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Research Article | Volume 1 Issue 2 (July-Dec, 2020) | Pages 1 - 3
Effective Motivational Strategies in Teaching English as a foreign language in Non-English Speaking Community
1
Department of English, College of Sciences and Arts, Alnamas, University of Bisha. KSA
Under a Creative Commons license
Open Access
Received
Aug. 3, 2020
Revised
Sept. 9, 2020
Accepted
Oct. 19, 2020
Published
Nov. 12, 2020
Abstract

One of the important factors in realizing educational objectives in learning English as a foreign language is the role of the students’ motivation within the educational set up. Motivating students is one of the major challenges language instructors face. The poor performance of students towards educational aims and objectives could be associated to the low motivation of the students. Some students seem naturally enthusiastic about learning, but many need-or expect their instructors to inspire, challenge, and stimulate them. ELT teachers across the kingdom are seriously thinking and engaging their attention with the challenges of how to motivate the newly admitted students in the college. Needless to say, de-motivation in learning a new language is a natural and common phenomenon. The case of unmotivated students open a Pandora’s Box of questions: What are the possible strategies that can be applied in the class to improve the students’ motivation? What are the factors responsible for effecting on the students’ motivation in learning English as a foreign language? The experts’ opinions are different about the role of motivation in academic achievement. However, the common opinions emerged in the past and majority of them agreed that most successful techniques English ELT teachers can use to motivate students include engaging their interest; demonstrating the relevance of what they're learning; displaying enthusiasm for what we're teaching; establishing challenging, and employing a variety of instructional strategies. The present study draws the attention of the teachers that at present there is a need to speculate about innovative motivational strategies in ELT class so that the students could be benefited.

Keywords
INTRODUCTION

Motivation is identified as a fundamental aspect of acquisition [1]. But what is motivation really, how do I know I am motivated? “To be motivated means to be moved to do something” [2]. Excitement, interest, and enthusiasm towards learning are the primary components of motivation [3]. Level and orientation of motivation will vary according to situation. Motivation will lead to actions; specifically, motivation to learn is characterized by long-term involvement in learning [4].

 

One of the most difficult challenges most teachers face is motivating students who are not intrinsically motivated to learn. How can we make students want to succeed academically? Should we exhort them? Punish them? The proponents and critics are of the different opinions about these motivational strategies. Consequently most of them agree that the most successful techniques teachers can use to motivate students include engaging their interest; demonstrating the relevance of what they're learning; displaying enthusiasm for what we're teaching in the class; instructing the significance of their ongoing learning in the future; establishing challenging, but achievable expectations, and employing a variety of instructional strategies.

 

Objective

The main objective of the present study is to pin point the innovative, practical and workable motivational strategies based on my decades of observations and experiences as an instructor of teaching English as a second /foreign language. The teachers can use these motivational strategies in and outside the class. It is hoped that these motivational strategies will be in the wider interests of the students’ community in general.

 

Significance of the Study

The impact of the motivation has a very positive effect on students’ learning in education. Without motivation proper and effective learning is not possible. The motivational strategies are sine qua non in any language learning situation because it is due to motivation the students do their class and academic activities and try to achieve the prescribed goal in the curriculum. Motivation


increases speed of work and an individual is doing everything to achieve it. Motivation increases the performance of learning. It provides energy and efforts the students make during the course of learning. Motivation is a factor of high or low of the goal [5]. Teachers motivate the students and achieve their task. Motivation is helpful for reaching the objective for teachers. Motivation is a key factor in learning and achievement of students at all levels of education. Motivating students is an uphill task. It is time consuming. A lot of effort on the part of the instructor is required for motivating students. It is true that without motivation learning is not possible. The low and high motivation of students has a potential impact on the on their real success in the in the present world.

 

Review of the Related Literature

Researches in the past have shown the significance of motivation as it relates to students’ success. Many studies have been conducted to discover what motivates students [6-8]. With these studies came ideas on how to predict an individual’s task performance [7,9-10]. Other studies have been conducted to increase student motivation. These researches generated new ideas on motivation [6,9,11-16].

 

Quality Based Teaching and Research Challenges

Needless to say, the quality of teaching has a significant impact on students' behavior, motivation and success. Motivation is an unconscious, psychological process that varies by individual over time, and its degree usually depends on attitude. Both attitude and motivation are also social processes and they are influenced by individual experiences and cultural background of students. I am of the opinion that the real motivation can be generated through teachers’ sincerity and interests in the students; his serious concern about the failure of the de-motivated peer group; good learning materials and teaching strategies. The teacher must gain the students’ attention by supplying them with stimulating activities and using a range of teaching strategies.

 

Students’ motivation is a challenging task for the language teacher. I try to achieve my learning objectives in such a way as to make them achievable and to continually build my students’ confidence. While teaching in the class I motivate students by using various strategies such as learner-centred activities, cooperative learning, informal assessments and open communication. Intermittently in the class I also explain to my students the relevance of why they need to learn the contents in their books as well as certain things in their students’ life.

 

In the light of my decades of experiences and observations I usually classify the problems of my students in two main categories. 1. The problems related to communication, and 2. Specific problems related to language teaching and learning. The general problems are common to teachers of all subjects: Blackboard Assignments; class quizzes, class participation, homework, complaints, cheating etc. Specific problems are related to peculiarities of a subject: ways of teaching listening comprehension, speaking, reading, writing, instructional and remedial materials, testing and assessment. All language instructors have to deal with both categories of problems at each and every level in a semester. I am a learner first and then a teacher.

 

Teaching of young students places me directly in the line of shaping their lives throughout education. I am an instructor and a life-long learner therefore I have a passion for learning. I believe that a true learner is not satisfied until he has shared all his knowledge with his disciples. Teaching is a consistent, two-sided process of learning and sharing. I often learn from my students by getting feedback from them.

 

Motivational Strategies

1. Creating a friendly, supportive and positive teaching and learning environment 2. Arrange the class to promote effective learning 3. Reinforcement 4. Providing students with a learner-centered, low-anxiety classroom environment 5. Understanding students’ needs and goals 6. Personalize the teaching; 7. Create a positive impression 8. Always be passionate 9. Always be energetic and lively in the college campus 10. Always be vocal, attentive, energetic, sincere, impressive and distinct in the class 11. Maintaining rapport with the students in and outside the class 12. Demonstrate your competence before the students 13. Show Loyalty to the students 14. Always encourage lively class discussion 15. Goal Internalization; 16. Providing choices in teaching/learning as well as in the examination 17. Positive Motivation in the Form of a Reward Structure 18. Create a threat-free environment 19. Use positive competition 20. Familiarity with the students21. Give feedback and offer chances to improve 22. Promote cooperative learning during the course of teaching 23. Motivate the Students for Success in the future 24. Show concern and attachment to the students 25. Always be Unbiased in teaching and evaluating the students 26. Make the concerned subjects interesting and full of fun and humor 27. Positive attitudes toward difficulties and failures of the students 28. Provide opportunities in and outside the class for success; 29. Encourage Students to set their own short-term goals 30. Connect Language Learning to Students' Interests Outside of Class 31. Maintaining rapport with the students in and outside the class 32. Promote effective teaching/learning in the class 33. Provide choices to the students during the course learning 34. Encourage students to take ownership in learning.

REFERENCE
  1. Brewer, E.W. and D.N. Burgess. “Professor’s role in motivating students to attend class.” Journal of Industrial Teacher Education, vol. 42, no. 3, 2005, pp. 24.

  2. Ryan, R.M. and E.L. Deci. “Intrinsic and extrinsic motivations: Classic definitions and new directions.” Contemporary Educational Psychology, vol. 25, 2000, pp. 54-67.

  3. Crump, C.A. Motivating students: A teacher’s challenge. Sooner Communication Conference, Norman, Oklahoma, 1995.

  4. Ames, C.A. “Motivation: What teachers need to know?” Teachers College Record, vol. 91, no. 3, 1990, pp. 409-421.

  5. Brown, H.D. Teaching by principle: An integrative approach to language pedagogy. Longman, 2001, pp. 75.

  6. Atkinson, E. “Key factors influencing pupil motivation in design and technology,” 1999.

  7. Atkinson, J. and N. Feather. A theory of achievement motivation. Wiley and Sons, 1966.

  8. Spence, J. Achievement and achievement motives. W.H. Freeman and Company, 1983.

  9. Grabe, M. “Achievement motivation as a predictor of effort and achievement in mastery learning course.” Midwestern Psychological Association Annual Meeting, Grand Forks, 1979. ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED176174.

  10. Mukherjee, B. Development of a forced-choice test of achievement motivation. Report No. S-113, Indiana University, 1964. ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED003459.

  11. Accordino, D. et al. “An investigation of perfectionism, mental health, achievement, and achievement motivation in adolescents.” Psychology in the Schools, vol. 37, no. 6, 2000, pp. 535-545.

  12. Latta, R. The influence of achievement motivation, success, and intended effort on behavioral intensity. Midwestern Psychological Association Annual Meeting, Iowa City, 1974. ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED095461.

  13. McClelland, D. and A. Alschuler. Achievement motivation development project: Final report. Harvard University, 1971. ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED062585.

  14. Rathvon, N. Effective school interventions: Strategies for enhancing academic achievement and social competence. The Guilford Press, 1999.

  15. Simons, H. et al. “Academic motivation and the student athlete.” Journal of College Student Development, vol. 40, no. 2, 1999, pp. 151-162.

  16. Veroff, J. Varieties of achievement motivation. American Educational, 1975.

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