Encouraging Students’ Motivation in Speaking English Through English Zone

Abstract

The classroom action research aimed to investigate how the implementation of the English Zone (EZo) could enhance students’ motivation to speak English at SMPN 1 Sekayam. The research involved 36 students of Grade VII and was conducted in two cycles, each consisting of planning, acting, observing, and reflecting stages. Data were collected using observation checklists and field notes to capture students’ motivated behavior during the English-speaking activities. The findings revealed that students’ motivation tend to improve from Cycle I to Cycle II. Initially, only a few students demonstrated active engagement in speaking English. However, after refining the classroom strategy—such as shifting from pair to group work, adding symbolic rewards, and using more engaging media—students showed marked improvement. By the end of Cycle II, most students voluntarily spoke English, showed increased confidence, participated actively, and responded positively to feedback. These results emphasize that the supportive and engaging English Zone class setting can effectively increase learners’ motivation to speak English in SMPN 1 Sekayam.