Unleashing Potential: Investigating the Role of Topic Selection in the One-Minute Speech Performance of Japanese High School Students

This study investigates the role of topic selection control on the overall one-minute speech performance of Japanese high school students in Northern Japan. While prior research has examined the influence of topic selection on various English language skills of EFL learners, more attention should be given to its specific impact on one-minute speech performance in this context. Specifically, it aims to identify students' speaking performance levels in a one-minute speech test and explore the potential differences in speech performance between independent topic selection (ITS) and guided topic selection (GTS) groups. A quasi-experimental design was employed, involving two Mechanical Engineering classes comprising 70 students who were selected through convenience sampling. The independent variable was topic selection, with students assigned to the ITS or GTS group. The dependent variable was the overall one-minute speech performance. Findings reveal that the ITS group (M=8.5714, SD=1.1190) and the GTS group (M=8.8857, SD=1.1317) exhibited high-performance levels on the speech test. Statistical analysis through an independent samples t-test did not indicate a significant difference in speech performance between the two groups (t=-1.17, df=68, p=0.0.246085>α=.05). These results suggest that self-selected and teacher-assigned topics yield comparable performance levels among Japanese high school students in one-minute speeches. Further exploration is warranted to investigate additional factors influencing speech performance in this context. This study contributes to understanding topic selection's impact on language performance and highlights the need for continued research in this area