The Perceived Impacts Of Participation In The English Department Student Association (Edsa) On Students' Speaking Skills Development

The need to enhance English speaking proficiency among Indonesian EFL learners has led to interest in extracurricular activities that complement formal classroom instruction, as traditional classroom settings often fail to provide sufficient opportunities for spontaneous verbal communication. While quantitative studies have shown that student organizations can improve speaking performance, there is a gap in understanding how students themselves perceive the impact of their participation in such organizations, particularly the English Department Student Association (EDSA) at UIN Ar-Raniry. This study, therefore, aimed to qualitatively explore EFL students' perceptions of the impact of EDSA participation on their speaking skills development and to identify which specific EDSA programs are perceived as most beneficial. Employing a descriptive qualitative design, data were collected concurrently from ten purposively selected active members of EDSA through in depth semi-structured interviews. The qualitative data underwent rigorous thematic analysis based on the Miles and Huberman interactive model. Students predominantly perceived EDSA positively, reporting that the organization provides a supportive and non-judgmental environment that significantly enhances their speaking fluency, pronunciation, vocabulary, and confidence by reducing anxiety and enabling active participation. EDSA was also perceived to foster learner autonomy, personal branding, and leadership identity. Regarding specific programs, English Day was perceived as the most beneficial due to its regular, informal practice opportunities, followed by Debate Club, Speaking and Branding Class, Talk Club with LDC, and large-scale events such as international seminars. However, these benefits were conditional on students' active participation and selfregulation skills, as challenges in time management, limited vocabulary, unsupportive peers, and social comparison were noted. It is concluded that EFL students perceive EDSA as a beneficial platform for speaking development, primarily through a cycle of supportive environment, confidence building, and interactive practice. Its effectiveness is contingent on supporting student active engagement and strategically maintaining diverse, high-quality programs.