English Majors’ Perceptions of the Effects of Body Language on Public Speaking

Public speaking is a vital means of effective communication, as it enables speakers to convey ideas to an audience in various contexts.The purpose of this study was to investigate English majors' perceptions of the effects of body language on public speaking.The study followed a descriptive approach, using a 30-item questionnaire.The participants were 60 final-year students majoring in English Studies at a public university in the Mekong Delta.Findings revealed that the majority of students held a positive perception of the effects of body language on their public speaking performance.In particular, students reported that body language enhances confidence, improves message delivery, and captures audience attention.Finally, the study recommends integrating body language into EFL speaking instruction to enhance the quality of students' public speaking performance.