Study of the Relationship between Self-Esteem and the English Learning Achievement of Students at SMU Advent Klabat Manado

Abstract

The study sought to find out the significant relationship between self-esteem and the English learning achievement of students at SMU Advent Klabat Manado and to know whether it was high or low. Furthermore, this study was also to find out whether there is significant difference between males and females in their level of self-esteem. The subjects of this study were the second-year students of SMU Advent Klabat Manado. There were 50 students who were chosen randomly to become the sample. They were 26 female students and 24 male students. The data were obtained from a self-constructed questionnaire based on Coopersmith’s concept of self-esteem. To answer the main problem of this study, the Pearson r Product Moment Coefficient Correlation formula was used. The result indicated that there is significant relationship between self-esteem and the English learning achievement of students at SMU Advent Klabat Manado. Therefore, the null hypothesis which said there is no significant relationship between self-esteem and the English learning achievement of students at SMU Advent Klabat Manado, was rejected. Moreover, the results showed a significant difference between males and females in their level of self-esteem. It was recommended that English teachers at SMU Advent Klabat Manado should explore more possibilities of serving the students in learning English particularly by cultivating their self-esteem, for it will significantly contributed to their achievement in English. Moreover, English teachers of SMU Advent Klabat Manado should treat the male and female students differently. Since the female students have higher self-esteem than the male, so male, especially, should be encouraged to cultivate their self-esteem so they will gain higher achievement in English. On the other hand, students need to appreciate themselves, and their own ability as the gift of God, for the self-esteem they have contributed to or increase their ability to learn the English language. A study with a broader sample should be done for further study using a similar methodology and instrumentation. Furthermore, future research should replicate this study using other levels such as elementary, junior high school, and college.  Key words: Self-esteem, English learning, Achievement