Globish (An English-Indonesian journal for English.
Education and Cultur.
Vol.
No.
January 2026, pp.
P-ISSN: 2301-9913.
E-ISSN:2597-9132
DOI: http://dx.
org/10.
31000/globish.
UTILIZING ICE-BREAKING QUESTIONS TO IMPROVE EFL
STUDENTSAo PARTICIPATION IN SPEAKING ACTIVITIES: A CASE
STUDY OF STUDENT PERCEPTIONS
1Mei Rohamah, 2Nafisah Endahati 12Universitas PGRI Yogyakarta.
Jl.
IKIP PGRI I Sonosewu No.
Sonosewu.
Ngestiharjo.
Kec.
Kasihan.
Kabupaten Bantul.
Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta 55182 Telepon, : 0274-376808, 373198 Fax.
: 0274-376808
e-mail: meirohamah4@gmail.
Abstract This study analyzed the use of ice-breaking questions as a technique to enhance students' participation in English speaking activities.
Many students in English as a Foreign Language classrooms tend to remain passive during speaking sessions due to anxiety, low self-confidence, and lack of motivation.
The research aimed to describe how the teacher implemented the technique and to examine studentsAo perceptions of its impact on their participation in speaking activities.
A qualitative case study design was conducted with five students from grade X Dance 4 at SMK Negeri 1 Kasihan.
Data were collected through classroom observations, field notes, interviews, and documentation, and analyzed using thematic analysis.
The findings indicated that the teacher consistently employed various types of ice-breaking questions, such as WH-questions by material and funny questions, prior to the main Students reported feeling more relaxed, confident, and motivated to speak.
In conclusion, the technique fostered a positive classroom environment that encouraged active student participation in speaking.
Keywords: Classroom interaction.
EFL studentsAo participation.
English speaking activities, ice-breaking questions, student perceptions How to Cite: Rohamah.
, & Endahati.
Utilizing ice-breaking questions to improve EFL studentsAo participation in speaking activities: A case study of student perceptions.
Globish: EnglishIndonesia Journal English Education Culture, 15.
, xxAexx.
https://doi.
org/10.
31000/globish.
INTRODUCTION
Speaking skills are one of the key skills in English language learning.
This skill helps one to convey their ideas, thoughts and emotions orally clearly and effectively.
Speaking is an important part of learning and teaching a second language, as well as the art of communication, which is included in the four major skills to be mastered in foreign language learning.
Good speaking skills mean producing words that the listener easily understands (Bahadorfar & Omidvar, 2.
However, many students in Indonesia continue to face significant challenges in developing English speaking skills.
These challenges include linguistic barriers such as limited vocabulary, grammatical errors, and interference from the mother tongue.
Non-linguistic factors such as anxiety, low confidence, and fear of making mistakes also contribute to the problem (Haryanti Received July 11, 2025.
Revised September 3, 2025.
Accepted October 28, 2025
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ISSN: 2301-9913
n & Yuliana, 2.
Moreover, a lack of speaking practice, monotonous learning media, and an unsupportive classroom environment further exacerbate the situation (Daulay et al.
, 2.
These obstacles hinder students from achieving communicative competence, which is essential not only for academic success but also for meaningful interaction in a globalized world.
To overcome these challenges, teachers are encouraged to create an engaging and supportive classroom environment that promotes student confidence and motivation.
One technique that can help achieve this is the ice-breaking question technique, which involves asking informal, creative questions at the beginning of the lesson to build rapport and reduce tension.
Ice-breaking question is a technique used to create a more relaxed and interactive learning atmosphere by asking simple questions before beginning the core lesson.
These questions can be serious or funny (Khusnia, 2.
For example, consider funny questions like.
AuIf you could have any superpower, what would it be?Ay or AuIf you could travel anywhere, where would you go?Ay These types of questions help students feel more relaxed and willing to speak, especially at the start of class.
This technique can help reduce studentsAo speaking anxiety by shifting their focus from correctness to expression and by creating a more relaxed classroom atmosphere (Kirby.
Ice-breaking questions serve not only as a tool to break the ice but also, when combined with material-specific questions, as a means to directly relate the learning topic to the students.
These questions are typically in the form of information questions, particularly WH-questions.
For example, a question such as.
AuWhat is the hottest news you have read recently?Ay Teachers often use WH-questions because they can stimulate more in-depth answers, increase vocabulary, and students' verbal thinking ability (Darong et al.
, 2.
The guided WH-question technique helps students frame their thoughts and ideas in English, and teaches how to ask and express opinions with correct grammar (Perbina et al.
, 2.
In addition.
WH questions are essential for responding to and developing studentAos answers, helping to improve understanding, as well as keeping them actively engaged in the learning process.
This technique is also useful for assessing studentAos learning progress (Namasivayam et al.
, 2.
By combining funny and fun ice-breaking questions with triggering questions that are relevant to the material, teachers can build a more active, participatory, and contextualised classroom The implementation of this technique is supported by VygotskyAos .
social constructivism theory, which emphasizes that knowledge is constructed through social interaction, dialogue, and collaborative meaning-making.
In the context of this study, ice-breaking questions serve as a form of scaffolding that provides structured opportunities for students to interact, share ideas, and respond to prompts in a lowpressure environment.
Such activities help students operate within their Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), where teacher guidance and peer responses offer the necessary support for them to progress from hesitant participation to more confident and independent speaking.
This process fosters active participation in speaking activities and encourages greater engagement in learning (Velykozhon, 2.
This approach also aligns with the goals of Kurikulum Merdeka, which promotes active, contextual, and student-centered learning practices (Halimah, 2.
Higher levels of speaking anxiety are negatively correlated with studentsAo speaking performance in class, underscoring the importance of techniques that can reduce nervousness (Andita.
Utilizing Ice-Breaking Questions To Improve Efl StudentsAo Participation In Speaking Activities: A Case Study Of Student Perceptions Rohamah.
Endahati n P-ISSN: 2301-9913 | E-ISSN: 2597-9132 In this study, student participation in English speaking activities is operationally defined as active verbal engagement in the classroom.
The indicators of participation include asking or answering questions, giving opinions, and responding to commands or statements.
These indicators reflect students' readiness to use English as a means of communication during the learning process (Delwita, 2.
Teachers who apply the ice-breaking question technique consistently are more likely to observe improvements in student participation, especially among those who were initially reluctant to speak.
The use of interactive speaking activities has been shown to enhance studentsAo fluency and confidence when speaking English (Wiyanah & Endahati, 2.
Learning approaches that incorporate social interaction and light humor can help students overcome barriers to participation and become more verbally active in class .
Previous studies have explored various speaking strategies and ice-breaking For the first.
Hanz .
found that student questions as ice-breaking activities during workshops could enhance participation.
Santoso et al.
, .
implemented ice-breaking activities such as songs and Q&A games to build speaking confidence, while Dressel .
highlighted how general icebreakers in physical education supported emotional safety and classroom interaction.
However, these studies did not specifically examine the use of ice-breaking question techniques such as funny questions or WH-questions related to the material to improve student participation in speaking activities, particularly in vocational high school settings.
Therefore, this study aims to examine how the ice-breaking question technique is implemented and to explore studentsAo perceptions of its impact on their participation in English speaking activities.
The findings are expected to contribute to practical insights for EFL teachers, especially in vocational schools, in designing speaking lessons that are interactive, contextual, and engaging.
RESEARCH METHOD
This study employed a qualitative approach, as it aimed to gain an in-depth understanding of studentsAo perceptions and the implementation of the ice-breaking question technique in English speaking activities.
According to Creswell .
, qualitative research is appropriate when the variables under investigation are not yet clearly defined and require exploration to fully understand the phenomenon.
This approach was chosen because the research focus could not be sufficiently explained through numerical data, but rather required rich narrative descriptions to capture studentsAo perspectives and experiences.
The research design used was a case study, which Creswell .
defines as an in-depth exploration of a bounded system through detailed data collection from multiple sources of information.
The study was conducted at SMK Negeri 1 Kasihan.
Bantul.
Yogyakarta, involving Grade X Dance 4.
From this class, five students were selected through purposive sampling to represent varying levels of participation in speaking activities, consisting of one highly active student, two moderately active students, and two passive students.
This number was deemed sufficient for a qualitative case study, as it allowed the researcher to obtain a deep understanding of each participantAos experiences while capturing variation without losing the depth of the data.
Data were collected through classroom observations, field notes, semi-structured interviews, and documentation.
Observations were used to identify how the teacher implemented ice-breaking questions and how students responded verbally during speaking activities.
Field notes recorded studentsAo reactions, expressions, and behaviors related to speaking participation indicators, such as asking or answering questions.
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n responding to prompts, and expressing opinions.
Interviews were conducted to further explore studentsAo perceptions of the technique.
Documentation included teaching modules, learning materials, and photographs to support data collection.
Data validity was ensured through triangulation of sources, methods, and documents (Denzin, 1.
Data were analyzed using thematic analysis, a method for identifying, organizing, and reporting patterns or themes within the data (Braun & Clarke, 2.
This method was considered suitable because it allows for a thorough exploration of patterns in studentsAo views and experiences, helping the researcher to interpret the meaning behind their responses.
The analysis followed six stages: familiarizing with the data, generating initial codes, searching for themes, reviewing themes, defining and naming themes, and producing the final report.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The researcher conducted three classroom observations and interviewed five students as participants.
The observations were conducted to examine how the teacher utilised ice-breaking questions during the teaching and learning process.
At the same time, the interviews were conducted to understand how the students responded to and interpreted the technique during speaking activities in class.
The two categories based on the results of observations and interviews are as follows:
The Implementation of the Ice-Breaking Question Technique by the Teacher The observation results showed that the teacher consistently implemented the ice-breaking question technique as an opening activity in English lessons, particularly in speaking skills.
Supported by the interview findings, most students stated that this activity had become a routine that helped them feel more prepared and comfortable to begin the learning process.
The implementation of this technique can be examined from the following three aspects:
Teacher's Planning and Preparation in Implementing Ice-Breaking Questions Based on the observation results, the teacher regularly began English speaking lessons with ice-breaking questions that had been prepared before These questions were displayed using a projector and answered orally by students one by one, following the attendance list.
The questions used consisted of two types: funny questions to create a relaxed atmosphere and materialbased questions such as WH-questions aligned with the lesson topic, like report Before answering, students were given five minutes to think about their responses and were allowed to use online dictionaries as a tool to help them construct sentences in English.
The teacher was also actively involved in monitoring students, offering encouragement, and maintaining a calm and supportive classroom environment to help students begin speaking activities with ease.
Students gave the following statements during the interviews:
AuIt has become a habit in every English class that before the lesson starts, we always get an ice-breaking question.
Ay (SZ) Utilizing Ice-Breaking Questions To Improve Efl StudentsAo Participation In Speaking Activities: A Case Study Of Student Perceptions Rohamah.
Endahati P-ISSN: 2301-9913 | E-ISSN: 2597-9132 n AuWith ice-breaking questions at the start of every English lesson, it becomes more Ay (SAM) AuItAos fun, enjoyable, and makes the classroom less tense because of the Ice Breaking Question routine.
Ay (CEP) Ice-breaking question (WH-Question by Materia.
Ice-breaking question (Funny Question Figure 1.
Types of Ice-Breaking Questions The teacherAos strategy in designing the ice-breaking question technique aligns with the findings of Huynh .
, who investigated teachersAo perceptions of questioning strategies during the pre-speaking stage in EFL classrooms.
addition to helping create a more enjoyable and relaxed atmosphere, the use of ice-breaking questions also contributed to increasing studentsAo motivation.
Zulfadli .
, states that ice-breaking activities play an important role in encouraging student enthusiasm in English learning.
These activities are considered effective in creating a positive learning environment, reducing anxiety, and boosting studentsAo confidence to participate, especially in speaking However, students also realized that the effectiveness of the questions depended on their level of difficulty.
As students noted:
AuIf the question is difficult.
IAom not confident.
Ay (SAM) AuIf itAos an easy question.
I am not nervous and just relax.
So it depends on the Ay (CEP) In planning ice-breaking questions, the teacher needs to consider the questionAos level of difficulty to ensure it matches studentsAo abilities and does not hinder their participation.
These student responses align with findings from the study conducted by Sumilia & Puspita .
, which revealed that students tend to feel more comfortable answering specific and straightforward questions.
contrast, open-ended questions such as WH-questions were often confused.
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n especially when students had limited vocabulary or were afraid of making Students sometimes chose to remain silent or respond nonverbally when they felt linguistically incapable of answering.
Therefore, although icebreaking questions may be well-designed, their effectiveness still depends on studentsAo ability levels and confidence in responding.
The teacherAos planning and preparation in using the ice-breaking questions technique served as a systematic initial learning strategy focused on student readiness.
Through this approach, the teacher not only fostered a positive learning environment but also supported studentsAo mental preparedness, motivation, and linguistic skills for participating in English speaking activities.
The Process of implementing Ice-Breaking Question in the Classroom Based on the observation results, the teacher consistently implemented the ice-breaking questions at the beginning of English speaking lessons as part of the classroom routine.
The teacher began by greeting the students warmly, then displayed the ice-breaking question using a projector.
The questions fell into two categories: fun questions aimed at creating a relaxed atmosphere and material-based questions, such as WH-questions related to the lesson topic, for example report texts.
After the question was presented, students were given five minutes to think about their answers and were allowed to use digital dictionaries to help construct their sentences.
Then, students were called one by one, according to the attendance list, to give their responses orally.
These observations were also supported by studentsAo interview responses, as shown AuItAos more enjoyable, more interesting, and definitely makes it fun.
With the IceBreaking Question at the beginning of every English lesson, it becomes more Ay (SAM) AuItAos definitely fun, more exciting, and not stressful.
ThereAos humor and seriousness, so itAos not boring and still enjoyable.
Ay (NM) AuBecause the Ice-Breaking Questions are fun.
The classroom atmosphere becomes pleasant, fun, and interesting.
Ay (AME) Utilizing Ice-Breaking Questions To Improve Efl StudentsAo Participation In Speaking Activities: A Case Study Of Student Perceptions Rohamah.
Endahati P-ISSN: 2301-9913 | E-ISSN: 2597-9132 n The teacher explains the question The student used online dictionary Figure 2.
Implementing of Ice-Breaking Question This implementation aligns with the findings of Gita et al.
, 2.
, who state that warming-up activities at the beginning of lessons function to build studentsAo early engagement, activate prior knowledge, and help students prepare for more structured speaking tasks.
This comfortable and relaxed atmosphere is in line with the findings of Pratiwi & Ayu .
Research indicates that an emotionally supportive learning environment can reduce studentsAo speaking anxiety and increase their confidence to engage in oral activities actively.
However, studentsAo comfort was also influenced by how well they understood the questions.
This was illustrated in a studentAos statement:
AuIf I understand the question.
I feel more relaxed.
But if I donAot understand or feel confused.
I usually get nervous.
Ay (NM) The teacherAos selection of questions needs to take into account studentsAo linguistic abilities.
This finding is supported by Sumilia & Puspita .
, who explain that overly open-ended questions tend to confuse, especially among students with limited vocabulary.
When students feel they cannot understand the question, they tend to refrain from speaking.
Taqwa .
, points out that internal factors such as low self-confidence and fear of making mistakes may lead students to remain silent, even when allowed to speak through initial The implementation of ice-breaking questions has contributed to creating a positive learning environment and stimulating student engagement from the beginning of the lesson.
However, the effectiveness of this activity depends on the teacherAos sensitivity in adjusting the level of question difficulty, understanding studentsAo emotional readiness, and providing appropriate support so that all students can participate actively and confidently in speaking TeacherAos Response to Students' Answer Globish.
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n Based on the observation results, the teacher provided two forms of feedback to studentsAo answers during the ice-breaking question sessions: verbal feedback, such as praise or follow-up questions and physical feedback, such as smiling, nodding, and maintaining eye contact while students were speaking.
Both forms of feedback played a role in creating a supportive learning environment and encouraging students to speak with greater confidence.
This was supported by student statements in the interviews, as follows:
"If I understand the material.
I usually feel more confident to say what is asked.
(NM)
"If I feel my answer is correct.
IAom confident.
" (CEP)
"Yes.
I feel more confident.
Sometimes IAom afraid of mispronouncing, but I just try to stay confident.
" (SZ)
Students prepare answer Student answer question Figure 3.
Student Responses and Teacher Feedback This aligns with Ma .
, who states that positive teacher feedback is more beneficial than negative feedback, as it can improve studentsAo learning behavior and motivate them to participate more actively.
This supports.
SundariAos .
, view that the teacherAos body language and facial expressions are essential parts of instructional interaction, making students feel safe and supported throughout the learning process.
However, the findings also showed that not all students responded positively to the teacherAos feedback.
According to Celebi .
, some students feel anxious when receiving feedback directly from the teacher in class because they are afraid of being judged negatively by the teacher or their peers.
This concern leads students to remain passive, even in a supportive classroom environment.
The teacherAos feedback on studentsAo answers played an essential role in creating a supportive learning atmosphere and building studentsAo confidence to Utilizing Ice-Breaking Questions To Improve Efl StudentsAo Participation In Speaking Activities: A Case Study Of Student Perceptions Rohamah.
Endahati P-ISSN: 2301-9913 | E-ISSN: 2597-9132 n However, the effectiveness of such feedback was still influenced by each studentAos psychological condition.
Therefore, teachers need to understand studentsAo characteristics and needs more deeply so that the feedback provided can truly support increased student participation in English speaking activities.
Based on the thematic analysis following Braun & ClarkeAos .
framework, the findings related to the first research question focusing on the implementation of the ice-breaking question technique by the teacher were organized into one overarching theme with three sub-themes.
The thematic analysis table below summarizes the main theme, sub-themes, representative student quotes, and their interpretations.
Table 1.
Thematic Analysis of Theme 1 Ae The Implementation of Ice-Breaking Question Technique by the Teacher Interpretation / Theme Sub-Theme Student Quote Meaning The Implementation of the Ice-Breaking Question Technique by the Teacher Teacher's Planning and Preparation in Implementing Ice-Breaking Questions AuIt has become a habit in every English class that before the lesson starts, we always get an icebreaking question.
(SZ)
AuWith ice-breaking questions at the start of every English lesson, it becomes more fun.
Ay (SAM) Teachers and prepare icebreaking questions in advance to set a positive tone for learning, combining fun and lessonrelated prompts to reduce tension.
AuItAos fun, enjoyable, classroom less tense because of the icebreaking Ay (CEP) The Process of Ice-Breaking Question in the Classroom Globish.
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AuItAos more enjoyable, more interesting, and definitely makes it With the icebreaking question at the beginning of every English lesson.
Implementation is involves structured routines: greeting students, displaying thinking time, and Globish
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n it becomes more calling students oneexciting.
Ay (SAM) by-one.
The balance between humor and AuItAos definitely fun, more exciting, and not stressful.
ThereAos readiness and reduces anxiety.
seriousness, so itAos not Ay (NM) AuBecause the icebreaking questions The atmosphere becomes pleasant, fun, and Ay (AME) TeacherAos Response to Students' Answer "If I understand the material.
I usually feel more confident to say what is asked.
(NM)
"If I feel my answer is IAom
" (CEP)
"Yes.
I feel more Sometimes IAom
mispronouncing, but I just try to stay
" (SZ)
TeacherAos verbal and non-verbal feedback fosters a supportive motivating students Confidence making mistakes.
StudentsAo Responses to the Implementation of Ice-Breaking Questions Based on the results of observations and interviews, the researcher identified several main themes that represented studentsAo perceptions of the implementation of the ice-breaking question technique in English-speaking lessons.
These findings were presented in detail to address the second research question regarding studentsAo perception, by referring to data obtained directly from classroom interactions and participantsAo statements.
The findings were categorized into the following three aspects:
Utilizing Ice-Breaking Questions To Improve Efl StudentsAo Participation In Speaking Activities: A Case Study Of Student Perceptions Rohamah.
Endahati P-ISSN: 2301-9913 | E-ISSN: 2597-9132 n Students' Response toward the Implementation of Ice-Breaking Questions The results of student interviews showed that the implementation of icebreaking questions generally received positive responses from students.
They stated that the activity was consistently carried out by the teacher at the beginning of every English class meeting, mainly to build a pleasant learning atmosphere and mentally prepare students for the core learning activities.
The questions displayed by the teacher were often humorous, helping create a more relaxed and informal classroom environment.
Most students reported feeling more at ease when answering ice-breaking questions, as the activity had become a routine that no longer created pressure.
As stated by the students:
"Now I feel more relaxed, not nervous at all.
Ay (SZ) AuItAos more relaxed, not nervous at all.
Just for fun.
Ay (SAM) AuIf I understand the question.
I feel more relaxed.
But if I donAot understand.
I usually get nervous.
Ay (NM) AuNot nervous because the question is fun.
But if the question is hard, of course I get a little nervous.
Ay (AME) AuIf the question is easy.
I donAot get nervous, just relaxed.
Ay (CEP) This aligns with the findings of Reffalleo .
, who states that ice breaking plays a role in building studentsAo confidence by creating a nonthreatening atmosphere and forming a positive routine that helps students feel calmer when using English.
This finding is supported by Khalaf .
, who explains that opening activities such as warm-ups or ice breaking can help build early engagement, but their effectiveness strongly depends on context, content, and studentsAo perceptions of task difficulty.
Although many students felt supported by the use of ice-breaking questions, there were also findings showing that not all students experienced the same level of increased As expressed in the following interview statements:
AuNo, because IAom afraid of making mistakes.
It's better to just keep quiet.
Ay (AME) AuNervous.
Sometimes I canAot answer.
Speaking English is difficult.
Ay (CEP) Support from the teacher through ice-breaking questions was not always enough to overcome psychological barriers such as fear of making mistakes, nervousness, or anxiety about speaking in front of the class.
This is in line with the study by Jannah et al.
, .
, who found that students still experience Globish.
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n speaking anxiety even when teachers apply strategies such as humor, light activities, or providing thinking time.
Such anxiety often stems from internal factors like fear of negative evaluation, past negative experiences, or low selfconfidence.
Furthermore, this finding is also supported by Alfian & Azis .
, who emphasizes that psychological barriers such as fear, shyness, or inferiority continue to be significant obstacles for students in speaking English.
The use of ice-breaking questions can create a more comfortable and enjoyable classroom atmosphere, helping most students feel more relaxed.
However, not all students respond in the same way, as some still experience anxiety especially when the questions are perceived as difficult or when they have specific psychological barriers.
Therefore, teachers need to consider differences in ability, experience, and emotional conditions when designing icebreaking questions so that this strategy can encourage active participation from all students in English-speaking lessons.
The Impact of Ice-Breaking Questions on Students' Speaking Participation The results of student interviews showed that the implementation of icebreaking questions contributed positively to building studentsAo readiness to participate in speaking activities during English lessons.
Several students stated that after participating in the ice-breaking questions session, they felt more prepared and confident to speak during group discussions or when answering the teacherAos questions throughout the lesson.
As expressed by the students:
"Well, sometimes I give my opinion.
Ay (SZ) AuThereAos no change, itAos the same.
Ay (SAM) AuIf I understand whatAos being discussed.
I speak more.
But if not.
I stay quiet.
(NM)
AuIf the activity is fun.
I speak.
So it depends on the atmosphere.
Ay (AME) AuI often agree with others, but if I have an opinion.
I share it.
Ay (CEP) The ice-breaking question helped reduce initial anxiety, allowed students to speak early, and encouraged them to build the confidence needed for active participation, especially among those who had a good understanding of the discussion topic.
This finding aligns with the study by Alfian & Azis .
, which shows that ice-breaking activities are effective in increasing studentsAo confidence, speaking courage, and classroom engagement.
In addition.
Akkasorn .
, explains that pre-speaking or lead-in activities, such as ice-breaking Utilizing Ice-Breaking Questions To Improve Efl StudentsAo Participation In Speaking Activities: A Case Study Of Student Perceptions Rohamah.
Endahati P-ISSN: 2301-9913 | E-ISSN: 2597-9132 n questions, play an important role in preparing students both psychologically and linguistically before they begin the main speaking tasks.
However, the interview results also revealed that the success of icebreaking questions was not experienced equally by all students.
This was reflected in deeper student interview responses about their readiness to speak:
"It depends on the material.
If I understand it, then I speak more smoothly.
(SAM)
"ItAos a bit fluent.
But if I have to read a lot of English, itAos less fluent.
It depends on whether I understand the content or not.
It really depends on the subject.
" (AME)
StudentsAo understanding of the lesson material directly influenced their confidence in speaking.
If they had a good grasp of the topic, they were more likely to speak fluently.
On the other hand, a lack of understanding led to This finding is supported by Rezki et al.
, .
, who state that while ice breaking can motivate students at the beginning of a lesson, their participation in speaking still largely depends on mastery of the content, psychological readiness, and overall support from the learning environment.
Ice-breaking questions helped build a positive and less tense atmosphere at the start of the lesson.
However, studentsAo speaking participation during the main session remained influenced by various factors, including personal readiness, mastery of the material, and the learning environment in the Challenges Faced by StudentsAo in Speaking after Ice-Breaking Questions Based on the results of student interviews, it was found that although the implementation of ice-breaking questions helped create a pleasant learning atmosphere at the beginning of the lesson, some students still faced difficulties participating actively in the main speaking sessions.
Students stated that uncertainty about the material, fear of making mistakes, and group dynamics affected their willingness to speak.
As expressed by the students:
"I prefer to stay quiet because I'm afraid of giving the wrong answer.
" (SZ)
"I choose to stay quiet and wait to see the question first.
" (SAM)
"If the group members are easy to talk to and open to discussion, it's easier to share But if the group tends to keep to themselves and not listen, it becomes " (NM) "Because I'm afraid of making mistakes.
I prefer to stay quiet.
" (AME)
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n "For now.
I'm still not confident.
Speaking English is still hard for me.
" (CEP)
This is consistent with Mahayuni .
, who states that speaking anxiety is often triggered by studentsAo fear of linguistic errors and negative judgment from teachers or peers.
This condition makes students more likely to remain silent rather than risk making mistakes in front of others.
In addition.
Garcia Ponce .
, highlights that limited vocabulary and sentence structure mastery are among the main reasons students lack confidence when speaking.
They tend to speak if they feel they do not have the necessary expressions.
In line with this Abbasi & Anthony .
, that an unsupportive group environment can worsen studentsAo reluctance to speak.
As noted by the students:
AuIf someone asks me.
I will answer.
But if we are in a group, they don't know who to ask.
I prefer to stay silent because I am afraid of giving the wrong answer.
Ay (SZ) AuThe group depends on the members.
If theyAore easy to talk to, itAos easier to share my opinion.
But if they keep to themselves and donAot listen, itAos hard.
Ay (NM) AuIf the group is small, itAos not too difficult.
But if there are too many members, it becomes hard.
4 or 3 members is better.
Ay (AME) Besides content readiness, the group discussion atmosphere and studentsAo psychological conditions also influenced their confidence to speak.
In line with Khan Monib & ur Rahman Hadi .
,affirms that speaking participation is not only affected by teaching strategies but also depends heavily on psychological factors such as anxiety, motivation, and social support during group discussions.
When students do not feel supported by their group environment, their participation tends to decrease.
Similarly.
Dincer .
finds that limitations in language ability .
rammar and vocabular.
, anxiety, and fear of making mistakes are dominant factors that hinder speaking participation.
The use of ice-breaking questions can help create a comfortable classroom atmosphere and encourage many students to become more confident in speaking English.
However, the outcomes still depend on each studentsAo level of readiness, psychological condition, and the supportiveness of the discussion Therefore, teachers need to adjust the types of questions and create a safe discussion space so that all students feel comfortable enough to participate actively.
Similarly, the thematic analysis for the second research question examining studentsAo perceptions of the implementation of Ice-Breaking Questions in English speaking activities identified one overarching theme with three sub-themes.
Table 2 presents a summary of these findings, including the Utilizing Ice-Breaking Questions To Improve Efl StudentsAo Participation In Speaking Activities: A Case Study Of Student Perceptions Rohamah.
Endahati P-ISSN: 2301-9913 | E-ISSN: 2597-9132 n main theme, sub-themes.
Table 2.
Thematic Analysis of Theme 2 Ae StudentsAo Responses to the Implementation of Ice-Breaking Questions Theme Sub-Theme Student Quote Interpretation / Meaning StudentsAo Students' "Now I feel more Students generally Responses to the Response relaxed, not nervous respond positively.
Implementation of the at all.
Ay (SZ) Ice-Breaking Implementation Questions of Ice-Breaking AuItAos more relaxed, enjoyable Questions not nervous at all.
Just for fun.
Ay (SAM) Comfort is higher AuIf I understand the questions.
I feel more ones may still trigger But if I donAot anxiety.
I usually get nervous.
Ay (NM) AuNot nervous because the question is fun.
But if the question is hard, of course I get a little nervous.
Ay (AME) AuIf the question is easy.
I donAot get Ay (CEP) The Impact of Ice-Breaking Questions Students' Speaking Participation Globish.
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"Well, sometimes I Ice-breaking give my opinion.
Ay questions (SZ) and readiness to AuThereAos no change, speak, itAos the same.
Ay (SAM) when AuIf I understand topic.
Participation whatAos being is discussed.
I speak comprehension.
But if not.
I stay interest.
Ay (NM) AuIf the activity is fun.
I So it depends on the atmosphere.
(AME)
Globish
ISSN: 2301-9913
n AuI often agree with others, but if I have an opinion.
I share it.
(CEP)
Challenges Faced StudentsAo
Speaking after Ice-Breaking Questions "I prefer to stay quiet
because I'm afraid of giving the wrong
" (SZ)
"I choose to stay quiet and wait to see the question first.
" (SAM)
AuIf members are easy to talk to and open to discussion, it's easier to share opinions.
(NM)
Despite the positive start, psychological barriers .
ear of mistakes, lack of group dynamics still Question difficulty level also affects "Because I'm afraid of making mistakes.
I prefer to stay quiet.
(AME)
"For now.
I'm still not Speaking English is still hard for me.
" (CEP)
CONCLUSION
This study concludes that the ice-breaking question technique positively influenced studentsAo participation in speaking English.
The teacher played an active and well-prepared role in implementing this technique at the beginning of the lesson, balancing fun and topic-related questions to maintain both engagement and relevance.
The teacher carefully prepared the questions, gave students time to think, and provided positive responses both verbally and through body language.
Most students responded positively to the use of ice-breaking questions because it helped create a relaxed and enjoyable classroom atmosphere, making them feel more confident to speak.
This technique was also useful in preparing students to speak before starting the main Utilizing Ice-Breaking Questions To Improve Efl StudentsAo Participation In Speaking Activities: A Case Study Of Student Perceptions Rohamah.
Endahati n P-ISSN: 2301-9913 | E-ISSN: 2597-9132 However, several students still faced difficulties.
Some students felt hesitant to speak due to a combination of factors: fear of making mistakes, lack of confidence, limited vocabulary, and the influence of group dynamics in the class.
In addition, differences in the difficulty level of the ice-breaking questions also affected studentsAo comfort in answering.
Students usually spoke more easily when the questions were easy to understand, but became hesitant when the questions were more difficult.
Therefore, although the use of ice-breaking questions was useful in encouraging students' speaking participation, teachers need to adjust the level of question difficulty according to students' abilities, so that all students feel ready and confident to speak.
REFERENCES