Филологические науки/1.Методика  преподавания языка и литературы

Lekhkun G.V.

Bukovinian State Medical University,Ukraine

The role of motivation in foreign language learning

Educators across the country are frustrated with the challenge of how to motivate the ever increasing number of freshmen students entering universities who are psychologically, socially, and academically unprepared for the demands of university life. Such students often exhibit maladaptive behavior such as tardiness, hostility towards authority, and unrealistic aspirations.

The standard approach is to address the problem as an academic issue through remedial or developmental instruction. Developmental education programs however do not address the whole problem. Lack of motivation is not limited to the academically weak student. Successful remedial and study strategies courses aimed at the underprepared student have demonstrated that students who really want to improve their skills can do so when motivated. However, even the best remedial instruction programs have failed to positively impact the student who is both underprepared academically and unmotivated. When students have both a lack of academic skills and lack motivation, the greater problem is motivation. Faculty often have neither the time or inclination to address difficult motivational issues in the classroom, consequently, the task of trying to effectively motivate such students often falls to academic advisors.

The problem of devising effective strategies that influence motivation relies initially on the identification of specific motivational factors. The histories of psychology and education are abundant with research on motivation and its effect on behavior. The study of motivation in education has undergone many changes over the years, moving away from reinforcement contingencies to the more current social-cognitive perspective emphasizing learners’ constructive interpretations of events and the role that their beliefs, cognitions, affects, and values play in achievement.

Motivation to learn is a competence acquired "through general experience but stimulated most directly through modeling, communication of expectations, and direct instruction or socialization by significant others (especially parents and teachers)."

Student's home environment shapes the initial constellation of attitudes they develop toward learning. When parents nurture their children's natural curiosity about the world by welcoming their questions, encouraging exploration, and familiarizing them with resources that can enlarge their world, they are giving their children the message that learning is worthwhile and frequently fun and satisfying.

When students are raised in a home that nurtures a sense of self-worth, competence, autonomy, and self-efficacy, they will be more apt to accept the risks inherent in learning. Conversely, when students do not view themselves as basically competent and able, their freedom to engage in academically challenging pursuits and capacity to tolerate and cope with failure are greatly diminished.

The student’s role in education is crucial and should go beyond the traditional view of student as customer or recipient of knowledge. In addition to the roles of buyer and recipient, “students are the raw materials for education and the primary products of educational transformations; and most important...students are key members of the labor force involved in creating education”. Also, the increasing diversity of individual differences among students can be seen in time management, learning styles, maturity, demographics, experiential background, cultural orientation, and interests. Teachers should be “producers of environments that allow students to learn as much as possible”. Student motivation is enhanced when these factors pertinent to students are present:

- Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation: Typical students bring varying degrees of both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to the learning arena. Intrinsic motivational factors found to be at work with most students include involvement (the desire to be involved), curiosity (find out more about their interests), challenge (figuring out the complexity of a topic), and social interaction (creating social bonds). Extrinsic motivational factors include compliance (to meet another’s expectation, to do what one is told); recognition (to be publicly acknowledged); competition; and work avoidance (avoid more work than necessary). Individuals who are motivated intrinsically tend to develop high regard for learning course information without the use of external rewards or reinforcement. On the other hand, individuals who are motivated extrinsically rely solely on rewards and desirable results for their motivation. Students who are motivated externally are at a greater risk of performing lower academically than intrinsically motivated students. It is interesting to note that nontraditional students report higher levels of intrinsic motivation than traditional students.

- Efficient use of energy and focus: Students should be taught how to produce results while maintaining focus and energy. Businesses and organizations certainly focus on getting the right results with the least effort or cost. Hence, educators need to train students to “stalk” efficient and effective results. In another complementary vein pertinent to the “greening” of business and the planet as a whole, each individual ultimately will be required to become a master of focusing on and using skills such as personal energy conservation and regeneration. This theme of efficiency should serve the student in his or her studies as well as in his or her life and global citizenry.

- Purposeful connection with work: Emergent motivation results from connecting with work as a source of self-expression, exploration, and sustained creativity. It is emergent because purpose arises out of the interaction between a student and what he or she perceives as a significant and meaningful context. That is, students discover their own rewards by mastering new challenges and making unique contributions in a significant and meaningful context. To foster emergent motivation, educators need to design variety into a learning system. This variety can overcome extensive individual differences in student inputs and yield uniformly high levels of perceived personal effectiveness, organizational effectiveness, ability to apply course materials, and satisfaction with both course results and the educational process. Also, students become co-producers in the educational system because they are inherently responsible for the learning work that takes place.

Conscientiousness and achievement: It is suggested that conscientious students may do better because of differences in achievement motivation capacity. As such, achievement motivation assessments and prior academic achievement could help identify students likely to maximize their potential. On the other end of the continuum, it also could alert educators to less conscientious and less achievement-oriented students. Then, in turn, educators could provide appropriate attention, incentives, or trainings that positively impact these students. In addition, it may be possible to retrain students to self-regulate motivation for challenging academic tasks, thereby enhancing their effort regulation capacities. Interventions could be developed for this purpose. It seems that success does breed success.

- Public speaking competence: Student motivation has been positively related to public speaking competence, but not to the demonstration of communication knowledge. Because fear of public speaking is a prevalent phobia of most people, continued practice in public speaking will teach students how to face their greatest fears and get over them, hence, getting over unconscious blocks, rebuilding traits, and enhancing self-concept. These positive results should make students more confident and motivated.

- Lecture attendance: Lectures are viewed as positively associated with academic performance. They also are perceived as valuable and interesting learning experiences for students. Then, why is it that students skip lectures? Lectures may be seen as only one of an array of student pressures. As a result, students engage in a constant decision process that involves weighing the benefits against the costs of attending lectures. Students generally see lectures as optional and not always as a beneficial or enjoyable part of their college time. Non-attendance may simply be a coping strategy that signals difficulty in coping with the content, processes, or schedules associated with formal learning.

- Comprehensive, long-range educational plan: The development of a long-range educational plan will help students to value education and to make the most of their time in school. This plan also should contribute to their confidence and reduce the fear of the unknown. That is, students who have compiled a long-range plan are less likely to give up when difficulties occur. This plan is even more effective when it is updated continuously and encompasses the transition from education to career. Creating a vision of adulthood and who they want to become is very empowering. This planning process can empower students to see the connection between school and work. Ultimately, it prepares them for a lifetime of productive employment and continual learning.

Conclusions

Generally students are motivated to do well when conditions at home and at school are favorable. In extreme situations one may find children who have everything going for them getting distracted and choosing the wrong path in life. Alternatively, one may find students who appear to have very little motivation at home buckling their belts and setting their own course for success. Motivation can come from any number of sources, but wherever it comes from it is that force which impels us to move forward to achieve - nay to excel.

References:

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