THE CORELLATION BETWEEN MOTIVATION AND SPEAKING SKILL OF THE SEVENTH-GRADE STUDENTS OF SMP NEGERI 1 UBUD IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2024/2025

There are four main skills of English, including listening, reading, writing, and speaking. Speaking is the skill to speak with words and communicate orally to convey thoughts, ideas, and emotions in a variety of communication contexts . This study aims to investigate the correlation between motivation and speaking skill among seventh-grade students of SMP Negeri 1 Ubud during the academic year 2024/2025. Employing an ex-post facto correlational research design, the study involved 110 students selected through cluster sampling from three classes. Data were collected using questionnaires to measure motivation and speaking tests to evaluate students' speaking skills. The results revealed a positive and significant correlation between students' motivation and their speaking skills, with a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.377. This indicates a weak but meaningful relationship. The study concluded that motivation is an essential factor influencing speaking skill development. The findings are expected to provide insights for educators to enhance students' motivation in language learning, particularly in improving their speaking abilities. It also serves as a reference for further research exploring the relationship between psychological factors and language acquisition.