MOTIVATIONClassroom Skills – Module 1

What is motivation?What is motivation to learn?

It is what ignites our desire to begin a task;

It helps us sustain the effort required to work towards and achieve our goals;

It is the process of generating actions, sustaining them, and regulating the activity;

It is the force or energy that results in engagement.

Classification of MotivationExtrinsic

Intrinsic

Extrinsic - comes from external sources such as receiving a reward or avoiding a punishment (prizes, grades, positive feedback).

Intrinsic - originates from within; leads students to do things because they find them enjoyable, interesting, or exciting (feelings of competence and self-determination).

Which form of motivation is more powerful?

Researchers and educators (Piaget, Krashen, Maslow, Bruner, Montessori, Steiner, Freire, Rogers) strongly favors intrinsic drives, especially for a long-term retention.

One of the principal weaknesses of extrinsically-driven behavior is its addictive nature.

Can your English classroom become a place where extrinsic

elements are diverted into a more positive direction?

school curriculum learner-centered, individualization

parental expectations family values

tests and exams self/peer-evaluation, portfolios

immediate gratification long-term goals, the big picture

competition cooperative learning, group work

never fail risk-taking, innovation, creativity

Extrinsic Intrinsic pressures innovations

Motivation and theEFL Classroom

- It takes time and effort to become proficient in the language.- Students will see positive effects from their efforts, such as enjoying the learning process, receiving constructive feedback and good grades, and improving their language abilities.- EFL students often have fewer opportunities than ESL students to use the language in a meaningful way.- The curriculum is rigid.- English language learning is not seen as interesting or relevant to the students’ needs.

Now that you are more aware of

the factors that affect student

motivation, how can you

increase your students’

motivation levels to learn?

Motivation SurveyStudent Interest Questionnaire

Have you ever carried out a survey like this with your students?

Lack of Motivation

- lack of success over time/lack of perception of progress;

- uninspired teaching;

- boredom;

- lack of perceived and relevance of materials;

- lack of knowledge about the goals of the instructional program;

- lack of appropriate feedback.

David Nunan, 1999

- attributions to intellect rather than effort;- emphasis on competition rather than collaboration;- no or few displays of student work;- no scaffolding for learning a new skill;- ineffective / negative feedback;- lack of connections;- too easy / too difficult tasks;- negative class atmosphere;- punitive classroom management;- slow pacing;- emphasis on finishing, not learning;- sparse, unattractive classroom;- poor planning.

Anita Woolfolk, 2007

What other reasons for students to be

unmotivated can you think of?

Motivational Strategies

- messages of high expectations;- communication of the importance of the work;- clear goals and directions;- connections across the curriculum;- attributions to effort;- encouragement to risk-taking;- games and play to reinforce concept or review material;- home-school connections;- multiple representations of a task;- positive classroom mangement and praise;- stimulation of creative thought;- opportunities for choice;- value students- communicate caring

Anita Woolfolk, 2007

- set a personal example with your own behavior;- develop a good relationship with the students;- increase the learners’ linguistic self-confidence;- make the language classes interesting;- promote learner autonomy;- personalize the learning process;- increase the learners’ goal-orientedness;- familiarize learners with the target culture;- create a pleasant relaxed atmosphere in the classroom;- present the tasks properly.

Zoltan Dornyei and Kata Czizer, 1998

Motivation to Learn in SchoolSix areas where teachers make decisions that can influence student motivation to learn:T: taskA: autonomyR: recognitionG: groupingE: evaluationT: time

Carole Ames,1990

Which of the strategies presented here do you normally use with your

groups?

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory

Abraham Maslow, 1970

Abraham Maslow, 1970

- be authentic;- become world citizens;- find their vocation and right mate;- know that life is precious;- be good and joyous in all kinds of situations;- learn from their inner nature;- see that basic needs are satisfied;- appreciate beauty and other good things in life;- understand that controls are good, and complete abandon is problematic;- transcend trivial problems;- try hard to deal with serious problems such as injustice, pain, suffering and death;- be given practice in making choices.

Is your school environment meeting the needs of all

your students?

To Sum Up