Unguided virtual-reality training can enhance the oral presentation skills of high-school students

Public speaking is fundamental in our daily life, and it happens to be challenging for many people. Like all aspects of language, these skills should encouraged early on educational settings. However, the high number students per class extensive curriculum both limit possibilities training and, moreover, entail that give short in-class presentations under great time pressure. Virtual Reality (VR) environments can help speakers teachers meet challenges foster oral skills. This experimental study employs a between-subjects pre- post-training design with four Catalan high-school student groups, VR group ( N = 30) Non-VR 20). Both groups gave 2-min speech front live audience before (pre-training) after (post-training) 3 sessions (one session week) which they practiced public either or alone classroom (Non-VR). Students assessed their anxiety measures right performing every filled out satisfaction questionnaire at end. Pre- speeches were by 15 raters, who analyzed persuasiveness message charisma presenter. Speeches also prosodic features gesture rate. First, results showed self-assessed got significantly reduced conditions. Second, acoustic analyses groups' show has, unlike group, developed more clear resonant voice quality speeches, terms higher cepstral-peak prominence (CPP) (although no significant differences f0- related parameters as function obtained), well less erosion effects than group. across did not trigger direct improvement participants' rate, post-training. Furthermore, perceived environment useful beneficial future All all, unguided feel anxious, promote style, prevent them from experiencing an effect while practicing real audience.