Description
This presentation details an innovative digital storytelling project and its effect on speaking anxiety among Sophomore Landscape Architecture students at a Taiwanese university, undertaken in partnership with an Academic English Course at a Japanese university. The study focused on whether digital storytelling could serve as an effective pedagogical tool to reduce speaking anxiety in an English for Specific Purposes (ESP) setting.
The project was implemented over an 18-week ESP course during the spring semester of the 2022/23 academic year, engaging a total of 35 students who completed both pre- and post-intervention assessments using a speaking anxiety scale (He, 2013). The methodology encompassed a blend of narrative construction, peer collaboration, and digital media engagement, aiming to foster a supportive learning environment conducive to lowering affective barriers.
Data analysis employed quantitative methods to evaluate changes in speaking anxiety levels, with statistical tests applied to pre- and post-test scores to assess the significance of any observed reductions. Preliminary results suggest a statistically significant reduction in speaking anxiety, particularly regarding discomfort with vocabulary uncertainties, oral presentation of critical or complex information, and impromptu group interactions. The outcomes of this study are expected to contribute to the discourse on innovative teaching strategies in ESP and provide practical solutions for educators grappling with the challenges of speaking anxiety.
