How to motivate students to learn a second language in the classroom

 1. Introduction
In order to teach the students the language skills so that they become more interested
in learning the language

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How to motivate students to learn a second language in the classroom 

1. Introduction
In order to teach the students the language skills so that they become more interested
in learning the language, and to maintain their interest in language learning when
English is not seen as important for their immediate needs, other than to pass the
exams, teachers have to find creative waysto teach language and increase students’
motivation to learn language and to get them eventually to appreciate the language. 
Therefore, this essay aims to apply motivational strategies in a teaching context to
improve students’ motivation in learning language.   The first half of the essay sets
out to define motivation in the L2 field, focusing on the integrative-instrumental
contrast and internal-external motivation are relation to the teaching context.   I will
examine the different aspects of motivation and identify the features, which are of
relevance to my own teaching context.   The second half of the essay will attempt to
outline motivational strategies for my students in my teaching context.   I intend to
focus on motivational strategies that focus on self-confidence and use these to develop
student motivation.   In order to build up a comprehensive set ofvalid motivational
strategies for application in my teaching context, I also use the Dornyei and Csizer‘s
(1998) ‘Ten commandments for motivating language learners’, which focuses on the
different phases of Dornyei’s (2001:22) process model of motivation in language
learning.   The implication is that by applying these motivational strategies, student’s
motivation could be increased.   Thus, theymay be useful to help my students’
motivation in learning language.
2. Literature review
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2.1 What is motivation in the L2 field?
Motivation is very difficult to define in L2 field.   There are many different
definitions.   Dornyei (1998) states thatmotivation energises human being and
provides direction.   Gardner (1985) describes his socio-educational model of
language learning.   He has examined the issue on theoretical and empirical basis
from the social psychological point of view (Gardner, 1979, 1985; Gardner &
MacIntyre, 1993). The basic principle of Gardner's (1985) view of motivation and
second language acquisition isthat attitude and motivation influence second language
acquisition.   A number of researchers have introduced broader concepts of
motivation, based on a multiple number of factors, building on cognitive psychology
and even on Gardner’s theoretical underpinning ( Dornyei 1994,1998, 2001; Oxford
1994; Oxford and Shearin 1994; Crookes and Schmidt 1991).   Crookes and Schmidt
(1991) identify motivation as the learner’s orientation with regard to the goal of
learning a second language.   Another way to say this is that motivation is
goal-directed behavior.   The motivation of L2 learning is related to Maslow’s (1970)
hierarchy of human needs.   Crookes and Schmidt (1991) Identifies four areas of L2
motivation: the micro level, the classroom level, the syllabus level and a level
involving factors from outside the classroom. In Dornyei’s (1994) taxonomy,
motivation is comprised of three levels: the language level, the learner level and the
learning situation level.   The motivation processes at the language level can be
described comprehensively by using the traditional concepts of integrative and
instrumental motivation; at the learner level motivation involves the influence of
various individual traits of language learners, such as, the need for achievement and
self-confidence. The learning situation level is also influenced by a number of
intrinsic and extrinsic motives.   For example,extrinsic motives: course are related to
the syllabus, the teaching materials, the teaching method and learning tasks. 
Intrinsic motives: teacher concerns the motivational impact of the teacher’s
personality, behaviour and teaching style, the group is related to the characteristics of
the learner group. I believe that motivation is dynamic in nature and can vary from
moment to moment depending on the learning context or task.  It is also difficult to
precisely conceptualize what motivation is, as different researchers have different
operational definitions.   I believe integrative-instrumental and internal-external
motivations are very important part of whole constructive motivation.   In turn, I
examine the following different aspects of motivation and identify the features, which
are of relevance to my own teaching context.
2.2 The distinction between integrative and instrumental motivation
Gardner and Lambert (1959) first made the distinction between integrative and
instrumental motivation that has influenced a considerable amount of L2-related
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research.   Gardner and Lambert (1972) and Gardner (1985) divide motivation into
two basic types: integrative and instrumental.   Gardner and Lambert (1972) coined
the terms integrative motivation to refer tolanguage learning for personal growth and
cultural enrichment, that is the learner desires to learn a language to integrate
successfully into the targetlanguage community, or Skehan’s (1989) points out the
Internal Cause Hypothesis, which means the learning activity itself; instrumental
motivation or the Carrot and Stick Hypothesis (Skehan 1989) are regarded motivation
as arising out of a need to learn the L2 for functional or external reasons.   These
include the achievement of goals, utilitarian purposes for learning such as passing
exams, financial rewards, furthering a career or gaining promotion.   Dornyei (1990)
postulates a motivational construct consisting of an instrumental and integrative
motivational subsystem, need for achievementand attribution about past failures. 
Brown (1994) makes the point that both integrative and instrumental motivations are
mutually inclusive. Most situations inlearning language involve a mixture of each
type of motivation.   In fact, it difficult to attribute learning language success to
certain integrative or instrumental causes.   For example, I learnt English for
academic (instrumental) purposes while atthe same time wishing to become
integrated with the people and culture inBristol.   However, in my opinion the
importance of integrative and instrumental motivation depends on situations or
contexts, whether learning language functions more as a foreign language or as a
second language.   In current education inTaiwan, learning English for learners
studying at school is an English foreign language situation.  I think that most of the
learners’ desire to learn English for utilitarian purposes.   They regard language as a
potential tool, which may simply be useful.   For example, applying for a job, reading
technical material and meeting requirements for school graduation.   In my teaching
experience, my students make efforts to learn English mainly for functional reasons-
to pass an examination or to get good gradesin required courses,to get a better job,
even to get a place at university.   Hence, instrumental motivation is perhaps more
important than integrative motivation in Taiwanese context.
2.3 Distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation
In line with Gardner, Deci and Ryan (1985) create the construct of intrinsic and
extrinsic motivation theory.   Intrinsic motivation refers to the motivation to engage
in an activity because that activity is enjoyable and satisfying to do.   Extrinsically
motivated learners are those whose actions are carried out to achieve some
instrumental end, such as, earning a reward or avoiding a punishment.   This
internal-external distinction is one that has played a significant part in many current
theories of motivation.   According to Harter (1981), who distinguishes five separate
dimensions that are considered to comprisemotivation, each of which is defined by an
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intrinsic and extrinsic pole, these concepts have been used to explain differences in
motivation between different learners.   However, it is hard to consider motivation as
something that is either simply internal orexternal to the learner.   For example,
learners who study hard to learn L2 may be intrinsically or extrinsically motivated or
many have a mixture of both intrinsic and extrinsic reasons prompting them. 
Intrinsic and extrinsic construct has a wider distinction from Gardner’s (1985)
integrative-instrumental motivation.   For example, Bailey (1986) illustrates the
relationship between the motivational dichotomies (see Brown, 1994: 156).   As
extrinsic motivation may turn out to be integrative motivation if someone else wishes
the L2 learner to know the L2 for integrative reasons; extrinsic motivation could turn
out to be instrumental motivation if an external power wants the L2 learner to learn
the L2 language.   In addition, intrinsic motivation can turn out to be integrative
motivation, if the L2 learner wishes to integrate with the L2culture; intrinsic
motivation can also turn out tobe instrumental motivation if the L2 learner wishes to
achieve goals utilizing L2.   From my own point of view, the learners with similar
instrumental motivation might show a striking difference between intrinsic and
extrinsic motivation. Similarly, the learners with the same integrative motivation
can show vast differences of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.   As discussed above,
intrinsic and extrinsic motivation is relevant to integrative and instrumental
motivation in relation toL2 language learning.
3. Motivation strategies used in my teaching context
3.1 Profile of the pupils and teaching context
The learners, whom I am teaching now, are all female part-time pupils in the
vocational evening school in a small town inthe central part ofTaiwan.   They are
aged from 15 to 20.   There are 36 girls who sit in rows in a class.   Their major is
beauty, style and cosmetics.   English is a compulsory subject for them.   They are
required to take English courses for two hours per week.   However, I have a great
deal of flexibility and choice in deciding howto use these hours as long as they keep
up with the curriculum objectives set out by the educational authorities.   In Taiwan,
pupils who enroll in vocational night schools usually feel frustrated about studying. 
Usually, they have daytime jobs.   Hence,they have very limited time to juggle
between their school studies and jobs.   They seldom expose themselves to listening,
speaking, reading and writing in English.   Their learning English is more affected by
extrinsic motivation such as whole social situation, context, culture and the
expectation of their parents.   It is difficult to discover their self-motivation for
learning English.   Hence, the fact is that a lack of motivation to learn English is
general for almost all of my students.   For me, this may result in a certain level of
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frustration due to the general lack of motivation shown by the students.   Furthermore,
according to Dornyei‘s (1994) taxonomy ofmotivation, at the learner level,
motivation is influenced at the learner level by the learner’s need for achievement and
self-confidence.   My students customarily display a lack of a major component in L2,
motivation as linguistic self-confidence.   Their performance is restricted by concepts
such as ‘loss of face’.   I do my best to encourage them to increase their confidence
and mistakes corrected without embarrassing them, and try to get rid of anxiety they
have in learning.   However, this situation often leaves me facing a wall of silence. 
In summary, the numbers of students with an interest in the target language and
culture are minimal and as such, integrative motivation is negligible.   They also had
very little instrumental motivation.   Although they would like to pass exams of the
Entrance College, this usually translated into a minimal level of performance in
continually assessed study.   In a word, it could be possible for my students have
neither instrumental nor integrative motivation.   Therefore, I struggle with such
negative perceptions and affective variables.  I try to use a number of motivational
strategies in my teaching context, as demonstrated in the following section 3.2.
3.2 Application of motivation strategies in my teaching context
Dornyei (2001:28) defines motivational strategies as ‘those motivational influences
that are consciously exerted to achieve somesystematic and enduring positive effect’. 
As mentioned in section 3.1, my students lack motivation in learning English. 
Therefore, I work the following motivational strategies in my teaching context. 
Additionally, I also have to consider the importance of such factors as interest,
relevance, expectancy, and satisfaction.   Interest is the students’ basic reaction to
class material and it is presented; relevance refers to the perceived importance of the
procedure to the students’ lives, both in and out of the classroom; expectancy reflects
the students’ expectations of doing well and feeling in control of the material;
satisfaction addresses the students feelings of intellectual satisfaction and feelings that
the procedure was worthwhile.   In order to build up a comprehensive set of valid
motivational strategies for developing in my teaching context, I also use the ‘Ten
commandments for motivating language learners’ of Dornyei and Csizer (1998),
which focuses on the different phases ofDornyei (2001:119) and mentions a
framework for motivational strategies.   Inaddition, I incorporate that Dornyei’s
(2001:22) process model of motivation which consists of several distinct phases in
language learning, based on the process-oriented model of Dornyei and Otto (1998). 
Dornyei’s (2001:22) process model of motivation includes preactional stage, actional
stage and postactional stage.   The preactional stage, relates to the choice of
motivation that is the initial phase.   In the actional stage, it referred to as executive. 
In the postactional stage, it has termed motivational retrospection.
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3.2.1  Creating the basic motivational conditions, which involves setting the scene
for the effective use of motivational strategies.
A). My first priority is tocreate a good rapport and a friendly atmosphere in the
classroom.
B). Creating a good classroom atmosphere will enhance students’ motivation.
C). Encouraging students to personalize the classroom environment according to their
taste.
D). I gradually inform them about myown learning background and wherever
possible relate itto their own.
3.2.2  Generating student motivation, corresponding roughly tothe preactional
phase.
A). I invite students to talk about their positive experience in class.
B). I create a situation in which students feel a sense of accomplishment.   For
example, I ask students to foster accumulation of achievable things to motivate them. 
In an attempt to alleviate any sense of helplessness and to give the learners a purpose,
every Monday I inform them of their goals of the week.   I would always board such
‘framing’ remarks and leave them on a cornerof the whiteboard for the remainder of
the week.   I also try to ensure that the goals which the students are expected to reach
are never too high for them to achieve.
3.2.3  Maintaining and protecting motivation, corresponding to the actional phase.
A). I use goal-setting methods in my class.  This is done by encouraging students to
select specific, short-term goals for themselves, emphasizing goal completion
deadlines and offering ongoing feedback.
B). I focus as little attention as possible on the individual.   This involves a heavy
emphasis on group-work.   Placing the learners into groups is not enough and the
make-up of personalities within the group also has to be considered.   The importance
of forming groups that creates anxiety free situations and relationships cannot be
overstressed.
C). I provide group activities, which are not only interesting to the students in their
choice of topic, but also help to develop their confidence within the group.   With the
learners aiming for group excellence, they can discover that such tasks serve their
personal needs for power and achievement.  
D). I encourage the learners to exploit activities, which use cooperative as opposed to
competitive goal structures.   With the students having to exploit information-sharing
tasks, which involve the persistence, effort and collaboration of the entire group,
enjoyment would be derived not only fromgetting meanings across, but also the
completion of the task itself.
E). Students quickly warm to such activities and see them as a chief component of
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their lessons.
3.2.4  Encouraging positive self-evaluation, corresponding to the postactional phase.
A). In order to increase students’ satisfaction.   I monitor student accomplishments
and progress, and take time to celebrate any victory.
B). All my feedback is positive, praising the students’ hard work.   If, in the
monitoring phase I become aware of a major error being continually repeated, I would
only bring it to the attention of the class after I had first given positive feedback on
other aspects of their performance.
3.3 Reasons for motivational strategies being used
It is necessary to combat problems such as these outlined above in section 3.1, since
the students in my context perceiving no immediate use for the L2, they have very
little instrumental and integrative motivation.   I employ a number of motivational
strategies in my teaching context.   The motivational process, from the initial arousal
of the motivation to the completion and evaluation of the motivated action, seems
more reasonable than making somewhat arbitrary decisions aboutselecting certain
central themes and building the material around them.   To motivate my students it is
essential to break down these barriers or affective filtersto learning. This involves
altering the students’ perceptions towards the learning process. First, there are
certain preconditions to be met before attempts to generate motivation can be
effective.   It is important that the teacher organizes and manages the classroom as an
effective learning environment.   Furthermore,it is important that learning occurs
within a relaxed and supportive atmosphere.   Then, in the preactional stage, I
generate students’ motivation, because this leads to the selection of the goal or task to
be pursued; in the actional phase, I maintain and protect motivation.   In order to
increase the students’ self-confidence, I reduce the students’ anxiety by making the
learning context less stressful.   Furthermore, students are more interested in a
group-task when they feel thatthey make a contribution.   Finally, in the postactional
phase, I encourage positive self-evaluation for students.   Employing appropriate
strategies can help learnersto evaluate themselves in a positive light, encouraging
them to take credit for their advances.   As I have witnessed my own context, as a
result of such motivational strategies usedin my teaching context, I believe that
students’ motivation in learning language seems to be increased through these
motivational strategies.   Edward Arnold