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Changing Patterns of Public Speaking Class Anxiety among Chinese International Undergraduates in Malaysian Public University

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English speaking anxiety is a common problem among students in Mainland China due to its exam-oriented education system, which remains prevalent among most Chinese international students (CISs) around the world. However, very few research studies on speaking issues among undergraduate CISs in Malaysia are conducted. In tertiary education, public speaking class anxiety (PSCA) is deeply related with academic achievement. Hence, this study investigated the common levels of PSCA among Chinese international undergraduates (CIUs) in a Malaysian public university, besides discovering the ranges of PSCA between English and non-English majors, and exploring the changing patterns of PSCA during their 4-year study. Data was collected from 36 CIUs in the university through the questionnaire named: Public Speaking Class Anxiety Scale (PSCAS). Descriptive analysis and independent t-test were used for data analysis. The results indicate that most CIUs experienced a medium level of PSCA, besides there is a significant difference of PSCA between English and non-English and a downward trend of PSCA took place in the 4-year study. This study may fill the scarce literature on CIUs’ PSCA in Malaysia and provide academic support for future research on PSCA.
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