Teach English in Pingshang Zhen - Linyi Shi

Bahous etal, 2011 define motivation as effective strategies that are used by educators to ensure learners develop good English language skills. Motivation is an essential aspect in an EFL classroom which enables students to concentrate and enjoy learning. According to TEFL academy, 2017 , learning a language requires dedication and hard work so if students lack motivation, their chances of learning how to speak and understand the language become minimal. Manipulating and controlling the motivation of students in a classroom in-turn shape the personalities of the students involved and their ability to grasp concepts during lessons hence positive motivation is an important aspect of EFL teaching. Various factors enable student motivation in a classroom and they will be discussed in this essay. Teachers should encourage more student centred lessons because if they always dominate the whole lesson it might end up making students lose interest and focus during classes. Teachers should always be friendly with the students and ensure students are comfortable discussing any issues with them. If students are comfortable around their teacher they automatically become comfortable during classes and will participate more without intimidation from the teacher' s side. This is a good sign of positive motivation in class because less motivated students do not contribute anything during lessons and always wait for the teacher to do all the talking (TEFL academy,2017). Use of technology and various gadgets during lessons also positively motivates students in a classroom. Traditional learning using text books can become monotonous and boring to the students. Incorporating some technological aspects like screening videos during lessons to help students understand concepts or using CD players during listening classes instead of just reading to students will however capture the attention of students in a better way and in-turn increase their motivation during lessons. Yagaioglu, 2017 states that rewarding students can also increase their motivation in a classroom. An example would be to award merits to outstanding students or students who would have greatly improved in a certain topic as this will also motivate the rest of the class to work harder and aim higher in the future. An EFL teacher should also clarify the purpose of learning a second (foreign) language (L2) to their students and motivate them to enjoy learning it by explaining how much it will help them communicate effectively with people from other countries. The teacher should also explain to them that they should not take it merely as a language for studying purposes but as a tool which will help them in the future when they pursue their dreams outside their native country. Just clarifying how important it is to learn the language will enable students to be self motivated during classes. Another great way of motivating students in an EFL classroom is group work and pairing up of students during activities done in class. This assists the students to help each other understand a language and clarify instructions among themselves while working on a task. It also gives students the chance to first practise the language among themselves before expressing it to the teacher thus boosting their confidence in using the language. The sitting arrangement of students greatly determines whether students are negatively or positively motivated during an EFL class. The teacher should always ensure that their students sit in a manner which allows maximum eye contact between the teacher and the students. It is believed that if a teacher speaks without looking at the students their attention drops and they will not be motivated to listen to what the teacher would be saying. The sitting arrangement should also be structured in a way that ensures no student is left to sit alone as this will dampen their spirit during a class and in turn demotivate them to learn (Anon,n.d). Teachers should avoid frequent correction of errors made during an EFL class because this will make students reluctant to participate as they will be too embarrassed to make mistakes. It is important that teachers learn to correct any errors made by students without humiliating or hurting them if they want the students to stay motivated to learn English as a second language. Involving students in various activities throughout an Engage Study Activate (ESA) lesson helps the less motivated students to also take part in lessons and in-turn increases their motivation. The use of flash cards , realia and gap fill during the study phase of a lesson keep the students interested in learning a new language. These methods can also be used to elicit ideas from the students and also increase their level of participation during classes. Course materials should be selected carefully and it is essential for a teacher to select course materials which suit the student's needs because if that does not happen students will not be motivated to learn since the material used will not be necessary to them in any way (Yagaioglu,2017). A positive vision of oneself is also enough motivation which effectively encourages a student to learn an L2 effectively. This kind of attitude should be imparted on all students by their teachers and it should on its own keep a student motivated during classes. The teacher should have positive psychology and emotions to understand all students needs during classes. If teachers possess positivism within them they can just transfer this attitude to students who will in-turn be motivated to learn whatever they would be teaching. Motivation in foreign language education is an inevitable task. Highly motivated students produce exceptional results hence it is essential that all teachers take this role seriously and professionally motivate all their students if they expect a positive outcome after teaching. REFERENCES Anon, nd. Ways of motivating EFL/ESL students in the classroom. Also available @ https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk Bahous,R., Bacha,N.N.& Nabhani,M. 2011. Motivating students in the EFL classroom : A case study of perspectives. English language teaching. 4(3) p 33-43 Fernandez, D.M & Perez Canado. M. 2001. Exploring the student' s motivation in the EFL class. Present and future trends in TEFL. p 321-364 TEFL Academy, 2017. How to promote motivation in the EFL classroom. Also available @ https://www.theteflacademy.com/blog/2017/09 Yagaioglu, O. 2017. Motivating students in EFL classes. International Journal of English language teaching. 5(8)p 100-114