Developing EFL Learners’ Speaking and Oral Presentation Skills through Pecha Kucha Presentation Technique

Abstract

The goal of this study is to examine the potential of Pecha Kucha presentation style for English language learners who are prospective teachers of English. The participants were students enrolled in an advanced-level speaking course in the English language teaching department of a state university in Turkey between 2016 and 2018. Students were required to make presentations in Pecha Kucha format, a fast-paced, time-constrained presentation technique. As part of the study, 102 students completed an open-ended survey and a total of 12 students representing cohorts from each year participated in semi-structured focus group interviews. Thematic data analysis illustrated benefits of using the presentation style such as perceived development in speaking, self-confidence, time management and presentation skills, and drawbacks including an increase in anxiety, steep learning curve, and constraints due to the format. In addition, the findings showed that English language teacher candidates recognized the technique’s potential and reported a high rate of intention to integrate it into their future language teaching pedagogies. The study is concluded with the discussion of implications for EFL learners, pre-service language teachers, and educators in higher education context.