Students' Engagement in English Language Course: Niken Hasdina, Eva Devi Sofyawati, Sinta Dewi, Hanifah Oktarina
Students' Engagement in English Language Course: Niken Hasdina, Eva Devi Sofyawati, Sinta Dewi, Hanifah Oktarina
Applied Linguistics
Journal
INTRODUCTION
Learning English at school is important to improve students' language skills. One of the keys
that influences students' progress in learning English is the level of student involvement in
the learning process. According to Brown and Lee (2015), students' involvement in the
learning process is needed so that they can be more active and involved in the learning
process, leading to higher levels of achievement, motivation, and retention. Student
engagement in English learning can improve student motivation and learning outcomes.
When students are actively involved in learning, they are more likely to understand the
material better and feel more motivated to learn Wang and Eccles (2012). Meanwhile,
LITERATURE REVIEW
Student engagement in the learning process refers to the level of attention, curiosity, interest,
optimism, and passion shown by students when they are learning or being taught, which can
develop into the level of motivation that they must learn and progress in learning (Anita and
Susilawati, 2018). Furthermore, another study said student engagement refers to the degree
to which students are actively involved in their learning and the extent to which they are
motivated to learn (Fredricks, Blumenfeld, dan Paris, 2004). Students who are engaged in
class are more likely to participate, finish their assignments, and succeed academically.
Disengaged students, on the other hand, are more likely to miss class, submit incomplete
assignments, and exhibit low academic performance. According to Trowler (2010), student
METHODOLOGY
The study utilized a qualitative research design approach. Qualitative research proved
valuable in comprehensively understanding a complex phenomenon or experience. Through
qualitative approaches, researchers were able to explore and understand the context,
process, and meaning behind the phenomenon under investigation (Creswell & Creswell,
2018).
The selection of informant objects to be studied was carried out using the purposive
sampling technique, which meant that sampling was deliberately done, not randomly, based
on specific criteria considered capable of aiding in understanding a phenomenon (Creswell,
2012). Participants were selected based on several criteria that had been determined in
relation to the research focus on engagement. The criteria for the selected participants were
individuals who were active in cognitive, behavioral, and affective engagement observed in
the interaction between teachers and students in the classroom. Additionally, teachers were
chosen from those who always paid attention to their students and provided enthusiasm and
positive encouragement for the process of students' personal development, learning, and
b. Cognitive engagement
Cognitive engagement in this study focuses on students' involvement in paying attention to
the teacher's explanation, having the willingness to try to answer questions, and trying to
understand and master the material (Gibbs and Poskitt, 2010).This finding emerged when
students answered questions from the lecturer regarding the English material presented. This
is evidenced by the conversation between teachers and students in English language course.
(Student A)
Teacher : Ya, as we planned before that today we will do the exercise. The
topic is tell about understanding a song. Jadi, hari ini kita berlatih masih topik yang terakhir
yaitu tentang memahami lagu, ya?
Students #1 : Understanding song yang verse, chours,coda gitu bu ? (asking
Directly to the teacher).
From the questions asked by the students, it can be seen that the students have strong
memories related to the topics that have been taught before. They can relate previously
acquired information about understanding songs. This reflects students' cognitive
engagement in learning. Strong memory and students' ability to relate information are
indicators of active cognitive engagement in learning.
Student A
Teacher : “Coba yang lain siapa yang mau menjelaskan chours?”
Student #1 : “Saya bu! Chorus is a series of lyrics that are repeated after each
verse of a song. It meant to be the most memorable part, containing the ultimate message
of the piece”.
c. Affective engagement
In this study, affective engagement refers to students' emotional reactions when interacting
with the teacher. These emotional reactions can be positive or negative and can affect
students' overall engagement in the learning process (Fredricks, et al. 2004).
b. Teacher support
In terms of teacher support, Participant II described the relationship with her English teacher
as very close, which indicated that they had a positive relationship with her teacher. The
participant stated that the support from the teacher greatly influenced her engagement in
class. The teacher always gives appreciation in the form of praise and encouragement to
students, which makes participants more enthusiastic about the learning process. According
to Hughes (2018), teachers who provide recognition and praise for students' efforts and
achievements can increase their motivation and engagement. Students feel valued and
motivated to keep trying.
Furthermore, Participant I explained that she had a good relationship with her English
teacher. The participant described her relationship with the teacher as like that with her own
mother. In addition, the participant said that the material taught was very easy to understand.
In addition, the teacher often used English in explaining the material, then translated it into
Indonesian. This helped participants understand English little by little. Similarly, as stated by
Furlong et al. (2009), feedback from teachers helps students understand the extent to which
they have achieved learning objectives. It gives them an understanding of their achievements
and can motivate them to keep trying.
The same thing was also conveyed by Participant III, who stated that the teacher's
support affected his involvement in the class. According to her, interest and enjoyment in the
subject can make her feel that the lesson becomes easier. According to Fredricks (2004),
teacher support is crucial in creating a supportive learning environment and motivating
students to learn. This shows that a positive relationship with the teacher can increase
students' engagement in learning. Participant III argued that the support from the teacher
greatly affected his activity in class. According to him, no matter how difficult the subject is,
if the teacher explains it in an interesting and fun way, it will feel easier. According to
Kustiawati (2019), if the classroom environment allows students to feel comfortable
expressing opinions, sharing ideas, and taking risks to answer questions, then the classroom
has a positive environment for students' feelings of equality.
c. Peers
In terms of peers, participant III revealed that socialization and communication with friends
at school had a positive influence on his engagement in class. Participants felt that
interactions with classmates affected their level of engagement in learning. Participant III
views his friends as learning partners rather than competitors. They often share tasks and
help each other understand difficult lessons. The same thing was stated by Healthy
competition with friends can be a motivational factor for students. They may feel motivated
to achieve higher goals (Wang and Eccles, 2012). In addition, Participant III felt supported by
his classmates and stated that they supported each other.
Similarly to Participants I and II, Participant I explained that her relationship with her
friends in class was as friends and not as competitors. The participant added that his
relationship with friends in class had an effect on his engagement in class. In line with previous
research, social engagement with friends can increase their confidence and make them feel
d. Task characteristics
For task characteristics, Participants I, II, and III had the same response regarding the tasks
given by the teacher. They stated that the teacher gave them English tasks that were
appropriate to their abilities. When students feel that the task is relevant to their level of
understanding, they are more likely to participate with enthusiasm (Fredricks, 2004). In
addition, they added that the teacher had given examples of the tasks, making them easier to
do. This shows that the teacher has considered the students' ability level when giving
assignments. They also confirmed that teachers give feedback on the assignments. Teachers
usually explain answers or give feedback at the next meeting. Positive and constructive
feedback can increase students' motivation. When they see that their efforts are recognized
and assessed, they tend to be more motivated to work harder and do their best in the next
task (Dharmayana et al., 2012).
CONCLUSION
Based on the research question, this study aims to identify the types of student engagement
shown by students in English languge course. In conclusion, it was found that there are three
types of student engagement shown by students in learning, namely cognitive engagement,
behavioral engagement, and affective engagement. In addition, based on the research
results, cognitive engagement is the most dominant type of engagement shown by students
in learning, followed by behavioral engagement and emotional engagement. Based on the
description of the findings from the interviews of the three students, it can be concluded that
the five factors presented by Fredricks, Blumenfeld, and Paris (2004) have an influence on
student engagement in the classroom. Furthermore, based on the interview results, the
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