In general, since oral presentations are carried out in English in EFL classes, it, therefore, becomes a challenging task for majority of EFL learners (Ait Atmane & Ahouari-Idri, 2016). Concerning oral presentation difficulties, Van Emden & Becker (2016) highlighted in their carried out study that most of the EFL learners are concerned with presenting orally in front of audience and this may cause a feeling of nervousness and vulnerability as they look at the large number of audience. To emphasize further on audience as difficulty, El Enein (2011) also identified that EFL learners considered eye contact with audience, particularly with instructor who watches their language as their worst fear in oral presentation. Similarly, Al-Nouh, Abdul-Kareem & Taqi (2015) also found instructor’s interruption in learners’ oral presentation that challenges their performance. Audience, however, plays key role in assisting the presenter to feel comfortable and motivated to keep speaking (Razawi, Zulkomain & Mohd Razlan, 2019).
To be more precise, audience can actively involve themselves by answering questions, applaud at the start and end of presentation, smile, and always show enthusiasm in what the presenter is presenting. The writers emphasized that the presenter will certainly feel motivated and decrease anxiety and stage freight when audience display encouraging attitudes. In addition to difficulties, Whai and Mei (2015) found in their research that lack of experience was another major obstacle in oral presentation. EFL learners, according to the researchers, rarely participated in public speaking activities during school and learners, as a result, find it challenging task to conduct oral presentation in pursuing higher education. Moreover, Al-Nouh, Abdul-Kareem and Taqi (2015) also pointed out to the lack presentation skills that contributes to poor presentation delivery. To be more precise, El Enein (2011) conclusively stated that being unfamiliar with oral speaking activities and presentations have made EFL learners encounter challenges. EFL learners most often lack either oral presentation skills or unable to consolidate the presentation efficiently.
Another major difficulty for EFL learners when presenting orally, according to Kho, Abdullah and Leong (2015), is shortage of preparedness. Since proper preparation is fundamental before presenting orally, most of the ESL learners even with a lot of preparation, however, worried about forgetting the information and the organization of the ideas logically. Therefore, they preferred to bring notes when presenting orally (Razawi, Zulkomain & Mohd Razlan, 2019). The authors further stated that allowing learners to bring short notes will assist them to be prepared in terms of good flow and coherence of presentations. With proper preparation in mind, Husain, Ganapathy and Mohamad (2015) vividly recommended that there should be more time for learners to prepare and rehearse the presentations. The authors further added that to improve presentations and view progress, it may be useful to video record learners’ presentations. Moreover, Whai and Mei (2015) indicated inadequate preparation as the most common difficulty in oral presentation and that may be because of the fact that learners prioritized and dedicated their utmost time and efforts to core subjects.
Another key factor causing difficulty when presenting orally is the assessment process El Enein (2011). According to the author, majority of the EFL learners in the study often feared of receiving biased grades and were assessed negatively which made the oral presentations difficult. This is because of the fact that every instructor’s assessment criteria varies. With regard to oral presentation assessment, Al-Nouh, Abdul-Kareem and Taqi (2015) asserted that EFL learners started to have undesirable thoughts about getting low grades in their oral assessment that affected their level of confidence. With this in mind, Karimkhanlooei (2017) revealed in a carried out research in Iranian context that learners made a worthy improvement in their oral presentations when assessment criteria and rubrics on presentation skills were shared with them beforehand to lessen the errors. Indeed, a key part of oral presentation assessment that needs to be taken into consideration is scoring rubrics and should not be considered confidential (Razawi, Zulkomain & Mohd Razlan, 2019). The authors recommended that lecturers always need to have a smile on their faces and nod their heads to give a sign of understanding learners’ delivery while assessing learners’ in the back. This will eventually affect learners’ motivation on the stage and they will feel confident.
Linguistic is another element that contributes to difficulty in oral presentations encountered by Sarawakian learners (Whai & Mei, 2015). According to the researchers, insufficient proficiency in English when orally presenting is considered as linguistic factor. The authors precisely posited that learners had very few chances to speak in target language as they were inclined to communicate in local language particularly outside of the classroom. Also, Rajoo (2010) unearthed how important is oral presentation linguistically. To be more precise, having poor choice of words and poor phrasing of sentences can make oral presentation difficult and confusing and can be barely understood by audience even with interesting topic and good delivery. In addition to linguistic difficulty, EL Enein (2011) in a conducted research at Al-Aqsa University where nonnative speakers declared difficulties with oral presentations stemmed from the linguistics. Furthermore, Kho, Abdullah and Leong (2015) revealed in their study that learners were incapable of English fluently and majority of them tended to make errors and did not use correct structure of the sentences when presenting orally.
To overcome the difficulties in oral presentations, Hanifa and Yusra (2018) suggested carried out a research that learners must have faith on their ability and must expect audiences to pose questions which leads to build presenter’s confidence. The authors further added that learners can cope with difficult questions by addressing them to the floor. To have a better performance and build self-confidence in oral presentations, Zivkovic (2015); Hanifa and Yusra (2018) recommended the presenters to master the topic and content well. Considering strategies to cope with difficulties in oral presentation, Hanifa and Yusra (2018) confirmed in a study that speakers seemed relaxed and had faith on their ability which is an effective way of increasing confidence and coping with difficulties. Researchers further added that there were good presenters who commonly expected and addressed questions to audiences. Remarkably, the speaker can also gain confidence with using jokes and humors related to the speaker, topic, audience, or the occasion. Moreover, according to the authors, using small notes as guidelines prepared prior to presentation is another strategy to cope with difficulties which assist the presenters to recall the idea they intended to deliver.
In addition, to cope with difficulties, Tanveer (2007) suggested three strategies to alleviate oral presentation difficulty. First, EFL learners should cease acting like native language speakers in oral presentation which seems a reasonable step in decreasing difficulty. Second, avoid practicing summative feedback that is likely causing difficulty. Similarly, Chen (2015) found that being assessed by peers in front of the class and lecturer is highly contributing in making learners severe nervous. On the other hand, Otashi and Heffernen (2008) recommended peer assessment to enhance oral presentation because learners are involved in active learning process. Third, there should be single sex classes for receding oral presentation difficulty. In addition to that, free oral and speaking activities like oral participation and free dialogues, role-play and simulation are conducive strategies in developing oral presentations (El Enein, 2011). Another encouraging strategy to cope with difficulties noted by Hanifa and Yusra (2018) which worked well is using gestures to gain audiences’ interest.
Additionally, practicing is another key aspect of good presentation that enables presenters to identify their weaknesses and work them out to speak smoothly and naturally. Accordingly, presenters need to seek further information regarding the audience to assist them in determining proper presentation style. In light of strategies coping with difficulties, Barrett and Liu (2016) indicated that EFL learners observed their peers during oral presentation and noted lecturer’s feedback, thoughtful use of slides and proper time management to overcome the difficulties. Speakers, according to Raja (2017), should not only ask someone to record the presentation and watch it later several times for the improvement during practicing session but also look for the feedback at the same time. Likewise, Imaniah (2018) advocated in a carried out research that planning materials well is an integral part of oral presentation that EFL learners must consider to manage their allotted time in academic oral presentation. In the same manner, Raja (2017) posited that presenters essentially need to concentrate on the materials rather than on audience because audience mainly focus on the information being presented. Finally, El Enein (2011) found in a conducted study that to improve pronunciation during oral presentation, EFL learners should necessarily concentrate phonetics and phonology courses and expand their vocabulary and expressions.
As per lecturer’s role in oral presentations, Husain, Ganapathy and Mohamad (2015) elucidated that lecturers should allot enough time to learners for preparing their presentations and video record their own presentations which will enable them to improve and ensure their oral presentation progress. First and foremost, lecturers should facilitate a friendly and motivating atmosphere and should always put a smile when assessing learners’ performance in the back (Subaşı, 2010; Al-Nouh, Abdul-Kareem, & Taqi, 2015; Karimkhanlooei, 2017; Razawi, Zulkornain & Mohd Razlan, 2019). This, as a result will make them comfortable, motivated and confident. In addition to that, lecturers should share the grading criteria with learners before the presentation to assist them reduce the errors and also notify learners to avoid having lengthy notes for coherent presentation. The authors added that lecturers should show learners several authentic videos of good speakers with good command of English.
With this in mind, El Enein (2011) considerably focused on lecturers’ role that to notify learners as audience while listening to oral presentation to maintain academic behavior and convince them to raise questions, comments, provide feedback after the presentation and support each other without considering individual variances in ability. In light of lecturers’ role from EFL learners’ perspective, Alwi and Sidhu (2013) and Brooks and Wilson (2014) recommended lecturers in a carried out study to design tailor-made courses and cater efficient guidelines using presentations in classroom for EFL learners by creating a better learning environment for becoming an effective presenter. Also as part of lecturers’ role in improving EFL learners’ oral presentation skill, Subaşı (2010) perceived from EFL learners’ responses that lecturers should categorize learners with strong fear of negative evaluation and then take initiatives by showing individual interest to weak performers, provide supportive assistance from early stages and prepare them mentally that it is personality traits which is not easy to be removed. The last foremost role of a lecturer in improving oral presentation according to Wang, Yu and Teo (2018), is that lecturers must give convincing feedback to EFL learners to improve public presentation task considering mode and function of oral delivery.