PERCEPTIONS OF UNDERGRADUATE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION STUDENTS REGARDING THE IMPORTANCE OF SPEAKING SKILLS

This study aims to describe the perceptions of undergraduate students in the Early Childhood Education Teacher Training Program (PGPAUD) regarding the importance of speaking skills in supporting academic success and professional readiness as prospective early childhood educators. Speaking skills are a crucial form of communication ability, essential for conveying ideas, expressing opinions, explaining learning materials, and establishing effective interactions with children, parents, and colleagues. This study employs a descriptive approach to gain insight into students' views on the role of speaking skills within coursework and educational practice. The aspects examined include students' understanding of the importance of speaking skills, their benefits in the learning process, and factors that may influence their development such as self-confidence, vocabulary mastery, subject matter knowledge, and opportunities for practice. Strong speaking skills are expected to enable students to convey information clearly, systematically, and communicatively when interacting with young children. Consequently, the development of speaking skills should be an integral part of the higher education learning process through activities such as presentations, discussions, teaching simulations, and communication practice. This study is intended to provide an overview of the significance of speaking skills for PGPAUD students and to serve as a reference for designing curricula that support the enhancement of communication abilities in prospective early childhood educators.