The Influence of Peer Support on High School Students' Public Speaking Skills

Abstrak

This research aims to determine the effect of peer support on the public speaking ability of high school students in East Jakarta. Public speaking is a critical communication skill that enhances students’ self-confidence, clarity in delivering ideas, and ability to engage with audiences. Peer support, encompassing emotional encouragement, constructive feedback, and collaborative learning environments, plays a significant role in reducing anxiety and fostering confidence in public speaking settings. A quantitative approach was employed, involving 100 students who completed Likert-scale questionnaires. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, validity and reliability testing, and simple linear regression using SPSS. The results indicate a significant and positive effect of peer support on students’ public speaking abilities, with a correlation coefficient of 0.713 and a coefficient of determination (R²) of 0.508. This means that 51% of the variation in public speaking ability can be explained by peer support. The findings support the theory of social influence, emphasizing that the presence of supportive peers contributes meaningfully to the development of communication skills among adolescents. The study highlights the importance of fostering a positive peer environment in schools to enhance students' public speaking performance and recommends integrating peer-based strategies in educational programs to cultivate confident, articulate, and socially competent individuals