TEFL Primghar Iowa

Motivation in the classroom is a vital factor without which foreign language teaching cannot work properly, since studying on their own is essential for students to make progress. Wiliam T. Lile calls it ‘the key to all learning' (William T. Lile). We have to differentiate motivation at different age. Infants and young children are highly motivated because of curiosity towards the world they explore. Older children often lose this curiosity (Linda Lumsden). Hence, at this age it is very important to provide them with interesting and engaging tasks connected with topics they are keen on. Meanwhile, adults very often learn because they have high external motivation – their boss requires language skills, they want to obtain a better job, they need english while travelling or even because this is the language they communicate with their partners. Nevertheless, teaching in a group is the best example that not everyone has the same motivation and the similar level of motivation. Linda Lumsden differentiates motivation connected with doing an activity and more general motivation to learn: ‘Student motivation naturally has to do with students' desire to participate in the learning process. But it also concerns the reasons or goals that underlie their involvement or noninvolvement in academic activities' (Op.cit). Lumsden cites Mark Lepper who distinguishes intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. These kinds of motivation differ from each other mainly in the reason people do a certain activity. If it comes from the inner man, we do the activity because we want to do so for its own sake, for ourselves, it is intrinsic motivation. Whereas if the source of our decision to do the activity is external, our motivation is called extrinsic (Op.cit). There are a lot of such external reasons such as grades at school, teacher, parent or peer approval, stickers, stamps or other rewards. Meanwhile, the term motivation to learn which is "the meaningfulness, value, and benefits of academic tasks to the learner – regardless of whether or not they are intrinsically interesting" (Hermine Marshall 1987 in Linda Lumsden). William T. Lile and Linda Lumsden offer different ways how the teacher can influence on students' motivation. They both agree that the teacher's goal is to produce in his students intrinsic motivation, which is an ideal state. They mention that supportive classroom ambience and a caring teacher are vital factors. What is more, a well-planned lessons, clear instructions, relevant and engaging material, a wide range of ‘challenging but achievable' (Lumsden) activities and a teacher's positive attitude to teaching and life in general are crucial in the discussed area (Lumsden, Lile). Moreover, Lumsden emphasizes that teachers have to remember about defining a task with the use of short-term goals, students are more keen to learn if they see a purpose of a task. It is wise to introduce an activity to students explaining its purpose (Lumsden). It is important to use as many tasks connected with real life situations as it is possible. Lumsden also draws attention to the fact that the teacher has to be careful with extrinsic rewards, because they might reduce intrinsic motivation (Lumsden). The teacher needs also to encourage students to set their own aims (http://www.priceless-teaching-strategies.com) and to visualise what will happen if they achieving them, for example a student may say: ‘If I learn talking on the phone expressions, I will be able to speak english on the phone and I will be promoted'. Nevertheless, this strategy may work rather with adults than with children and teenagers. On the website http://www.priceless-teaching-strategies.com there are also other excellent ideas to increase students' motivation, such as games, classroom jobs, which in my opinion can work better with younger learners. They obtain different jobs connected with what is to be done in the classroom (cleaning, giving hand-outs, etc.). Summing up, improving motivation in the class might be a great challenge for any teacher. Creativity, ingeniousness and good sense of humour may be helpful in this tough task. The reward is wonderfull: an engaged and enthusiastic class is an environment where every teacher would like to work. Bibliography: 1. William T. Lile, Motivation in the esl classroom, http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Lile-Motivation.html 2. Linda Lumsden, Student Motivation To Learn. ERIC Digest, Number 92, http://www.ericdigests.org/1995-1/learn.htm 3. http://www.priceless-teaching-strategies.com/student_motivation.html