How do you maintain your learners’ motivation? In this webinar, Craig Thaine discussed different kinds of learner motivation, tracing the history of motivation in second language teaching, exploring ways of thinking about motivation, and sharing practical suggestions on how teachers can help learners with motivation.
Different kinds of learner motivation
Think about what motivates your learners: is it because they need to be able to cope when travelling abroad; is it to widen their employment opportunities, or because their parents want them to? Whatever your learners’ motivations for learning English, knowing them can help you engage them during the course.
The history of motivation in language teaching
There are four main theories of motivation:
- Social Psychological
- Cognitive situated
- Socio-dynamic
- L2 motivational self-system
Social Psychological theories sees motivation as integrative – being able to communicate with people in the L2 community – and instrumental: the usefulness of the language for work or study.
Cognitive situated theories suggests learners’ confidence is dependent on how they deal with success or failure. Situational-specific factors such as the course, the teacher and the learning environment also have a profound effect on motivation.
Moving into the 2000s, the socio-dynamic approach looked at motivation changing over time; this was then further developed to become the L2 motivational self-system (Dornyei & Kubanyiova, 2014). This theory suggests a learner has an ideal self – the kind of L2 user the learner would like to become – and the ought-to self – the kind of L2 user the learner thinks they should become – and explores how this links in with the L2 learning experience which creates situation-specific motivation.
The Melting Pot
Considering all the theories, motivation can be split into three categories:
- Individual motivation
- Curriculum motivation
- Real-time motivation
Individual motivation has integrative and instrumental needs which include confidence (how anxious someone is about learning), attitude and motivation selves: the ideal self (where I would like to be) and the ought-to self (why I am really learning this language).
Curriculum motivation includes learning materials and resources, the teacher, methodology, assessment, and class environment.
Real-time motivation comprises the ‘in the moment’ motivators, including the tasks and activities being worked on, the teacher’s behaviour in the classroom and their skills.
Task
Please match the categories above to the statements below.
Managing Motivation
… I think most students’ motivation can be worked on and increased. Although rewards and punishments are too often the only tools present in the motivational arsenal of many teachers, the spectrum of other, and potentially more effective, motivational strategies is so broad….. (Dorneyei, 2001)
Individual motivation can be increased by setting goals for the learner, giving them a sense of achievement throughout the course. Make sure individual goals are realistic and achieveable. Get your learners to visualise their future selves, for example ‘My future self will pass the grammar test next month’: using imagining as a tool for motivation is a good idea because learners can visualise themselves doing something they want to achieve. It’s also important to remember to make a task suitable for the learners: ask yourself if the task is accomplishable as well as whether it will give the learner a sense of achievement.
Curriculum motivation can be increased by supplying engaging and relevant tasks and materials. Materials that are irrelevant to the learners, where learners have no prior knowledge of the topic, or not giving the learners time to prepare can all affect motivation. Make sure your materials are relevant to your learners: if you are asking your learners, for example, to discuss Buenos Aires, make sure they have enough information and time to read and absorb enough information that they can have a meaningful and informed discussion. Use visuals and/or videos to encourage engagement and develop their imaginations. Make sure the tasks you set have a logical sequence, so learners are supported through the cycle; provide learners with an opportunity to personalise their answers too.
For example:
Real-time motivation can be managed and developed by making sure learners are given clear instructions and have time to set up. Classroom management is also extremely important – especially in mixed ability classes. Monitor your classes attentively and respond to needs as they arise, as well as varying teaching skills.
It is important to remember that the motivation types we have discussed today are all dynamic processes and will most likely change over time.
Answers to the task
