Филологические науки / 5. Методика преподавания иностранного языка

Ketsyk U. V.

Precarpathian National University named after V. Stefanyk, Ukraine

THE ROLE OF MOTIVATION IN LEARNING FOREIGN LANGUAGES

The knowledge of foreign languages is of great importance nowadays. In fact a foreign language serves as a bridge between the cultures of different peoples. Without a foreign language are impossible the economic, political and cultural relations between countries, the maintenance of spiritual and human values.
Modern society requires good specialists with knowledge of foreign languages. The study of languages becomes important both for professional development and for personality development. The main objective of a teacher is to teach students of a foreign language as the means of communication. Educational activity of students must be determined by deep positive motives. A motivational factor is the most important in the process of learning foreign languages.

Motivation is a starting mechanism of any activity (labour, communication, cognition). Motivation - is the system of impulses which stimulate and direct educational activity to deeper learning foreign languages, improvement of got knowledge and craving for necessity to develop cognition of foreign activity. Motivation is fed and supported by visible, real, gradual and final success. If success is absent, motivation goes down and it negatively affects a performer of activity. Progress in a mastering of foreign languages, satisfaction actual cognitive motives during learning foreign languages, forms high motivation of permanent work with it, use of a foreign languages to get concrete information (reading of magazines, newspapers, explanatory dictionaries, communication with foreign partners etc.). A language becomes irreplaceable in cognitive activity of a student and promotes motivation of studying languages.

Scientists who investigate motivation of mastering foreign languages distinguish a number of types of motivation taking into account individual development of students’ necessities. For example: 1) communicative motivational motivation, which is based on a requirement of communication; 2) lingvo-cognitive motivation, based on student’s desire of cognition of linguistic phenomena; 3) motivation of regional ethnography which depends on a subject and emotional personal interest of a student.

The structural components of motivational sphere are necessities, motives, activity, aims, and interests. However we can say that motives are an inner background on that the process of behavior motivation is opened for any activity in the whole and the internal state of personality. Generally motives of studies are divided into external and internal. External motives are in the form of requirements as to curricula, programs, educational establishments, teachers, parents and others. Such motives are based on a sense of duty to society, family, teachers, group-mates. In their basis is assurance in expediency of certain activity, sense of responsibility, respect to the requirements of a college, desire to strengthen the reputation of a good student etc. Internal motives of educational activity can be predetermined by the internal feelings of a student, related to his personal interests, persuasions, intentions, dreams, ideals, passions, instructions.

An action of external and internal factors of motivation ("I must" and "I want") must be balanced. Coordination of maintenance of educational subject and methods of mastering it with the real possibilities of professional communication and students’ interests of assists forming of positive motivation.

Basic sources of motivation in learning foreign languages are:
1. Student’s realization and acceptance of social necessity of learning foreign languages.
2. Forming in students of personality necessities of learning foreign language.
3. Satisfaction in (from) the process of studies.

Motivation grows when we take into account of a number of social-psychological factors: favourable emotional atmosphere, emotional behavior of foreign language teacher, his goodwill and respect to students; adjusting of mutual relations of collaboration, rapprochement of social role-play positions and reduction of social distance during communication of a teacher and a student, absolute acceptance of every student regardless of a level of his speech preparation, didactic adaptability and effectiveness of learning foreign languages etc. These factors influence positively on students, they lessen and deprive a sense of lack of confidence in students, their fear before the expected negative evaluation judgements of a teacher, promotes the self-appraisal of a student, strengthen his confidence in speech abilities.

Forming of students’ motivation must be closely connected with development of their professional orientation. Many scientists write about the role of the professionally directed teaching foreign languages. For example, Mary Schleppegrell in her article “English for specific purposes” [2] calls teachers to link the studies of foreign language with the future profession or activity of students. The purpose of every lesson must be practice during that students have the opportunity to apply the knowledge of a foreign language with their future speciality. Such practice can be role games which always cause the personal interest and activity of students.

Students are always interested in getting foreign information about their future professional activity. Interesting material about foreign countries, information related to the sphere of future activity of students can help logically and effectively to decide tasks on the socio-cultural orientation of learning foreign languages in the whole, to extend phonetic knowledge of students, to increase their vocabulary and, certainly, to strengthen the motivational aspect of studying foreign languages.

Practice of teaching shows that students have constant interest to history, culture, art, customs, traditions, everyday life of people, hobbies of peers. For this reason teachers have carefully to choose educational material, because they are responsible for preparation of future specialists as foreign speakers, who are ready for professional communication with the representatives of foreign countries. Optimally chosen material fastens all components of motivation: necessities, interests, emotions, motives. Forming of high motivation of students a teacher needs to choose and use corresponding educational materials which have communicative, professional values, creative contents and stimulate thinking activity of students. The use of such materials motivates an educational process, assists deepening of cognitive activity. Motivation is necessary in learning foreign languages, and the main goal of a teacher is to preserve, stimulate and support this motivation.

Literature:

1. Амонашвили Ш.А. Личностно-гуманная основа педагогического процесса. - Минск: Изд-во Минского гос. университета, 1990. - 560 с.

2. Schleppegrell M. English for specific purposes: A Program Design Model // Teacher Development: Making the Right Moves. - Washington, D.C., 1994. - P.234-245.