Exploring ESL Learners’ Perceptions of Recorded Oral Presentations: Speaking Anxiety, Motivation, and Perceived Usefulness

Abstract

This study explores ESL learners’ perceptions of recorded oral presentations (ROPs), focusing on their influence on speaking anxiety, motivation, and perceived usefulness. Oral presentations are a common pedagogical tool in ESL classrooms, yet live delivery often provokes high anxiety that undermines performance. Grounded in Krashen’s (1982) Affective Filter Hypothesis and Davis’s (1989) Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), this study investigates whether ROPs provide a less pressured, technology-mediated alternative. A quantitative survey was administered to 106 Malaysian undergraduates enrolled in an English for Business Communication course. The instrument combined items from the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) with measures of motivation and perceived usefulness. Reliability testing demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = .93 for anxiety, .92 for motivation, .95 for usefulness). Descriptive results revealed moderate speaking anxiety (M = 2.90), high motivation (M = 4.21), and strong perceived usefulness (M = 4.01). These findings suggest that ROPs can mitigate extreme anxiety, stimulate learner motivation, and be readily adopted due to their ease of use. The study underscores the potential of ROPs as a sustainable assessment strategy that balances affective support with technological acceptance in ESL contexts.