AN ANALYSIS OF STUDENTS SELF - CONFIDENCE FACTORS IN DEBATING COMPETITIONS IN BANDA ACEH

This research discusses the importance of debate competitions as a tool to improve public speaking skills, critical thinking, and self-confidence among high school students, particularly in Banda Aceh. Using a qualitative approach and case study method, in-depth interviews were conducted with two debaters from SMA Negeri 3 Banda Aceh and SMAN 10 Fajar Harapan who excelled in debate competitions via whatsapp call. The results showed that personal experiences, especially achievements and how to handle failures constructively, greatly contributed to their self-confidence; successful experiences, such as winning national competitions, served as confidence boosters, while failures were seen as opportunities to learn. In addition, social support from family, friends, and educational institutions were also identified as crucial factors in maintaining and enhancing debaters' self-confidence. The conclusion of this study emphasizes the importance of both personal and social factors in the development of debate-related self-confidence. The study also noted limitations, such as the small sample size, and the specific cultural context in Banda Aceh that may affect the generalizability of the findings, thus recommending further exploration to look at the broader context and other factors that may influence students' confidence in debate competitions.