Abstrak
ABSTRACT This study investigates the effect of using ice breaking activities on students’ motivation in learning English at SMPN 6 Bukittinggi. The research was motivated by the observation that many students in junior high school exhibit low motivation in English classes, often due to anxiety, boredom, or fear of peer judgment. The study aimed to explore whether ice breaking, as an interactive and engaging teaching strategy, could improve student motivation in accordance with the goals of the Merdeka Curriculum. A quasi-experimental method was applied, involving two classes: one experimental group that received treatment using ice breaking activities (such as A Round Word, Draw a Word, and Crossword), and one control group that followed conventional instruction without such activities. Both groups were given pre-tests and post-tests using a motivation questionnaire with a Likert scale. The findings revealed a significant improvement in the motivation scores of the experimental group compared to the control group. The paired sample t-test showed a significance value of 0.000, while the independent sample t-test yielded a significance value of 0.031, indicating that ice breaking had a statistically significant effect on student motivation. In conclusion, ice breaking activities effectively enhance students’ motivation in English learning by creating a more relaxed, interactive, and supportive classroom atmosphere. The study recommends that English teachers incorporate such activities regularly to foster student engagement and improve learning outcomes.