The Relationship between EFL Learners’ Self Esteem and Second Language Learning in SMAN 1 Langke Rembong

Background

In recent years, finding factors that affect language learning have caused many scholars to try to seek for psychologic factors that can help students to facilitate their language learning. Between so many features that can affect language learning, it seems that self-esteem can have an important role. Nigar G Khawaja (2017) ever did a quantitative research about the anxiety and stress of nursing students that resulted in how the anxiety and stress influence the second language acquisition. By this previous research, we know that, the psychologic factors really give the important effects in how children learn languages. That is why, by this writing, the author wants to make another research about how psychologic factors influence students capacity to learn or acquire language; especially in self-esteem factor. Beside that, the author also wants to make a qualitative research about this factor by making an interview analysis of EFL students at SMAN I Ruteng.

In modern days and due to financial problems and education development, some students are unlucky to reach the required goals. The language barrier is considered as a challenge for them, especially in proving themselves and achieving high scores in academic institutions. They might face many problems, such as finding difficulty in understanding subjects. They will get tired of having to look up every hard word they hear, and either get discouraged or encouraged to work even harder. In case of obstruction, the grades of these students will eventually incline. Hence, it might become hard for them to face the outside world, and their self-esteem might stay quite low. That is why, the proficiency in the English language is a nightmare to some but to others it might be as easy as breathing. Non-native English speaking students who started their learning career at an early age usually have higher English language proficiency than students who started at a later age. Those who started at a really early age would normally have a very high English language proficiency that could be compared to native-English speaking students.

To be a language proficient, students’ should demonstrate not only fluency but accuracy as well, and that can be considered as educational achievement. Non-native English speaking students consider having English language proficiency as an educational goal, which is the academic achievement. Therefore, they get to feel more confident and more belonging because of their achievement and proficiency, which lead them to be more involved in the society.

Rosenberg (1989) described self-esteem as a positive or negative attitude towards a person’s self. He concluded that a person with high self-esteem is “an individual who respects himself and considers himself worthy”. Self-respect has also been defined as what the person feels regarding himself or what other people think and feel regarding him. Baumeister (1993) stated that self-esteem is changeable over time due to several life events such as competition, attraction, conformity, causal attribution, helpfulness, achievement, and coping with stressful life events. High self-esteem represents a “healthy” view of the self. People who have a positive self-esteem evaluate themselves in a positive way. Pope et al.(1998) stated in his research that a person with low self-esteem is indeed a person who fears contact with others, rejects himself, and feels no pride in himself as a person. Several factors can affect an adolescent’s self-esteem, and they are family environment, society, and academic achievement.

Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of self-esteem on SMAN 1 Ruteng students in learning second language. It also intends to examine whether there is a relatively high correlation between English proficiency, sucessful English learning, and High self-esteem. By the statements above, the author chooses the title of this scientific writing; that is “ The Relationship between EFL Learners’ Self Esteem and Second Language Learning in SMAN 1 Langke Rembong”.