OVERCOMING STAGE FRIGHT: BOOSTING THE CONFIDENCE
JOHN VHER P. VILLAREAL
In today’s generation of learners, they do not have the confidence to speak. The fear of being judged is killing the power of confidence to deliver the message correctly and appropriately. The voice, including the tone, intonation, and pitch is affected and becomes the cause of misunderstood messages.
Low self-esteem is the root of the fear of speaking in the English language. Walking in the darkness is what is being felt by a person who is experiencing stage fright. The intervention for this is moral support by the teacher with the use of phrasal words or words of encouragement to overcome the low self-esteem of the learners. With proper practice and exposure to participate and speak in front of the class, the confidence of the learners gradually increases.
Rapid beating of hearts, knees that are shaking, extreme sweating, and speaking struggles are the barriers that keep on blocking the development of the self-esteem of the learners when speaking in front of the class. In medical studies, to overcome the fear, it is needed to first what is the source or the root of that fear, and after identifying that, there are different solutions like medication and proper breathing exercise.
The lack of mastery can be the reason behind the fear because a lack of practice can destroy the confidence of a person. There is no perfection in this world, but through practice, confidence as well as mastery can be developed.
Grammatical errors must be avoided when speaking because they can lead to misunderstood information, but most of the time they become the reason why the learners are afraid to speak because they do not want to commit grammatical errors. Teachers must help the learners with the things that they do not know. Extension of hands in teaching grammatical rules to the students can help them know the proper construction of sentences. In that way, if the learners know what they are going to use, then they will have the confidence to use the English language with confidence.
The environment must not be a prison for them, instead, make it the most comfortable place for them to express their thoughts and ideas, In that way, the learners can express their opinions freely. If they feel that they will not be rejected and everyone is open to suggestions, then their self-esteem will be at its highest.
Learners nowadays are more focused on what they want to do. This can be an opportunity that the teachers must consider to develop the confidence of the learners. The teacher must think about the things that the students can relate to and encourage them to share their ideas regarding the topic to enhance their confidence, up to the point that the learners can even perform speeches or speak in front of the class.
In this world that is full of doubt, teachers must encourage the learners to feel that the actual classroom is their safe place. A classroom that is conducive to learning is a room that is free from doubts, fear, and criticism.
-oOoThe author is Teacher II at Zaragoza National High School