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Date Posted: 17:43:05 10/17/05 Mon
Author: Luis Antonio Morad Stefani
Subject: Final Paper for Evaluation : Motivation, SLA and the Role of Teachers

Motivation, Second Language Acquisition, and the Role of Teachers


Both teachers and researchers acknowledge the importance of motivation in the process of second language acquisition. Teachers have a significant role in fostering student’s motivation, and must therefore realize the complexity of the subject. They should comprehend the existence of different kinds of motivation and how several variables affect its development. Analysing these features, it can be concluded that motivation is rather the result of a process than of a gift. This awareness will enable teachers to exert a positive influence on learner’s attitude towards learning and consequently facilitate target language acquisition .

Motivation is deeply influenced by the reasons learners have for studying a language. Understanding the different motives underlying the student’s decision to study is significant for teachers seeking to be helpful in the formation of motivated learners. Gardner and Lambert (1972, cited in Scovel, 2001) established the dichotomy between instrumental and integrative motivation. The first one refers to the need of language for practical purposes, whereas the second one refers to a desire of integration into a community or culture. Later, Brown (2000, cited in Scovel, 2001) defined the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. In the former, the reasons for performing an activity lie within the activity itself, and in the latter they lie on the results obtained afterwards. Scovel (2001) organized these different types of motivation into four contrasting groups, and demostrated how these features correlate. Despite the relevance of this comprehension, there are other important aspects to be noticed.

Gardner’s (1985) definition of motivation as “the combination of effort plus favourable attitudes towards learning the language”(Ellis,1994, p. 509), leads to the extremely important distinction between orientation and motivation. Orientation is understood as the reasons for studying L2 whereas motivation is the direct effort and persistence involved in the learning process. Hence, active learners will achieve more than passive learners, regardless of their orientation. Considering that SLA is a lengthy process, teachers evidently have an important role in providing support and in raising students’ interest, attention and curiosity. In fact, students’ motivation may actually broaden as a result of the course itself (Berwick and Ross,1989, cited in Ellis,1994).

Another feature which significantly affects motivation is achieving success during the course: Herman’s “Resultative Hypothesis” (1980, cited in Ellis, 1994). High achievers tend to become more motivated as a result of being successful, whereas low achievers tend to lose motivation. Actually, success contributes to motivation rather than vice-versa, since this cycle strengthens learners’ self-confidence. Therefore, teachers must realize the importance of “an experiential dimension to learner’s motivation” (Ellis, 1994, p. 515), and seek ways to sustain and develop it throughout the learning period.

There is little teachers might do concerning the reasons learners have for undertaking a language course, or their decision to do so. However, teachers have a significant role regarding the “need to sustain the effort required to complete it” (Williams and Burden, 1997, p.121). Pedagogical procedures aimed at fostering motivation were recommended by Crooks and Schimidt (1989). According to their work, teachers “should provide reasonable challenge to students, opportunities for group work, plenty of variety in classroom activities, and tasks based on their perception of students’ needs and wants” (Ellis, 1994, p. 516). These recommendations are valuable for several reasons. Firstly, both boredom caused by undemanding tasks, and anxiety caused by daunting ones are avoided. Hence, students work in an optimum level of arousal and complexity; close to Csikszentmihalyi’s concept of flow (Goleman, 1995), performing at their best. Secondly, curiosity, interest, and a sense of belonging are developed. Finally, according to Gardner, “you learn at your best when you have something you care about and you can get pleasure from being engaged in” (Goleman, 1995, p. 94). Furthermore, teachers must be aware that developing a good rapport in the classroom ought to be the cornerstone of teaching work. Actually, like Crooks and Schimidt (1989), they should “try to ensure that motivation is engendered as a result of good rapport with the learners” (cited in Ellis, 1994, p. 516). These procedures empower teachers to actively enhance students’ motivation and therefore their attitude towards learning .

Motivation is of paramount importance in SLA. Moreover, teachers must appreciate the influence of learning experiences on students’ motivation. Learners of a second language are required a long-term commitment, and motivation must be sustained and reinforced throughout this period. Establishing a good rapport and a supportive atmosphere in the classroom, while providing students with challenging activities which arouse curiosity and interest, will enable teachers to foster motivation and therefore facilitate language acquisition.




Bibliography

ELLIS, Rod. The Study of Second Language Acquisition. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1994


GOLEMAN, Daniel. Emotional Intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ. New York: Bantam Books, 1995


SCOVEL, Tom. Learning New Languages: A guide to second language acquisition. Boston: Heinle & Heinle Publishers, 2001


WILLIAMS, Marion and BURDEN, Robert L. Psycology for Language Teachers : A social constructivist approach. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994.

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