The Impact of the Ice Breaking Method on Improving Student Engagement: An Experimental Study

This study examines the icebreaker method’s influence on student engagement in learning English at MTSS Walisongo Bantur. An experimental method with a control group design between pre-test and post-test subjects was used to measure differences in student engagement levels before and after freeze-breaking treatment. The participants of this study were students in grades VII, VIII A, VIII B, and IX who were selected based on low commitment to English language learning. The results of the analysis using independent sample t-tests showed that after treatment, there was a significant difference between the experimental group and the control group (p = 0.047), indicating that the ice-breaking method was effective in increasing students’ academic engagement. This significant increase is due to several factors, including interaction with peers, increased concentration, and a more enjoyable learning atmosphere. This study concludes that the application of ice-breaking methods can be an effective alternative to increase student motivation and involvement in learning. Therefore, this method is recommended to be applied in learning in other schools to improve the quality of learning and student engagement.