Intrinsic motivation

Intrinsic motivation is concerned with what takes place inside the classroom. There can be no doubt that intrinsic motivation plays a vital part in most students’ success or failure as language learners. This is especially true of those students who bring no extrinsic motivation to the classroom. It would seem specifically be the case with schoolchildren who have neutral or even negative feelings about language learning. For them what happens in the classroom will be of vital importance in determining their attitude to the language. It will also be the case in supplying motivation, which we have suggested, is a vital component in successive language learning. As we have also suggested above, what happens in the classroom will have an important effect on students who are already in some way extrinsically motivated. We can consider factors affecting intrinsic motivation under the headings of physical conditions, method, the teacher and success.

a) Physical conditions

Physical conditions have a great effect on learning. They can alter a student’s motivation either positively or negatively. Classrooms that are badly lit and overcrowded can be excessively de-motivating, but unfortunately, may of them exist in schools. Vitally important will be the board. If it is easily visible or if the surface is in good condition is certainly essential. In general, teachers should presumably try to make their classrooms as pleasant as possible. Even where conditions are bad it may be possible to improve the atmosphere with posters, with students’ work, etc. on the walls.

We can say that the atmosphere in which a language is learnt is vitally important. The cold greyness of much institutionalised education must be compensated for in some way if it is not to have a negative effect on motivation.

b) Method

The method by which students are taught must have some effect on their motivation. If they find it deadly boring they will probably become de-motivated. If they have confidence in the method they will find it motivating. A method is a sum total of teaching techniques subject to a definite scientifically based methodological concept. The method realised in teaching practice is referred to as a teaching technology. Any method comprises complex and simple techniques. A complex technique as a teaching procedure is a set of simple techniques aimed at achieving a certain methodological objective within a given teaching technology. A simple technique is an elementary methodological action aimed at achieving a separate methodological task. Perhaps, this is the most difficult area of all to be certain of. We said earlier that a really motivated student would probably succeed whatever method (within reason) is used. It is also true that different students are more sympathetic to any particular method depending upon their expectations. Teachers can easily recall students who felt that there was not enough grammar or not enough conversation depending on the students’ taste at the time. Despite various attempts there is unfortunately no research, which clearly shows the success of one method over another. However, what we do know is that if the student loses confidence in the method he will become de-motivated. The students’ confidence in the method is largely in the hand of the most important factor affecting intrinsic motivation. This factor, of course, is the teacher.

c) The teacher

Whether the student likes the teacher or not may be very significant. What can be said is that two teachers using the same method can have vastly different results. The question is how to assess the qualities a teacher needs to help in providing intrinsic motivation.

In 1970 a study done by Denis Girardattempted to answer this question. A thousand children between the ages of 12 and 17 were asked to put a list of teacher ‘qualities’ in order of preference. These qualities were put in the following order to show their learning priorities:

1. He makes his course interesting. V

2. He teaches good pronunciation.

3. He explains clearly.

4. He speaks good English.

5. He shows the same interest in all his students. V

6. He makes all the students participate. V

7. He shows great patience. V

8. He insists on the spoken language.

9. He makes his pupils work.

10. He uses an audio-lingual method.

Interestingly, the main point of the study – to see if the audio-lingual method was popular – only comes tenth. Students were more concerned that classes should be interesting and three of the top ten qualities (5, 6 and 7) are concerned with the relationship between the teacher and student. We can speculate that these qualities would emerge whatever subject was being taught.

The students were also asked to list any additional qualities they thought were important. The most popular were:

· He shows sympathy for his pupils. V

· He is fair to all his students (whether good or bad at English) V

· He inspires confidence. V

In a less formal study by J. Harmerboth teachers and students were asked what they thought ‘makes a good teacher’. The two areas that most of the people mentioned were the teacher’s rapport (mutual understanding, accord) with the students and the teacher’s personality. People wanted a teacher who was ‘fun’ or one who ‘understands children’. But many people also mentioned the need for teachers to motivate students through enjoyable and interesting classes; and quite a few wanted their teachers to be ‘well prepared’ and to be teachers they could have confidence in.

Neither Girard’s students nor the small survey by Harmermentioned above prove anything about good teachers; other methodologists have failed to provide us with a definite answer either. But we can make some generalisations with confidence:

1) In the first place the teacher’s personality matters a lot (and yet this is the most difficult area to quantify or to train for). But beyond that it is clear that:

2) Teachers need to do everything possible to create a good rapport with their students. Partly this happens a) by providing interesting and motivating classes. b) Partly this comes from such things as treating all the students the same (one of the secondary school students questioned said ‘a good teacher is …someone who asks the people who don’t always put their hands up’) and acting upon their hopes and aspirations. Most of all it depends on paying more attention to the students than to the teacher!

3) Lastly teachers clearly need to be able to show that they know their subject – or in the words of an experienced teacher of English as a foreign language (EFL), ‘If you don’t know what you’re talking about they soon see through you! ’ They should be able to give clear instructions and as far as possible have answers to the students’ questions.

d) Success

Success or lack of it plays a vital part in the motivational drive of a student. Both complete failure and complete success could be de-motivating. It will be the teacher’s job to set goals and tasks at which most of his students can be successful – or rather tasks, which he could realistically expect his students to be able to achieve. To give students very high challenge activities (high, because the level of difficulty for the students is extreme) where this is not appropriate may have a negative effect on motivation. It will also be the case that low challenge activities are equally de-motivating. If the students can achieve all the tasks with no difficulty at all they may lose the motivation that they have when faced with the right level of challenge.

NB: Much of the teacher’s work in the classroom concerns getting the level of challenge right: this involves the type of tasks set, the speed expected from the student, etc.

Ultimately the students’ success or failure is in their own hands, but the teacher can influence the course of events in the students’ favour.