THE CORRELATION BETWEEN SOCIAL INTERACTION ON DIGITAL PLATFORMS AND ENGLISH SPEAKING ABILITY AMONG SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL LEARNERS

Speaking ability among high school learners of English as a foreign language (EFL)
is influenced by various factors, social interaction is often considered an influencing
factor, but this study found insignificant results. This study aimed to examine the
relationship between social interaction on digital platforms and English speaking
ability among class 11A students at MAN Rejang Lebong. A quantitative
correlational design was employed with a sample of 39 students. Social interaction
was measured using a questionnaire, and speaking ability was assessed based on
teacher-assigned scores. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and
Pearson correlation analysis. The results showed a very weak and statistically
insignificant positive correlation between the two variables (r = 0.078, p = 0.638).
These findings suggest that, in this context, students’ interaction on digital
platforms specifically TikTok did not significantly correlate with their speaking
ability. While previous studies have reported positive impacts of interaction on
language development, this study highlights that such outcomes may vary
depending on factors such as sample size, learner characteristics, and the nature of
interaction. It is therefore important to consider digital interaction as one of many
elements that may influence speaking skill development.
Keywords: Social interaction, Speaking Ability, High School learners.