Analysis of motivational teaching strategies in the ESL classroom (foreign studies)

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Analysis of motivational teaching strategies in the esl classroom (foreign studies)

Porokhnavets' Yu. E., Harapko Vitaliia

Abstract

This article has focused on motivational teaching strategies in teaching a foreign language. The purpose of this article is to investigate motivational teaching strategies in an ESL classroom context by investigating the strategies teachers claim to use as motivating. The aim of this article is to compare teachers ' strategy views with actual classroom practices when the foreign language has been studying. Such research on the scientific literature of motivational teaching is needed because it not only provides researchers with additional information, but it also helps teachers gain insight on how students ' motivation is operated when they are studying a foreign language as a second language. There are described four motivational strategy phases reflect the circular movement and strong connection that motivational has as well as its dynamic nature in the foerign language classroom.

Key words: motivation, teaching strategies, second language, language learning environment.

Стаття присвячена аналізу стратегій мотиваційного навчання іноземної мови. Мета статті полягає в описі мотиваційних стратегій викладання у контексті навчання іноземної мови шляхом дослідження способів, які вчителі використовують як мотиваційні стратегії. Ця стаття має кілька цілей: по-перше, вона досліджує сприйняття таких стратегій як вчителями, так і студентами; по-друге, тут порівнюються погляди зарубіжних науковців на впровадження стратегій мотиваційного навчання у процес вивчення іноземної мови. Таке дослідження наукової літератури та мотиваційного навчання необхідне, оскільки воно не тільки надає дослідникам додаткової інформації, щодо означуваного питання, але й допомагає вчителям отримати уявлення про те, як працює мотивація студентів. Проаналізовано чотири фази становлення стратегій мотиваційного навчання, які відображають круговий рух і міцний взаємозв'язок, що має мотиваційний характер, а також їх динамічну природу під час вивчення іноземної мови.

Ключові слова: мотивація, стратегія навчання, іншомовне середовище навчання.

Research on the scientific literature and motivational teaching is needed because it not only provides researchers with additional knowledge, but it also helps teachers gain insight on how students' motivation operates.

The purpose of this article is to investigate motivational teaching strategies in an ESL classroom context by investigating the strategies teachers claim to use, actually use as motivating.

This article pursues several aims: first, it investigates perceptions of both teachers and students; second, it compares teachers' strategy views with actual classroom practices.

Within foreign language research, teachers play an essential role in the classroom and their behaviour has been shown to affect learner motivation [3; 4; 5]. Some researchers believe that without ample motivation, students with even the highest of abilities cannot achieve long-term goals. According to Ebata M., motivation produces successful second language communicators and fosters self-confidence [6]. There is, however, a lack of empirical evidence in foreign language research that reveals how pedagogical strategies effectively promote student motivation. The current approach in foreign language motivation research focuses on classrooms as research spaces. This article follows an educational classroom-focused approach by demonstrating the importance of the classroom dimension in terms of a pragmatic and social space. Language motivation researchers have begun a new line of inquiry by shifting the research focus from theoretical issues involving motivation to investigating practical strategies that may contribute to students' foreign language learning motivation [3].

This trend has developed a more dynamic perspective toward foreign language learning motivation. Williams M. and Burden R. and Dцrnyei Z. and Otto I. were among the first researchers who understood the importance of the dynamic nature of motivation [3;4]. In their dynamic model of motivation, Williams M. distinguished three stages of motivation: reasons for doing something, deciding to do something and sustaining the effort or persisting until the goal is attained [4]. They argued that the first two states focused more on initiating motivation, whereas the last stage referred to sustaining motivation. Dцrnyei Z.and Otto I. built on this model and synthesized different second language frameworks to propose the Process-Oriented Model of Student Motivation, which is more complex than William and Burden's model. Dцrnyei Z. and Otto I.divided the action into three separate phases: preactional, actional, and postactional as seen in Figure 1.1.

Figure 1.1 Dцrnyei's motivational model in three stages [3, p. 84]

The preactional stage represents the starting point for motivating behaviour, where goals are set and intention is formed. The second phase, or actional phase, consists of the application of the action followed by an assessment of the learner's progress, teacher scaffolding, and self-regulation toward the intended outcome or goal. The final phase begins after the achievement of the goal and ends with the evaluation of the outcome and contemplation for future actions [6]. Dцrnyei Z. acknowledges the dynamic nature of motivation as he develops his motivational strategy framework, defining strategies as: «the motivational influences that are consciously exerted to achieve some systematic and enduring positive effect» [1, p. 28]. Dцrnyei Z. divides the motivational strategies into 4 major categories. The first group of themes fall under the «creating basic motivational conditions» category, which comprises of strategies that Dцrnyei Z. refers to as «indispensable» [1, p. 31], in particular the strategies of «appropriate teacher behaviour», «pleasant and supportive classroom atmosphere» and «a cohesive learner group with appropriate group norms». In order for a classroom to function well, all three strategies should align and work together. Examples of appropriate teacher behaviours include: «enthusiasm», «commitment to the students' learning» and «forging relationships with students». The second group of strategies falls under the category of «generating initial motivation», which serves as strategies that initiate the teachers' attempt to build motivation in the classroom. Dцrnyei Z. distinguishes between three separate value dimensions: «actual process of learning the target language (intrinsic)»; «target language itself and its speakers (integrative)»; and «consequences and benefits of having learnt the target language (instrumental)». The strategies within this second category can be, according to Dцrnyei Z., «socialised» to a certain extent from teacher to students through various means (e.g. role models, persuasive communication and powerful learning experiences).[1,p.67-98] motivational teaching strategy learning

The third group addresses the group of strategies, which concentrate on «protecting and maintaining» motivation that has hopefully already been generated beforehand to create a motivating classroom environment. Unless motivation is actively contained, negative motivational «influences» may creep in and students and teachers alike could lose sight of the end goal or instead become tired and distracted, which could result in the initial motivation diminishing. According to Dцrnyei Z., motivation should be «actively nurtured» in order to maintain its strength and overall success [1,p. 71]. Strategies that fall under this category include «breaking the monotony of learning»; «making the tasks more interesting»; and «increasing the involvement of the students».

The fourth group, which promotes «encouraging positive self-evaluation», focuses on strategies that enable students to reflect on their own learning. These types of strategies concentrate on how «to teach learners to explain past successes and failures in a constructive way and how to help them take more satisfaction in their progress» [1,p. 118]. Specific strategies in the final stage include «providing positive information feedback»; «include regular tasks that involve the public display of the students' skills»; «offer rewards in a motivational manner»[1, p.123]. Dцrnyei's four motivational strategy phases reflect the circular movement and strong connection that motivational has as well as its dynamic nature in the second languge classroom.

References

1. Dцrnyei, Z., 2001. Motivational strategies in the language classroom. Cambridge University Press

2. Dцrnyei, Z. and Kubanyiova М., 2014. Motivating learners, motivating teachers: Building vision in the language classroom. Cambridge University Press,

3. Dцrnyei, Z. and Otto, I., 1998. Motivation in action: A process model of L2 motivation.

4. Cheon, S. and Reeve, J. 2015. A classroom-based intervention to help teachers decrease students' amotivation. Contemporary Educational Psychology, [online] 40, pp. 99-111.

5. Ebata, М. 2008. Motivation factors in language learning. The Internet TESL Journal,

6. Papi, М. and Abdollahzadeh, E. 2012. Teacher motivational practice, student motivation, and possible L2 selves: An examination in the Iranian EFL context. Language Learning 62(2), pp. 571-594.

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