
questionnaire was used to collect the data and based on the data and discussion
of this study it can be concluded that student anxiety in conducting impromptu
activity performance have three aspects the first is students feeling in
impromptu activity, students reason in feel anxiety and the last is how students
overcome their anxiety. The findings also demonstrated their reasons for feeling
anxious and how they overcame their anxiety. In connection with student
anxiety, it is necessary for lecturers to always encourage and provide a
supportive environment for learning to speak in public. Students need to get
used to using English or at least be in an environment where English can be
seen anywhere. This situation is also for other aspects. It is believed that a good
environment will allow students to have a more positive attitude in learning to
speak in public and English in general.

A study conducted by Belaman et al. (2022), focused on the internal and

external factors that contribute to the fear of oral presentation. They found that
respondents have the fear of speaking in front of a huge audience. The size and
the composition of the audience were the most common factors that contributed
to the fear of oral presentation, while personal state of emotional wellbeing, and
worry about not being able to do better than the prior performance, recorded as
the lowest external factors. A study conducted in 2020 by Rajitha and Alamelu,
suggested that the main factor that contributed to the anxiety of students was
their peers and audiences. However, according to the study of Ibrahim et al.
(2021), the fear of being in front of a large crowd was the main fear faced by
undergraduates in Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. Young (1990, as cited in
Horwits, 2001, p.119), found that American secondary language students
preferred and are more confident participating in oral presentations in small
groups rather than in front of a huge crowd, then internal factors also evoke fear
in oral presentation. It is evident from this study that respondents’ nervousness
recorded the highest mean score and physical appearance was the least
important factor for fear in oral presentation. Students who are nervous tend to
have a hard time coming up with ideas for their oral presentations. They also
stated that their peers make fun of them and make them nervous before
presenting. Therefore, students feel stressed and nervous during presentations
(Lucas, 2001; Kakepoto et al., 2012).

As explained by the research study of Farhan Raja (2017), analyzing the

reasons behind the anxiety level in undergraduate students of a public speaking
class and recommending strategies to overcome this fear. The study entailed
quantitative research paradigm on a sample of 50 students using convenience
sampling technique from a reputable private sector business school in Karachi.
The findings showed that students who fear public speaking can perform well if
they use certain strategies to fight their fears. 75% participants admitted their
fear of public speaking and 95% participants agreed that if proper counseling,
instruction and coaching is provided, this fear can be overcome. Research
revealed that exposure to a virtual environment can facilitate student confidence
and enable them to face audience irrespective of the size.

According to the study of Sandigan, A.P (2018), which is primarily

focused on the first-year students' linguistic and sociolinguistic ability that
served as an assessment of their oral communication skills. Social and cultural
elements in the family, the surrounding area, and the school all had an impact on
the ability for spoken communication. According to the study, students who had
no training or limited training in reading and classroom interaction became less
proficient in English.

Oral Presentation Apprehension

In the present study, the focus was on oral presentation, which is

considered public speaking. Oral presentation has been reported to be
challenging by various authors, (Soomro et al., 2019; Kakepoto, 2012). In
Malaysia, Mustapha et al. (2010) found that Malaysian students preferred group
discussions as they were less apprehension-provoking than engaging in
dialogues and speeches. These findings point to the need to further examine
factors causing communication apprehension during oral presentations. The
study of Kho et al. (2021), it shows that the factors which cause communication
apprehension among students when performing oral presentations, are the top
two factors causing high apprehension to students were the audience factor and
preparation. In comparison, language ability, personality traits, and confidence
caused a moderate level of communication apprehension. Apprehension may
negatively affect language learning (Campbell & Ortiz, 1991; Phillips, 1992).
The findings are useful to language educators, designers, and policy makers
because they identifyareas of communication apprehension for educators to
work on in courses and to give training to assist students in overcoming their
fear of speaking in a second or foreign language.

In the study of Pontillas, M., & Talaue, F. (2021), focusing on the Levels
of Oral Communication Skills and Speaking Anxiety of Educators in a
Polytechnic College in the Philippines, they determined variables based on
environmental circumstances, personal experiences, and exposure impacting
their anxiety and communication abilities. The researchers advise the
organization to put intervention programs in place for instructors to enhance
their oral communication abilities. The academic significance of this study is to
alert the various institutions to the need to give intervention programs to
improve the communication abilities of the educators.

Oral Communication Strategies

According to the study of Cruz, N. (2019), Improving the oral

communication skills of senior high school students through the use of
task-based strategy, it is an Oral communication skill that must be taught among
students in order to equip them with the necessary knowledge for presentations
in today's competitive environment. Being equipped is crucial since being able
to communicate effectively increases one's marketability and viability for
employment in a range of careers in the future. This study focused on the oral
communication abilities of Domalandan Center Integrated School students in
the General Academic Strand of Grade 11 during the academic year 2018–19.
Although the overall rating was satisfactory prior to the use of task-based
strategies, the results showed that the majority of the students demonstrated
outstanding performance following the use of task-based activities.

As indicated in the study of Banawis, M.A (2019), in order to provide

them with the appropriate special class remedies for their difficulties in learning
the subject based on the lessons covered, it sought to identify the Inputs for Oral
Communication Based on the Needs of Speech 111 Students at University of
Eastern Philippines, school year 2016-2017. In particular, it aims to pinpoint the
spoken communication inputs according to student needs. This suggests that in
order to suit the demands of the students in the Speech and Oral Communication
course, the workbook should have numerous activities on speaking and listening
abilities.

Based on the study of Chentez, K.J, et.al (2019), the component of

communication that relates to life skills is oral communication. It attempts to
identify the most prevalent oral communication skills issue among Saint
Michael College of Caraga High School students. The findings of this
investigation demonstrated that the Common Problem Among the High School
pupils at Saint Michael College of Caraga, oral communication skills were
effectively applied. The goal of this study was to help people become proficient
enough in speaking the target language with confidence in order to improve
their oral communication abilities.

Effective public speaking is a necessary and desired ability that university

graduates need to possess. This is to build into them a sense of confidence and
success in communicating in today's challenging, evolving and borderless
working world. Therefore, fear or anxiety among university students still
prevails and affects the way they communicate, and thus they utilize
communication strategies to help them communicate orally effectively, as per
the study of Ahmad et al. (2022). There are multiple triggers of learners’ fear of
public speaking which could be externally and internally driven. This study
aims to continuously explore the influence of communication strategies on fear
of oral presentation, the influence of fear on oral presentation, and the strength
of the relationship between communication strategies and fear of oral
presentation. Quantitative data on the influence was analyzed, utilizing the
SPSS for mean values and Pearson correlational analysis through a 4-section
survey derived from 134 respondents from a public university. Results indicated
that communication strategies preferred by most of the respondents were mostly
externally influenced in shaping their oral communication and assessment
marks and feeling nervous were their largest causes of fear of public speaking.
Furthermore, correlational findings revealed that communication strategies may
reduce fear of oral presentation to some degree. These results could suggest the
need for more formal strategy training to assist and build motivational needs for
learners to manage their fear of public speaking to benefit more from
communication strategies for effective public speaking.

Study Framework

Theoretical Framework

Social Cognitive Theory

Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura, 1960), started as the Social Learning

Theory. It developed as the Social Cognitive Theory in 1986 and posits that
learning occurs in a social context with a dynamic and reciprocal interaction of
the person, environment, and behavior. The unique feature of Social Cognitive
Theory is the emphasis on social influence and its emphasis on external and
internal social reinforcement. This theory considers the unique way in which
individuals acquire and maintain behavior, while also considering the social
environment in which individuals perform the behavior. It takes into account of
a person's past experiences, which factors into whether behavioral action will
occur. These past experiences influence reinforcements, expectations, and
expectancies, all of which shape whether a person will engage in a specific
behavior and the reasons why a person engages in that behavior.

The study of oral communication strategies to overcome the anxiety in

oral presentation among Development Communication students, focuses on the
idea of the theory in which people will learn by observing others, and how this
observation affects their own behavior. Therefore, Social Cognitive Theory
emphasized the four conditions that were necessary in any form of observing
and modeling behavior: Attention, Retention, Reproduction, and Motivation.
Based on the theory presented, Social Cognitive Theory states that human
behavior is determined by a combination of individual, situational, and
environmental factors. This theory emphasizes the importance of social
interaction in learning and development of knowledge, skills, and values. The
central concept of this theory is that individuals learn by observing the behavior
of others.

Theoretical Paradigm

Conceptual/Operational Framework

In this study, the researchers conceptualize oral communication strategies

with key elements for establishing a positive learning environment among
Development Communication students to ensure that all students understand the
learning objectives and are motivated to achieve them. Additionally, creating a
safe and secure environment is essential to ensure that all students feel
comfortable and can express themselves without fear of judgment.

Therefore, to become effective communicators, Development

Communication students need to practice and apply different strategies for
effective oral communication. This includes developing strong listening skills,
using appropriate body language, and using appropriate words and phrases.

This conceptual framework also provides meaningful feedback to help

students determine their strengths and weaknesses and develop their skills
further. This feedback should be specific and timely, and should provide
students with the opportunity to reflect on their performance and make
improvements.

Conceptual Paradigm
 Methodology

Research Design

To address and utilize the aim of the study, the researchers used
Quantitative research design to interpret data and the data was collected through
conducting surveys. Specifically, this research use survey design to interpret
oral communication skills and strategies in oral presentation of the
Development Communication students with regards to their demographic
profiles. Apart from that, this study also examines the factors affecting the oral
communication skills and how the strategies and skills help the performance of
Development Communication students to overcome the anxiety in oral
presentation at Camarines Norte State College.

This study of oral communication strategies among Development

Communication students is a Positivist research study. In view of the fact,
positivism typically applies the scientific method in the study of human action
which supports our research study to determine different oral communication
strategies. Students can become proficient in something that is extremely
pervasive in their life by improving oral communication skills, which allows
them to reflect on it, practice it, and seek feedback so they can improve at
achieving their goals.

Research Method

The research method utilized in this research study is the Quantitative

method to measure and quantify the impact of certain factors on a given
population. This method would allow for the collection of data to use a survey
to gather further information from a larger sample size among Development
Communication students. The researcher could review existing literature related
to oral presentation anxiety and strategies used to overcome it. The data
collected could be used to assess the effectiveness of the strategies and
determine the areas of improvement.

Sampling

The researcher will use the random sampling for this study since in
random sampling each constituent has a probability of being chosen as a part of
the sampling process. According to The Economic Times (2021), random
sampling is used to avoid being biased especially when there is a large
population. In addition, random sampling is considered as one of the complex
form of gathering data from the entire population.

Data-Gathering Procedure

The necessary data of the study such as primary source of data will be
accumulated through the use of hard copy of survey form. The researcher will
prepare questionnaires beforehand. The collected primary source of data of
responses of the target respondents served as the primary source of the study.

Data Analysis

It analyzes the data by manipulating the data using various data analysis
techniques and tools. Data can be used to answer questions and support
decisions in many different ways. In this study, the type of analysis will be use
is descriptive analysis. It will help to analyze and identify the different strategies
and skills of the Development Communication students to overcome the fear in
oral presentation. This type of analysis will help to describe or summarize the
quantitative data by presenting statistics and help researchers to analyze and
interpret the result of the survey.
 ORAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES AMONG DEVELOPMENT
COMMUNICATION STUDENTS AT CAMARINES NORTE STATE
COLLEGE

NAME:
AGE:
COURSE/YEAR:

5 - Always
4 - Often
3 - Sometimes
2 - Rarely
1 - Never

A. Factors affecting the oral communication Skills

1. I don't have confidence to speak in front of the class.

2. I don't like the environment inside the classroom.
3. I feel nervous to speak English with my fellow students because I might
deliver a wrong grammar.
4. My thoughts become confused and mixed when I am giving a speech.
5. Engaging in group discussions with new people makes me tense and nervous.

B. Strategies and Skills in Oral Presentation

1. I use words which are familiar to me.

2. I use gestures and facial expressions if I can't communicate how to express
myself.
3. I try to make eye contact when I am talking.
4. I make comprehension checks to ensure the listener understands what I want
to say.
5. I ask other people to help when I can't communicate well.

C. The help of strategies and skills in overcoming anxiety in oral presentation

1. When I use familiar words to participate in oral presentation and recitation I

become more confident to speak.
2. Using gestures and facial expression I was able to express myself and so the
receiver understood what I wanted to tell.
3. Eye contact helps to lessen the nervousness I am feeling.
4. I make clarification requests when I am not sure what the speaker has said.
5. The best way to get the listening I need is to make the other person feel
listened to first.
References:

Humaera, I. & Pramustiara, P. (2022). Students' Anxiety in Speaking in Front of

the Class. KnE Social Sciences, 138-147.
https://knepublishing.com/index.php/KnE-Social/article/view/10732/17454

Belaman et al. (2022). Balancing The Use of Oral Communication Strategies

and Fear for Oral Presentation: The Case for Language Learning.
International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social
Sciences, 12(6), 849 – 868.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/361281001_Balancing_The_Use_of_
Oral_Communication_Strategies_and_Fear_for_Oral_Presentation_The_
Case_for_Language_Learning

Raja, F. (2017). Anxiety Level in Students of Public Speaking: Causes

and Remedies (Journal of Education and Educational Development)
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1161521.pdf

Sandigan, A. P. (2018). Oral Communicative Competence of Filipino College

Students: Levels, Correlates, and Characteristics. International Journal of
English Literature and Social Sciences, 3, 791-795
https://ijels.com/detail/oral-communicative-competence-of-filipino-college-stud
ents-levels-correlates-and-characteristics/

Kho, G. M., & Ting, S. (2021). Oral Communication Apprehension in Oral

Presentation among Polytechnic Students (Human Behavior,
Development and Society)
https://so01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/hbds/article/view/246028/168167

Pontillas, M., & Talaue, F. (2021). Levels of Oral Communication Skills and
Speaking Anxiety of Educators in a Polytechnic College in the
Philippines. Journal of Education, Management and Development
Studies, 1(1), 24–32.
https://journals.cspc.edu.ph/index.php/jemds/article/view/15

Cruz, N. (2019). Improving the Oral Communication Skills of Senior High

School Students Through the Use of Task-based Strategy (Munich, GRIN
Verlag). https://www.grin.com/document/490074

Banawis, M. A. (2019). Inputs for Oral Communication Based on the Learning

Needs of Speech 111 Students in the University of Eastern Philippines.
SSRG International Journal of Economics and Management Studies, 6(1),
122-125
https://www.internationaljournalssrg.org/IJEMS/paper-details?Id=323

Chentez et al. (2019). Common Problems in Oral Communication Skills Among

High School Students (SMCC Teacher Education Journal).
https://ejournals.ph/article.php?id=14388

Ahmad et al. (2022). Discovering The Relationship between Communication

Strategies and Fear of Oral Presentation Among University Students.
International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social
Sciences, 12(9), 1185–1212.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/363738439_Discovering_The_Relatio
nship_between_Communication_Strategies_and_Fear_of_Oral_Presentati
on_among_University_Students

May-Varas, E. S., & Margolis, J. (n.d.). Social Cognitive Theory (Educational

Learning Theories).
https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/educationallearningtheories3rd/chapte
r/chapter-3-social-cognitive-theory-2/#:~:text=Social%20cognitive%20th
eory%20claims%20that,active%20participants%20in%20their%20enviro
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