Exploring ESL Learner Motivation

MELEd Conference 2015Bethany Peters & Leah Kronick

The Student’s Role in Motivation

OverviewIntroductions

The Teacher’s Role in Motivation

Strategies to Improve Student Motivation

1

2

3

4

5 Final Takeaways

Introductions“We take the view that L2 motivation is one of

the most important factors that determine the rate and success of

L2 attainment: it provides the primary

impetus to initiate learning the L2 and

later the driving force to sustain the long and often tedious learning process” (Dornyei &

Csizer, 1998, p. 203).

1: The Teacher’s Role in Motivation✧Teacher identity

(Cowie & Sakui, 2012)

Beliefs about how motivation works

✧Teacher awareness (Bahramy & Araghi, 2013)

1: The Teacher’s Role in Motivation

What is your personal style or approach to motivating students?

Other questions to consider: 1. What factors have shaped your view of how

motivation works?2. What are some limitations on your ability to

motivate students?

2: The Student’s Role in Motivation✧Factors that

influence acquisition ✧Vision of the ideal

language learner (Dornyei, 2005)

✧Instrumental vs. integrative motivation (Gardener, 2003)

2: The Student’s Role in Motivation

What challenges do your ESL learners experience regarding

motivation?

Other questions to consider: 1. How can you assess student’s motivation

levels?2. How do you students demonstrating their

motivation?3. How do cultural or individual differences

influence learner motivation?4. How does student motivation change over

time?

3: Strategies to Improve Student Motivation

✧The Motivational Strategies Scale (Dornyei, 2001)

✧Methods for addressing unmotivated students

Motivational Strategies Dörnyei (2001)

1. Set a personal example with your own behavior. 2. Recognize students’ effort and celebrate their

success. 3. Promote learners’ self-confidence. 4. Create a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere in

the classroom. 5. Present tasks properly. 6. Increase the learners’ goal-orientedness.7. Make the learning tasks stimulating. 8. Familiarise learners with L2-related values. 9. Promote group cohesiveness and set group

norms. 10.Promote learner autonomy.

3: Strategies to Improve Motivation

Which strategies do you feel are most effective to improve

motivation, and why?

Other questions to consider: 1. Which strategies are most or least difficult to

implement, and why?2. How do you incorporate these strategies, or

others, on a daily basis?3. What are some effective methods for dealing

with unmotivated learners?

4. TakeawaysIn one sentence, what is your most

salient takeaway from the 3 sections of our discussion today? 1.The teacher’s role in motivation2.The student’s role in motivation

3.Strategies to improve motivation

Write a one-sentence takeaway on your card. It could be a goal, a new perspective, or a strategy

you’d like to try.

“Without sufficient motivation, even individuals with the most

remarkable abilities cannot accomplish long-term goals, and neither are appropriate curricula and good teaching enough to ensure student

achievement … on the other hand, high motivation can make up for considerable deficiencies both in one’s

language aptitude and learning conditions” (Dornyei and Csizer, 1998, pp. 203-4).

Final Takeaways

Bahramy, M., & Araghi, M. (1998). The identification of demotives in EFL university students. The International Journal of Basic and Applied Science, 4(1), 840-844.Cowie, N.& Sakui, K. (2012). Three tales of language teacher identity and student motivation. JALT Journal, 34, 127-150.

Dörnyei, Z. (2001). New themes and approaches in second language motivation research. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 21, 43-59.

Kormos, J., Kiddle, T, and Csizér, K. (2011). Systems of goals, attitudes, and self-related beliefs in second-language-learning motivation. Applied Linguistics, 32(5), 495-516. Kormos, J., & Csizer, K. (2014). The Interaction of motivation, self-regulatory strategies, and autonomous learning behavior in different learner groups. TESOL Quarterly, 48(2), 275-299. Doi:10.1002/tesq.129Papi, M. & Abdollahzadeh, E. (2012). Teacher motivational practice, student motivation, and possible L2 selves: An examination in the Iranian EFL context. Language Learning, 62(2), 571-594. Sakui, K. & Cowie, N. (2011). The dark side of motivation: Teachers’ perspectives on‘unmotivation’. ELT Journal, 66(2), 205-213.

References