THE ROLE OF INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION IN INCREASING STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Abstract

This research investigates the role of interpersonal communication in increasing student participation in extracurricular activities in the school environment. Extracurricular activities play an important role in developing students’ personalities and social skills, but participation levels are often less than optimal. Therefore, this research aims to understand how interpersonal communication between students, teachers, and peers influences student participation levels. The method used in this research is qualitative. In extracurricular activities, participatory observation is carried out to provide a more complete picture of the interactions that occur. The results showed that good interpersonal communication, including emotional support, positive feedback, and collaboration, contributed significantly to increasing student participation. Students who feel heard and valued are more likely to actively participate in activities. Apart from that, a close relationship between students and teachers has also been proven to increase students’ self-confidence in participating in these activities. These results show that the development of interpersonal communication skills between teachers and students is very important. The recommendation from this research is the need for communication training for teachers and self-development programs for students to create an environment that supports active participation in extracurricular activities. Therefore, this research contributes to the development of more effective educational strategies to increase student participation in school.