M O T I VA T I O N
What is motivation?
The following definitions of motivation were gleaned from a variety of psychology textbooks and reflect the general consensus that motivation is an internal state or condition (sometimes described as a need, desire, or want) that serves to activate or energize behavior and give it direction . Most motivation theorists assume that motivation is involved in the performance of all learned responses; that is, a learned behavior will not occur unless it is activated. The major question among psychologists, in general, is whether motivation has a primary or secondary influence on behavior.
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 non-involvement in academic activities. Although students may be equally motivated to perform a task, the sources of their motivation may differ.
A student who is INTRINSICALLY motivated undertakes an activity “for its own sake, for the enjoyment it provides, the learning it permits, or the feelings of accomplishment it evokes“. An EXTRINSICALLY motivated student performs „IN ORDER TO obtain some reward or avoid some punishment external to the activity itself,“ such as grades, stickers, or teacher approval .
How to motivate students?
Nowadays it´s very difficult to motivate students to doany work in theirlessons. They have many opportunities to learn much more interesting information than they could in school. When they are in their teens, they really don´t care what they might need later, after leaving their school.In this manner the situation and tasks for teachers are much more difficult today.One of the ways of motivating students is to show them that the result of the learning process can have a practical purpose, that it isn´t only for school.It´s really what Komenský called the connection of theory and practice.
When I start at the beginning of the new school year with new students, I ask them about their relationship to English and motivation to learn a foreign language. Most of them answer with such phrases like,“it is necessary for everybody,“or,“I must because it is one of the subjects at school.“ Only few of them say that they are interested in English and that it is their favourite subject. Most of them have had a bad experience with learning English in their previous schools.
How can their interest be obtained to learn anunknown language? It´s important to show them that foreign languages, and especially English, are instruments of real communication:they are not only words, sentence, and grammar. I start by speaking slowly in familiar English even in the first lesson ( providing they are advanced pupils). For some unknown words I
explain them in another way or repeat them in Czech. For some students listening comprehension is very difficult. But if you give them simple questions or ask only one or two particular things in the text, they can have a feeling of success and understanding. So you can show them, that in short texts or artificial situation they can understand and catch the sense of spoken text. That can give them the needed self-confidence for continuing the study of foreign languages.
But that is only the first step to progress their speaking. Most students are nervous to use the language in real situations because they are afraid of making mistakes. They don´t realize that grammatical mistakes don’t prevent understanding.It could be very positive to visit a country where they can try to speak English with native speakers.The students in real situations without any help from their teacher or schoolmates must communicate if they want to get something ( e.g. ask directions, eat something, find out something, etc.). This success (because they usually are able to get what they want) helps them to develop not only their self-confidence, but even their interest and motivation to continue learning English. They realize that knowledge of English is not only good for school, but for themselves.
A very good way to motivate students is using English songs and singing them.You can slowly repeat some words and grammar but you can arouse curiosity by discussing what a known song by a known singer is about. When you connect nice music with an interesting and understandable text, you can get very good results. And children can appreciate it. English can get into their minds and has a chance to be one of their favourite subjects.That is the best reward for the teacher.
I declare that this homework was done independently. In some parts I used following source on the internet:
Mgr. Alena Kozelková, AJ - IKS 2.