Cotabato State University

Sinsuat Avenue, Cotabato City

Graduate School

THE UNTOLD STORIES OF SCHOOL

HEADS DELIVERING PUBLIC SPEECHES; A QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

A Thesis

Presented to

the Faculty of the Graduate School

Cotabato State University

In Partial Fulfillment

of the requirements for the School

Master of Arts in Education

Major in English

Grace V. Bulleque

2022

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Table of Contents Page

TITLE PAGE 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS 3

CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING 4

Background of the Study 5

Theoretical Framework 5

Statement of the Problem 7

Review of Related Literature 8

Significance of the Study 16

Definition of Terms 17
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CHAPTER 2

METHOD 19

Research Design 19

Research Subjects 19

Research Instruments 20

Data Gathering Procedure 20

Data Analysis 21

References 22
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CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

Background of the Study

Languages are linked to each other by shared words or sounds or grammatical

constructions. When and how the language developed is impossible to say. One

of the problems encounter in public speaking is the poor delivery. Our

ancestors were probably speaking in millions year ago but with slower delivery,

with simpler vocabulary and grammar than we accustomed to. The origin of

human language will probably later on obscure. Over the course of history,

languages continually infiltrate each other, as words spread by conquest,

empire, trade, religion, technology or in modern time global entertainment. In

today’s form of communication has its different way, especially technology

progressed in no time. New languages has been also evolve and been used by

the people in different ways. The ongoing struggle of languages can be similar

to evolution. As with evolution, the development of language is an irresistible

force.

Public speaking is a frequent and crucial activity in today’s workplace

(Baccarani & Bonfanti, 2015). Expressing ideas, persuading others, and simply

providing information occur in all aspects of daily professional life (Harper,

2004). Communication also plays a central role in leadership; with high

incidences of communicative leadership behaviors seen among those who

become leaders (Tourish & Hargie, 2009).Humans were born with an innate
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capacity to learn a language. When a speaker delivers a message in a public,

especially when there are gatherings, he will either choose a language that is

appropriate to them and the lingua franca in the community or his vernacular

language. But speaker has also differences and varied styles when they deliver

their speeches with regards to the type of event he is attending. There are

several points you need to consider when you are speaking in public. You have

to know the language where most people use, and as a speaker, you have to

see if your audience is capable of understanding the language that you will be

using. A public speaker has many challenges and struggles that they will face

and encounter when delivering their speeches. In this study we will know the

untold stories of School heads in delivering public speeches. Public speaking,

an important part of leadership communication, is a crucial workplace skill,

and making presentations is very often a necessary part of work

responsibilities (Bodie, 2010). Public speaking is also an important aspect of

perceived leadership, as people who speak well are generally perceived as

intelligent and confident, and successful speakers are often seen as leaders

(Rowh, 2009). Speech delivery refers to presenting a speech in public. When

you deliver a speech, you merge its verbal and visual components into a

presentation before an audience. There are four types of delivery methods:

impromptu, extemporaneous, manuscript, and memorized.

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Theoretical Framework

The concept of this study is based on the different readings that the researcher

has made using books, journals, internet sources, and related studies.

1. Rhetorical Theory of Public Speaking (Aristotle) Aristotle taught that a

speaker’s ability to persuade an audience is based on how well the speaker

appeals to that audience in three different areas: logos, ethos, and pathos.

Considered together, these appeals form what later rhetoricians have called the

rhetorical triangle. Logos appeals to reason. Logos can also be thought of as

the text of the argument, as well as how well a writer has argued his/her point.

Ethos appeals to the writer’s character. Ethos can also be thought of as the

role of the writer in the argument, and how credible his/her argument is.

Pathos appeals to the emotions and the sympathetic imagination, as well as to

beliefs and values. Pathos can also be thought of as the role of the audience in

the argument.

2. Dialogic Theory of Public Speaking (Ronald Arnett and Pat Arneson 1999)

understands public speaking as a dialogue between speaker and audience.

This dialogue requires the speaker to understand that meaning depends on the

speaker’s and hearer’s vantage points and that context affects how we must

design and deliver our messages.

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Statement of the Problem

The purpose of this study is to seek and know the experiences of School

heads and their challenges in delivering speeches. Specifically, this study

sought to answer the following questions:

1. What are the experiences of the participants in delivering public speeches

and instruction to the audience?

2. What are the problems and challenges encountered in delivering public

speeches? How do you overcome such problems?

3. What are your strategies in building rapport with the audiences? What are

your coping mechanisms?

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Review of Related Literature

In this section, the literature and related studies on the subjects of this

research are presented.

From the research study of Levels of Oral Communication Skills and Speaking

Anxiety of Educators in a Polytechnic College in the Philippines, it was

emphasize there that regardless of the profession, everyone should possess

good communication skills in different contexts. Although scholars have

contributed studies showing the communication anxieties and proficiencies of

speakers to different languages, there are limited studies that deal with the

educators’ context. To add contribution to this field, the researcher utilized a

correlational research design to determine the relationship between the

educators' oral communication skills and speaking anxiety. The study used the

frameworks of Pontillas (2020) and McCroskey (1977). The researcher chose

Camarines Sur Polytechnic Colleges as the locale of the study and utilized 25

teacher-participants from the different departments of the College. The

participants underwent an impromptu speaking activity to determine their oral

communication skills’ level. They filled out the Personal Report of Public

Speaking Anxiety (PRPSA) test developed by McCroskey (1970) to assess their

perceived speaking anxiety. The two variables' results were correlated using

Pearson’s Moment of Correlation and found a significant correlation between

the two variables. Environmental factors, personal experiences, and exposure

were factors determined by the researcher affecting their speaking skills and
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anxiety. The researchers recommend that the institution should implement

intervention programs for educators to improve their oral communication

skills. Furthermore, Higher Education Institutions offering Education

undergraduate programs should add additional communication courses to the

curriculum.

Most individuals are not born to be public speakers; they are educated to be

developed as one. When they are in front of an audience being the focus of

attention, they experience emotions leading to nausea and excessive sweating

because of fear and anxiety. Individuals who have a fear of speaking in public

suffer from strong fear in social performance situations and social spheres,

which is known as glossophobia. This research aims to discover the different

factors that cause speaking anxiety among the pre-service teachers of

Mountain Province State Polytechnic College - Teacher Education Department

(MPSPC-TED) in Philippines and to suggest strategies that could help prevent

them from having glossophobia problem. Samples of interview output, coding,

and careful analysis and interpretation of the gathered data from the selected

50 undergraduate students who had research oral presentations, oral lesson

demonstrations, and oral speaking presentations have been transcribed and

found out major themes that cause glossophobia problems, i.e., linguistic

obstacles, audience’s manifestation, mastery of the topic and particular

motives. Knowing what causes these problems, this study proposed the
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DISRUPT strategy to reduce students’ public speaking anxiety effectively. While

there has been considerable concern for the assessment, correlates, and

treatment of public speaking anxiety, little attention has been paid to why

dispositional public speech anxiety detrimentally affects public speaking

performances. In this study we test the notion that high public speaking

anxiety is associated with excessive attention to self, leading to less effective

public presentations. Results indicate that highly anxious speakers tend to pay

less attention to their environments and have more negative, self-focused

cognitions about their performances than low anxious speakers. This increase

in attention to self is correlated with poorer speaking performances and lower

self-evaluations John A. Daly,Anita L. Vangelisti,Samuel G. Lawrence, (1989).

Humans’ ability to communicate using formalized systems of language sets us

apart from other living creatures on the Earth. Whether these language

conventions make us superior to other creatures is debatable, but there is no

question that overall, the most successful and most powerful people over the

centuries have mastered the ability to communicate effectively. In fact, the skill

of speaking is so important that it has been formally taught for thousands of

years. Public speaking builds self-confidence. It’s no surprise that speaking in

public is scary, but by engaging in the activity you will build self-confidence

through the experience. Chapter 11, “Speaking with Confidence” by Grapsy.

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Speaking is the oral language process to express opinions and feelings,

reflect one experience, and various information.1Based on A. Kaharuddin

books’ that explain the definition of speaking from some experts, Bailey that

assumed speaking is the production skill that consists of producing systematic

verbal utterance to convey meaning. Another explanation about speaking from

Brown, Burns & Joyce, speaking was involved by producing, receiving, and

processing information, which is called an interactive process of constructing a

meaning.

The Concept of Performing a Speech

a. The definition of Performing a Speech

Cite from Larry King’s book, that performing a speech or be a public

speaker is the same things with another types of conversation. It comes with a

purpose to deliver thought to the audience. In some aspect, speech is easier

than conversation, because you control the entirely way of speech.

Nevertheless, you must have something clearly to say and there is no evade

like on the simple conversation. On Hilmiyah Akib research’s, Balqis Khiyar

explain performing a speech is an utterance with a good structure to tell in

front of audience. In another addition, speech is to say concept or idea that is

told to another people.

In another explanation performing a speech is a form of expression you

have to do it about a topic and whatever that topic it defines you better than

the actual speaking. Have a same meaning with speaking as performance.

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Richards on A. Kaharuddin books’ explain that speaking as performance is

recognized as the third type of speaking which refers to public speaking, that

is, speaking type that transmits information in front of an audience, such as

classroom presentations, public announcement, lecture as well as speeches.

Significance of Study

The individuals mentioned below are the beneficiaries of the study:

1. Speakers – This research is very helpful to speakers and to those who

aspires to be a good speaker. As a speaker you need to consider the language

used in that particular setting considering the life and educational statuses of

the residence and their capability in acquiring and comprehending the subject.

2. Listeners – as with the listeners/audiences, this will be a great help in

understanding the content of the speech. Listeners have a huge role in the

delivery of the speeches. This is where we can evaluate if the speaker has

succeeded delivering his/her speech.

4. Educational Sectors – This will help those people in the higher sectors in

evaluating the curriculum that they will be implementing considering the

various languages of the learners and their knowledge about the language.

4. School Heads – These are the people who are delivering speeches in public.
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(Principal, Assistant Principal, Administrative Officer, or any

person that is handling the institution and is frequently delivering speeches)

5. Future Researchers - The output of this study would be of great help to

future researchers for them to consider other variables/----- not cited in this

study, like current practices for effective management within and beyond

education.

Definition of Terms

The following terms relevant in this study were defined operationally to

facilitate better understanding:

Vernacular Language - The word vernacular helps expressed that the

language used is that of specific group, especially if the language of the speaker

is different from the language spoken in that setting. It is the language which is

the mother tongue of the group which is socially or politically dominated by

another group speaking a different language.

View of Competence - held that linguistic theory is concerned primarily with

an ideal speaker and listener in completely homogeneous speech community,

which knows its language perfectly, and is unaffected by such grammatically

irrelevant conditions as memory limitations, distractions, shifts of attention

and interest and errors in applying his knowledge of the language in actual

performance.
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Flag Language or code – The language of road signals, deaf and dumb

language, and written language. It is a conventional device using visual signs

to replace the spoken language, and like spoken language it is a cultural

phenomenon and a social factor as well as a personal form of expression.

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CHAPTER 2

METHOD

Research Design

The study will utilize employing qualitative research design and

descriptive research in gathering information and in the analysis of data. It

clearly gives a verbal portrayal of a person, their ideas, events and experiences

they have in or used in every event they had attended. It likewise helps in the

validation and analyses of data. Naturalistic approach has also been used in

the study which clearly expresses the language they are using during the

delivery. I also include the non-experimental research design which are

descriptive and survey research design.

Research Subjects

The informants in this research would be the people who have been

engaged and participated in any, a person who frequently delivers speeches in

local area, person who gives instructions; Principal, Assistant Principal,

Administration officer, Department Heads, private and public speakers.

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Research Instruments

In collecting data, the researcher uses Structured Interview where a

formal set of questions posed to each interviewee and recorded using a

standardized procedure. This is to help strengthen and validate the study. This

study also uses Naturalistic Observation records spontaneous behavior of

participants in natural surroundings. The researcher simply records what they

see in whatever way they see it.

Role of the Researcher

As an educator, it is a passion for us to speak and face wide audiences.

It is inevitable for us to speak with a bit of preparation. As a private teacher for

two (2) years, I have encountered different scenarios that test my speaking

ability and vocabulary, especially if there are events in school. Conducting this

study has a great help in improving my skills in speaking and widening my

knowledge in dealing with difficulties in times of abrupt situations. I am an

English teacher; people have high expectations in this profession. Fortunately,

I have a background in doing and delivering speeches but more things should

be explored and must be familiar with. I cannot avoid mistakes; sometimes, I

need more words, and it takes seconds to continue speaking. I stutter because

of nervousness and anxiety facing and talking to people. The experiences

described above prompted me to conduct a study that helped me understand

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and apply some techniques and coping mechanisms that the participants will

share.

Trustworthiness of the Study

According to Lincoln and Guba, (1985), trustworthiness can be described as

establishing whether the story generated is credible, the details are explicit

enough so that the study is transferable, the data are dependable, and the data

can be confirmed. In my study, I followed the suggestion of Lincoln andGuba

(1985) to employ the four criteria: credibility, dependability, transferability and

confirmability. Credibility was established through member-checking and peer-

debriefing. Member check involved the participants approving the findings as

the primary criterion used to strengthen the credibility of this study (Lincoln &

Guba, 1985). Moustakas (1994) referred to it as the validation of data. Creswell

(2007) stressed the importance of seeking the participants’ views on the initial

research findings. Since the participants were all professionals I did not have

difficulty in explaining the process. According to Miller (2008), in order to

“increase accuracy during data collection and the appropriateness of

interpretations;” participants should receive a copy of their transcripts after the

interview for feedback. In order to adhere to this idea, each participant was

given a copy of his or her transcript and was asked to verify, correct, and

comment on the accuracy of the transcript. Each was also asked to identify any

quotes she or he deemed important to this phenomenon. Each participant was

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given a chance to confirm or deny my interpretation. Participants were asked to

carefully examine the description for potential clarifications, corrections,

additions or omissions. Hammersley (2000) added that any deletions or

revisions during member checking would give researches credibility because

participants might have addressed certain areas in the data analysis that they

might disagree with before publication and would offer their own

interpretation. In my study, I let my participants read my manuscripts I even

gave them a hardcopy of the questionnaires for them to look. This process

according to Glesne (1999) assured that the lives of the participants were well-

represented in this study.

Data Gathering Procedure

To gather data and information for the research the researcher followed

the following steps:

1. Asking Permission to Conduct the Study. The researcher sent a

letter to the different school heads (Principal, Assistant Principal, public

speakers), requesting for a permission to conduct an interview with them.

2. Administration and Retrieval of Questionnaire. This was done after

the researcher obtained permit to conduct a study. Upon approval, the

researcher began the interview. The researcher sought certificate of appearance

from the schools involved in the study as proof of honest data gathering.
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After securing the needed information, the researcher will analyse, and

scrutinize the data that will be gathered.

Data Analysis

The study will made use of narrative analysis that involves presentation

of different stories, views, and experiences of each participant in delivering

speeches and instructions using vernacular language of the audiences or

listeners.

Giving survey questionnaire to the participants can help the validity of

this research. After I gather the data for the research, I will analyze and

interpret the information based on the Statement of the Problem.

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CHAPTER 3

PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF FINDINGS

This chapter details the result of qualitative data analysis in answer to the

following research objectives.

 Research Objective No. 1: To know the experiences of the participants in

delivering public speeches.

 Research Objective No. 2: To know the challenges encountered in

delivering public speeches.

 Research Objective No. 3: To know the strategies in building rapport to

the audiences and their coping mechanisms.

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CHAPTER 4

SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Summary of Findings

Conclusions

Recommendations
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References

Avram Noam Chomsky (December 7, 1928). View of Competence

Angiolillo, Paul F. Armed Forces Foreign Language Teaching; Critical Evaluation

and Implications, New York, S.F (1947). 440 PP

Lewis, M.M Language in School. London, University of London 1942.

Bloomfield Bodmer . Gray Language and Linguistics

L. Memba Ikuga, T. Murray, in International Encyclopedia of Housing and

Home, 2012

1Stephanie J. Coopman & James Lull, Public Speaking: The Evolving Art,

Second Edition, p. 230.

12Dan O’ Hair, A Pocket guide to Public Speaking (Boston: Quebecor World

Eusey Press,2009), p. 142.

Stephanie J. Coopman & James Lull, Public Speaking: The Evolving Art,

Second Edition, p. 230.

Levels of Oral Communication Skills and Speaking Anxiety of Educators in a

Polytechnic College in the Philippines Vol.1 No.1 (2021).

Daly, J. A., Vangelisti, A. L., & Lawrence, S. G. (1989). Self-focused attention

and public speaking anxiety. Personalityand Individual Differences,10(8), 903–

913. Retrieved from

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https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0191886989900251 doi:

https://doi.org/10.1016/0191-8869(89)90025-1