“Педагогические науки” / 5.Современные методы преподавания.

Chala K., Pilguieva O.

National University of Food technologies

National Pedagogical Dragomanov University

Ways to improve students’ motivation for learning foreign language in higher educational establishments.

The word "motivation" is typically defined as the forces that account for the arousal, selection, direction, and continuation of behavior. It is often used to describe certain sorts of behavior. A student who studies hard and tries for top grades may be described as being "highly motivated", while his/her friend may say that he is "finding it hard to get motivated". Such statements imply that motivation has a major influence on our behavior.

Motivation can be defined as a concept used to describe the factors within an individual which arouse, maintain and channel behavior towards a goal. Another way to say this is that motivation is goal-directed behavior.

It certainly makes sense that motivation would be associated with second language achievement since language learning requires a long-term time commitment, and motivated individuals would be more likely to devote the time required to language learning. It is also true that having a specific goal in language learning helps students focus their efforts and maintain their motivation.

One can say that a language is “best learned between the sheets”. Indeed, cross-cultural romance is a common form of integrative motivation. Learners who study a language with the aim of better understanding a culture, language, and society are more motivated.

People have different reasons for studying a foreign language; some people study a language for practical reasons, other people have a special affinity for the particular language. Some people study for the career advantages that language can bring, but to many language learners, studying the language is only a required for an academic degree.

Motivation plays a significant role in the process of learning a language. Language teachers cannot effectively teach a language if they do not understand the relationship between motivation and its effect on language acquisition. The motivation is what might be called passion and desire. Successful learners know their preferences, their strengths and weaknesses. Successful language learning is linked to the learner’s passion. And teachers should find ways to connect to this passion.

Learners need quality instruction, input, interaction, and opportunities for meaningful output, not only to make progress, but also to maintain motivation for language learning. A good teacher must tap into the sources of intrinsic motivation and find ways to connect them with external motivational factors that can be brought to a classroom setting. This is especially significant when English is not seen as important to the students' immediate needs, other than to pass exams. Because learners have different purposes for studying a language, it is important for instructors to identify students' purposes and needs and to develop proper motivational strategies. Students should understand why they need to make an effort, how long they must sustain an activity, how hard they should pursue it, and how motivated they feel toward their pursuits.

· Create a Friendly Atmosphere in the Classroom

· Encourage Students to Personalize the Classroom Environment

· Create Situations in Which Students Will Feel a Sense of Accomplishment

· Encourage Students to Set Their Own Short-Term Goals

· Provide Pair and Group Activities to Develop Students’ Confidence

· Connect Language Learning to Students' Interests Outside of Class

Motivational teaching strategies such as these can easily increase language learners' motivation levels.

Perhaps more than any other teacher, the foreign language instructor is not only a teacher, but a motivator. Students will participate if they sense enthusiasm and fresh ideas originating with the teacher. Of course, there is no one right way to teach a foreign language, no single approach to follow every day. Occasionally, it will be necessary to define and explain in the language they study. You will need to do a great deal of pre-planning to organize lessons around usable vocabulary and appropriate themes. Success as a foreign language teacher demands a commitment to searching for the most dynamic and interactive method of presenting each lesson. So you should be patient, allow student to succeed, be excited and positive, you should provide varied activities at the lesson and always reward your students.

References:

1. Dornyei, Z. 2001. Teaching and Researching Motivation. England: Pearson Education Limited.

2. http://asiasociety.org/improving-students’-capacity-foreign-languages