The Effectiveness of TikTok VoiceOver Challenge in Reducing the English-Speaking Anxiety of Grade 7 Learners

The Effectiveness of TikTok VoiceOver Challenge in Reducing the English-Speaking Anxiety of Grade 7 Learners

Franz Clayton B. Carpio¹, Gim Garry Staeuard², Joey Marie S. Revelo³, Genelyn R. Baluyos⁴

^1,2,4College of Education, Misamis University

³Ozamiz City National High School

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.906000356

Received: 21 June 2025; Accepted: 27 June 2025; Published: 17 July 2025

ABSTRACT

English is the medium of education in the Philippines. Despite this, students’ English-speaking confidence and skills lag behind our neighboring nations. This can be interpreted as a call to action regarding our teaching strategies that may be outdated when compared to a technology inclined student body. This action research aimed to improve the level of performance and reduce speaking anxiety in English among Grade 7 students by using TikTok Voice-Over Challenges. The study utilized a classroom-based action research design, The chosen participants included 38 students selected through purposive sampling from one of the public secondary schools in Ozamiz City during the academic year 2023-2024. A researcher-made pre-test and post-test were used for data collection. Frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and t-test were the statistical tools used in the study. Before the use of TikTok Voice-Over Challenges, the students’ level of performance was rated as ‘poor’ but after the intervention the students had a ’very good’ level of performance. There was a significant difference in the student’s performance in English speaking. The integration of TikTok Voice-Over Challenges as a strategy is a valuable tool in enhancing the students’ oral performance skills and confidence.

Keywords: TikTok, Voice-Over Challenge, Oral Performance, Speaking Anxiety, English-Speaking

INTRODUCTION

English is a widely utilized communication language worldwide. It is essential for the sake of both domestic and international communication. Even though Filipino is the official national language of the Philippines, English is considered a second language. Despite this, English is still regarded as a foreign language since students can only improve their speaking skills in the classroom. They hardly ever use this opportunity to improve their language skills, though. (Cabansag, 2020, Suparlan, 2021).

Speaking appears to be the most crucial and challenging of the four language skills for those learning English as a second language (ESL) or as a foreign language (EFL). It is a well-known fact that someone should be able to speak a language competently if they learn it. Language users typically participate in various discussions or conversations to become fluent speakers (Chand, 2021). Speaking in class causes a great deal of anxiety in many students. Speaking is actually the language ability that causes the most anxiety when speaking in a foreign language (Suparlan, 2021). Students claim that speaking in English causes them a great deal of anxiety, and speaking assessments cause them more anxiety than other skills. (Rajitha & Alamelu, 2020).

Speaking anxiety among English students is not uncommon in the Philippines. Students get uneasy every time teachers call them to recite in English and may experience emotional stress, physical symptoms, and cognitive challenges. (Cabansag, 2020; Pabro-Maquidato, 2021). Furthermore, concerns about English students’ difficulties in picking up accurate pronunciation and intonation continue to arise as they don’t get the chance to converse with native English speakers. (Suparlan, 2021)

Teachers are responsible for fostering a learning environment where students feel motivated to learn within the boundaries and expectations of a safe classroom. Thao and Nguyet (2019) have suggested that teachers’ roles be changed to include that of a provider, an assistant, and a consultant to increase efficacy in the learning environment and offer a variety of English-speaking activities that encourage students to learn. A growing trend among educators is adopting multimodal approaches in teaching and learning as 21st-century learners are more inclined to use technology and respond to multimedia. This is most noteworthy during the COVID-19 pandemic, where teachers and students were forced to fully integrate learning into the digital world.

The way that today’s learners react to online teaching and learning activities demonstrates the influence of social media on them. Scholars have brought attention to the fact that modern learners—especially those belonging to Generation Z—prefer brief texts that include interactive and entertaining components like memes, videos, and animations. Social media platforms with short videos change the way people learn by offering visually appealing content and communication tools that let people interact with one another. (Quinto & Cho-oy, 2022).

Over the past five years, TikTok, a social network for sharing videos run by ByteDance Ltd., has emerged as a major player in the social media space. Users can now easily share their video material without complex editing tools because of the platform’s bite-sized video production (which can last anywhere from 30 seconds to 5 minutes) and sharing features. This feature is consistent with the micro-learning trend, which creates and disseminates educational content with a narrow emphasis in shorter bursts. (Chuah & Ch’ng, 2023) Despite being commonly considered a “dance showcase” platform devoid of academic value, TikTok has developed into a treasure trove of applicable micro-learning content, including voice-over challenges. This kind of material allows users to narrate a text that has been provided by another user and serves as an inspiration to them. Research on using TikTok for language acquisition has increased over the last two years, possibly due to rising screen time and increased popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic (Kale, 2020).

According to Aranego (2020), using TikTok as a medium gave students new experiences that allowed them to express themselves freely while increasing their drive and confidence in speaking English. These difficulties can include conversational role plays or voice-over work for commercials. Since most ESL learners consider speaking to be a difficult ability to learn (Suparlan, 2021), they could be employed as a genuine task for ESL speaking exercises (Aranego, 2020).

The study by Joseph Quinto & Denver Cho-oy discovered that TikTok may be advantageous for Philippine education and a platform for enjoyment. Its intuitive interface helps teachers present key ideas to students and helps students create movies as learning outputs or performances. Teachers can use free educational resources in the process of teaching and learning. (Quinto & Cho-oy, 2022).

Other than content creation-specific tactics of using Tiktok for learning purposes, studies have been conducted where Tiktok trends have been adapted to fit classroom activities. One example is how Chhoeut, S., Panyasi, S., & Soykeeree, T. (2023, May 26) found out that integrating TikTok with communicative activities such as roleplay and group discussions could enhance grade 10 students’ English-speaking skills and boost their confidence in speaking English. TikTok plays a significant part in speaking activities that could give students more opportunities to use various elements to produce their speaking videos more fascinatingly while working in teams and reducing anxiety when speaking English.

Specifically, Chuah, K.M., & Ch’ng,. (2023) looked into the usefulness of TikTok voice-over challenges among Malaysian undergraduates in ESL speaking activities and found that students regarded the challenges as useful because they could improve their pronunciation and intonation, partake in turn-taking, and motivate them to speak English more frequently.

This research highlights the need for educators to be resourceful when using new technologies or techniques to support students, keeping in mind that social media platforms like TikTok have a wealth of information and learning modalities. Thus, the researchers would like to implement TikTok voice-over challenges to reduce English-speaking anxiety among learners during the school year 2023-2024 in one of certain secondary public schools in Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental.

Proposed strategy

Steps on How to Implement Collaborative Rotation Learning Strategy

In the fourth quarter of SY 2023–2024, this study evaluated how well the TikTok Voice-Over Challenge (T-VOICE) improves the speaking abilities of Grade 7 SPJ students. This intervention was intended for students who performed poorly to fairly in a speaking exercise that was used as a fourth-quarter performance task.

In this intervention, students’ pre-existing TikTok accounts were utilized, and those without were asked to register if they had access to the internet at home. During the remediation activity period, others completed the task in class. They received comprehensive guidelines on how to make it. They were also given videos to help them navigate the video-sharing website.

Throughout the course of three weeks, the students gradually performed the nine voice-over challenges in their own free time. A “duet” (a planned aspect) with other English speakers was one of the voice-over tasks (for cooperative interactions). Since the goal was to promote self-regulated learning, they were also permitted to retry the challenges.

After finishing every task, students might choose to email the films to the teacher via a private message or post them to their account. They were asked to get permission to use their recordings or comparable still photographs from the videos. To see how the Voice-Over Challenges were used, the researcher monitored and observed the respondents’ TikTok accounts. Soon after the previous quarter, the intervention program’s efficacy was evaluated.

Action Research Questions

This action research aimed to address the English-speaking performance of students in English class using TikTok Voice-Over Challenges.

This study answered the following research questions:

• What is the performance of the students before implementing TikTok Voice-Over Challenges in the classroom?
• What is the performance of the students after implementing TikTok Voice-Over Challenges in the classroom?
• Is there any significant difference between students’ performance before and after implementing TikTok Voice-Over Challenges in the classroom?
• What are other improvements seen after implementing TikTok Voice-Over Challenges in the classroom?

ACTION RESEARCH METHODS

Research Design

This study used a classroom-based action research design to evaluate the effectiveness of implementing TikTok voice-over challenges in the classroom and its potential effects on reducing the English-speaking anxiety of the students during a two- to three-week lesson in Grade 7 English students. Educators and professionals widely utilize this method to investigate and eventually improve their pedagogy and practice.  When students are actively learning, the classroom can be unpredictable and dynamic, requiring the teacher to pay close attention at all times, thus making it unique because of its participatory element. It allows the researcher to engage in more thoughtful, in-depth, and critical reflection that may be recorded and examined to enhance an educator’s work. Through this method, educators can learn from their experiences to personally and professionally advance. (Cronholm & Göbel, 2022).

Site

The study was conducted at the junior high school level, specifically at the Grade 7 level, at Ozamiz City National High School in Ozamiz City, a public secondary educational institution located in Bernad Avenue, Brgy. Lam-an, Ozamis City. The school was founded in 1952 to offer the community a high-quality, reasonably priced education based on the curriculum. The school now provides junior and senior high school as part of a K–12 basic education program. It complies with the resolution that the Department of Education (DepEd) mandated. The school offers the Technical-Vocational Livelihood (TVL) track, which prepares pupils with technical abilities for its senior high school program, and the STEM, ABM, HumSS, and GAS strands within the Academic track.

Participants

The participants of the study were the grade 7 Mt. Apo students in the Basic Education Department of Junior High School at Ozamiz City National High School. The participants were selected using a purposive selection technique. The participants were selected based on the following criteria: 1.) Students who were enrolled in the Junior High School Department at Ozamiz City National High School as grade 7 students for the academic year 2023-2024; 2.) Students who were observed to have English-speaking anxiety; 3.) Students who gave their full consent served as respondents to the study. The researcher checked that all these conditions were met before conducting the survey.

Data Gathering Methods

• Pre-Implementation Phase: The researcher conducted a background investigation on emerging students’ English-speaking anxiety problems. The researcher also read related studies that gave a wider perspective on the research subject. The researchers then started crafting the research proposal and eventually sought permission and authorization from the principal to conduct research at Ozamiz City National High School. A face-to-face platform was used in conducting research, most specifically in the data collection and employment of intervention.
• Implementation Phase: The implementation stage involves collecting data, including the conduct of pretests to the respondents, actual employment of the targeted strategy by the researcher to the respondents for a specific time frame, actual monitoring of the participants’ performance, and the conduct of the post-test assessment. It also involves the analysis of data from which the researcher can determine whether the strategy is significantly effective or not.
• Post-Implementation Phase: The post-implementation stage includes drawing a conclusion, giving recommendations, proofreading, editing, and finalizing the research study. It also involves proper dissemination of the research result to a particular group of people.

Ethical Issues

Before beginning the research, permission was obtained from the College of Education. Participants were sent letters asking for their permission to participate in the study.

The researcher gave due credit to the authors of the sources utilized as references by including their names, the materials’ titles, and other significant information. This follows Republic Act No. 10173, also known as the “Data Privacy Act of 2012.” They won’t face threats or punishment from the researcher if they choose to participate or withdraw from the study at any time. Data wiping, which is the process of erasing data from software and other kinds of electronic media so that information is unreadable and cannot be accessed or used for illegal reasons, was employed by the researchers as a method of disposal for the data collected. The researcher’s obtained data was stored at the beginning of the research study and will be deleted after completion. The research project is not intended to be a means of slander but rather to help the English students of Ozamiz City National High School.

Data Analysis

The researcher computed descriptive statistics to determine the mean and standard deviations of the level of performance before and after the intervention. The following statistical tools were utilized:

Mean and Standard Deviation: Used to summarize the level of performance of students before and after Implementing TikTok Voice-Over Challenges.

T-Test: Used to explore the significant difference in students’ performance before and after Implementing TikTok Voice-Over Challenges.

The following scale was used to determine the performance of the students.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Level of Students’ Oral Performance Before the Pre-Assessment

Table 1 presents the pre-assessment oral performance of the Grade 7 students before the implementation of TikTok Voice-Over Challenges. The mean learning progress score for the pretest stood at 11.0855. This data illustrates the students’ English-speaking performance and achievement levels before the intervention program.

The students’ respective English teachers performed the pre-intervention evaluation. The breakdown of the students’ rubric scores shows that most had problems with content, fluency, and pronunciation, with both criteria usually rated average or poor. On the other hand, the students had a somewhat acceptable performance with vocabulary and grammar, rated average or good, with occasional outliers. From previous studies, we can note that fluency, pronunciation, and content production are easily affected by speaking anxiety.

Based on this data, it is evident that the students have poor oral performance, which indicates the need for the program’s implementation. This could mean that traditional English teaching methods may not be enough to decrease the students’ English-speaking anxiety, which correlates to their oral performance. Therefore, a novel way of teaching has to be implemented that fits the needs and interests of the newer generation of students.

These findings suggest that the students have not developed a higher level of proficiency and confidence in commanding the English language despite their preceding years in school. This is alarming as English is the medium of communication and instruction as part of the K to 12 Basic Education curriculum, especially in their English classes.

This is similar to what previous researchers observed; despite using the English language in classes, students do not use this opportunity to improve their speaking skills. (Cabansag, 2020, Suparlan, 2021). Moreover, the study conducted by Mandasari et al. (2022) also showed that students initially had low pretest scores before using the TikTok application. Additionally, Ferstephanie and Pratiwi (2022) investigated the influence of the TikTok platform on student motivation to improve their speaking abilities. During the pretest, the students scored the lowest on the nonverbal criterion. It was because students still felt hesitant and lacked confidence during their discussion.

Level of Students’ Oral Performance After the Post-Assessment The data in Table 2 shows the oral performance of the students after the implementation of the TikTok Voice-Over Challenges, detailing their confidence development and achievement. A mean learning progress score of 3.4158 during the post-test period was achieved. The data gathered exhibited a significant improvement in the students’ oral performance during their English classes compared to the pre-assessment.

The students were evaluated by the same teacher to maintain consistency. From the breakdown of the students’ scores, it can be inferred that there has been an improvement in content production, fluency, and pronunciation with both criteria now scored average to good.

During the post-assessment stage, students expressed positive sentiments toward TikTok. They were somewhat active throughout the test and felt confident using TikTok to improve their speaking skills. Each individual is improving, as can be seen by their excellent level of performance. Their post-test results demonstrate substantial progress and are better than before the TikTok voice-over challenges.

Based on this data, we can infer that the students’ oral performance improved, which also reduced their English-speaking anxiety. The students’ confidence levels increased during the post-assessment. This means that TikTok Voice-Over Challenges has great potential to be used in the classroom to reduce the fear of speaking in English and improve performance levels.

Similarly, Mandasari et al. (2022) discovered a considerable increase in the students’ pretest and post-test scores. Based on the data collected, the researchers determined that the TikTok application positively impacts the speaking skills of students in the Administration Public Study Program at STIA Lppn Padang. Furthermore, Ferstephanie and Pratiwi (2022) reported an improvement in post-test cycle I and post-test cycle II findings in their study on the usefulness of TikTok. Each criterion demonstrated a significant increase over the post-test cycle I. The highest score was for fluency.

Significant Difference in the Students’ Oral Performance Before and After the Intervention Program

Table 3 compares the English-speaking performance of the students before and after participating in the intervention program. Before the intervention, the mean speaking performance score was 11.0855, with a standard deviation (SD) of 0.2414. After the intervention, the mean score significantly increased to 17.079 , with an SD of 0.3918.

The t-value of 13.20 and the very low p-value of 0.00** suggest a highly significant difference between the pre-assessment and post-assessment scores, indicating considerable improvement in students’ English-speaking skills and confidence after the intervention. Therefore, it can be inferred that the implementation of the TikTok Voice-Over Challenges strategy can be used in classroom settings to help improve the students’ English skills, including pronunciation, fluency, intonation, and grammar. This strategy allows the students to enjoy learning English with an application that they’re acquainted with.

The results of this study are consistent with earlier research. Ipan et al. (2020) used TikTok to measure students’ speaking skills. Their research found that the TikTok application dramatically enhanced students’ speaking skills while also providing a joyful classroom environment. Furthermore, Zaitun et al. (2021) observed that junior high school students enjoyed the unique experience of studying English with the TikTok application. They agreed that using the TikTok app as a medium for speaking could boost students’ confidence in speaking English while allowing them to freely express their views on the app.

Furthermore, Mandasari et al. (2022) determined that the TikTok application had a beneficial impact and outcome on English speaking skills for Specific Purposes pupils. The use of the TikTok application in class has the potential to help pupils improve their English communication skills. The study made by Chhoeut, S., Panyasi, S., & Soykeeree, T. (2023, May 26) had similar findings. TikTok trends and activities could improve English-speaking skills and boost students’ confidence over time. Students can enhance their speaking skills and apply language learning to their daily lives by practicing and interacting with it on TikTok.

Improvement Observed Among the Learners after Implementing TikTok Voice-Over Challenges

TikTok Voice-Over Challenges are not new to young students. They’ve interacted, watched, and even participated in such trends and more. Bringing this activity into the classroom setting piques their interest and motivates them to participate more in classroom discussions. When doing the challenges, it did not feel like a class task for them; instead, it was a fun activity that was no different from what they did in their free time. While doing the activity, the students gave each other feedback. They adopted techniques used by their classmates who were more experienced in using the app and had previously done these challenges before.

Moreover, learning is no longer bound within the four walls of the classroom, as students are motivated to perform these challenges at home or during their breaks. They have fun with the activity while unwittingly improving their speaking skills and confidence. The students showed better pronunciation, especially when facing challenges requiring someone to imitate.

The TikTok app can be utilized as a medium for learning English pronunciation because of its many advantages. It is excellent at assisting students and teachers with teaching and learning activities in the twentieth century. Introducing TikTok into the learning process motivates students and thrills them to engage in oral communication. TikTok’s multiple options for making videos more engaging and interactive allow students to create various English-language material.

SUMMARY, FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

This study is rooted in the need to tackle challenges in English-speaking anxiety and English oral performance. The study was conducted to decrease English-speaking anxiety and improve performance levels among Grade 7 English students by incorporating innovative teaching strategies like TikTok Voice-Over Challenges. The study was conducted during the school year 2023-2024 in one of the secondary public schools in Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental, Philippines. The study used a classroom-based action research approach, with 38 students chosen by purposive sampling. Data was collected via a test created by the researcher, and analysis included calculating the mean and standard deviation and performing a t-test.

Findings

The following were the key findings of the study:

The students’ performance level was poor, with a mean speaking performance score of 2.4171 before the implementation of the TikTok Voice-Over Challenges. This indicates the need for innovative teaching strategies to match the students’ learning styles and interests.

After the implementation, the mean speaking performance of the students increased to 3.4158, which indicates a good performance level. This shows there is a great improvement in their English-speaking skills and confidence.

There is a significant difference between students’ performance before and after implementing TikTok Voice-Over Challenges in the classroom. This shows that the improvement in their performance scores was not merely a coincidence.

Students have improved their English-speaking performance levels and have better confidence in their command of the English language. Due to repeated practice using the voice-over challenges, they have also become proactive in improving their English-speaking skills.

Conclusions

Based on the findings, the following conclusions are drawn:

• Before the implementation of the TikTok Voice-Over Challenges, the students’ performance was ranked as “Poor.” Some students had a hard time speaking English in class not only due to skill issues but also because they were low in confidence in their English-speaking skills. Students tend to mispronounce words, stutter, or try to avoid doing the task as a whole.
• After the implementation of TikTok Voice-Over Challenges, the students’ oral performance improved significantly. Increased confidence was evident in the group, which allowed them to develop their English-speaking skills. They learned to self-correct, improve their fluency and pronunciation, and improve their oral performance.
• Statistical analysis revealed a significant difference in the oral performance of the students before and after implementing the TikTok Voice-Over Challenges. The post-implementation assessment exhibited a consistent increasing trend, demonstrating that the strategy improved students’ performance.
• Students expressed positive sentiments toward using TikTok in language learning. The app made the classroom atmosphere more enjoyable and intriguing. By including TikTok in the learning process, students were encouraged and enthused to participate in oral communication.

Recommendations

Based on the findings and conclusions, it is recommended that:

• Principals or school heads, in partnership with classroom instructors, implement school programs or activities to increase students’ speaking abilities.
• Classroom teachers give students a favorable learning environment that encourages ease and confidence in speaking, allowing them to overcome speaking anxiety.
• Teachers should explore innovative teaching strategies that keep students motivated and engaged throughout the learning process.
• Students engage in English-speaking activities, whether conducted in the classroom or using technology, to improve their speaking skills.
• Future researchers investigate the other factors that lead to students’ poor oral performance in their English skills and the use of the TikTok application in a larger number of respondents or participants.

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