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Motivation: A key issue in the EFL classroom
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VOLUME 17 ISSUE 1
The International Journal of
Diversity in Organizations,
Communities and Nations:
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__________________________________________________________________________
Motivation
A Key Issue in the EFL Classroom
CARMEN JESSYKA MUSSO BUENDÍA AND JOSÉ LUIS ORTEGA-MARTÍN
ONDIVERSITY.COM
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Motivation: A Key Issue in the EFL Classroom
Carmen Jessyka Musso Buendía, University of Granada, Spain
José Luis Ortega-Martín,1 University of Granada, Spain
Abstract: In this article, our main aim is to discuss diversity in the foreign-language classroom. It is understood that
teachers have to cope with different learning levels and reflect on the lack of interest of primary-education pupils in
learning English. Thus, we have carried out a study with primary-education pupils of a public school in Andalusia to
determine which are their favourite subjects and why, which factors motivate them the most, and also to see, in terms of
diversity, which classroom procedures have the biggest impact on pupils’ motivation. The obtained results can be used as
a basis for a set of recommendations on how to increase intrinsic second language pupils’ motivation in primary schools.
The main aim is not only to make students pass exams, but to make them see how important English is, along with
fostering their intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. The results could be generalised not only to other schools in Andalusia,
but also in other contexts in Spain.
Keywords: Diversity, Motivational Factors, Inclusion, English as a Foreign Language
Introduction
I n the last decade the Spanish education system has made a huge effort to establish English as
a Foreign Language (EFL) as one of the most important subjects to study in primary and
secondary education. This curriculum has changed historically over the years. Currently,
learning a foreign language is compulsory for all children between the ages of six and eighteen.
A bilingual programme is also being carried out in which different subjects of the curriculum—
such as Natural and Social Science, Physical Education, or Arts—are taught in two languages
(English and Spanish). Moreover, learning a foreign language from the age of three is not only a
recommendation but a gift for them and their families.
Apart from this, it can be highlighted that the quality of the methodology that teachers use to
teach, as well as their level of English, have been highly improved. However, it is not rare to find
pupils who are not motivated to study a subject that they do not understand or simply find
useless. Therefore, even though EFL in Spain has been improved in the school context, it is true
that there are too many aspects to keep working on, especially when dealing with diversity.
One of the main aspects to improve is motivation. There is no doubt that if motivation in
learning is important, motivation in learning a language is even more important. It is known that
a high number of students learn the subject due to external factors, mainly because they need to
pass their exams. In this case, intrinsic motivation is even more necessary. In the end, motivation
is necessary in order to make the school an inclusive place and to educate students to be citizens
of the twenty-first century. Therefore, a teacher of languages should not teach English, or any
other subject, for today, but for tomorrow. Thus, English lessons must be a window for the
future.
The purpose of this study is to develop a collection of students’ school-subject preferences;
distinguish the motivating factors that make students be more inclined and interested in EFL;
and, finally, see in terms of diversity which classroom procedures have the biggest impact on
pupils’ motivation.
1
Corresponding Author: José Luis Ortega-Martín, Campus Universitario Cartuja, School of Education, University of
Granada, Granada, 18071, Spain. email: ortegam@ugr.es

Communities & Nations: Annual Review
Volume 17, Issue 1, 2018, http://ondiversity.com
© Common Ground Research Networks, Carmen Jessyka Musso Buendía,
José Luis Ortega-Martín, All Rights Reserved.
Permissions: support@cgnetworks.org
ISSN: 1447-9532 (Print), ISSN: 1447-9583 (Online)
http://doi.org/10.18848/1447-9532/CGP/v17i01/27-43 (Article)
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DIVERSITY IN ORGANIZATIONS, COMMUNITIES & NATIONS: ANNUAL REVIEW
Outline of Innovation
It is well-known that communication in a foreign language is an educative and social need due to
our multicultural and multilingual society and the urgent necessity for communication and
understanding among different cultures. Furthermore, learning a foreign language allows
students to be open and tolerant to different points of view and other ways of life and social
organizations and, at the same time, will improve the possibility of professional development and
interaction with people from other countries. However, to make this happen, it is important to
know how to motivate students. With the implementation of new teaching techniques with which
teachers increase their pupils’ interest, the level of motivation can be fostered in primary-school
pupils using the appropriate resources and adapting activities to learners’ needs. But first, it is
essential to know the main reasons that learners have for studying English; this way, teachers can
adapt their lessons to their real interests and create meaningful context for them. Furthermore, to
make this happen, it is also important to ask them how they feel in the classroom, what they like
the most, and what they would change.
The challenge, then, is to provide teaching and learning activities that are stimulating and
offer pupils a degree of personal desire to learn. If this objective is reached, students’ interest and
curiosity for the language increase. Additionally, motivated students will increase their linguistic
competence proposed in the Primary Education Curriculum both in national and autonomous
legislation. Therefore, the source of motivation is very important in a practical sense to teachers
who want to stimulate students’ motivation, according to Espinar and Ortega-Martín (2015, 127):
“Motivation will be understood as the reason that encourages students to freely devote their time
to a specific activity. It will foster students not only to initiate that activity, but also to continue
working on it throughout their lives. These reasons are individual and personal, different in each
individual and each context, and can come from the students themselves or from an external
stimulus.”
EFL in the Spanish Curriculum

Spanish state schools have undergone dramatic changes over the last decades due to the political
changes in the country. The Spanish education system is built on the principles set out in the
Spanish Constitution in 1978 (especially article 27, which recognises the right to education as
one of the basic rights that public authorities must guarantee to all citizens) and five basic or
organic laws:
 The General Law of Education (LGE) of 1970

 The Right to Education Act (LODE) of 1985
 The General Organisation of the Education System Act (LOGSE) of 1990
 The Organic Law of Education (LOE) of 2006
 The Organic Law on the Improvement of the Quality of Education (LOMCE) of 2013
The following historical overview provides a general introduction to the development of

English in the context of Spain (Enever 2007; Madrid 2001; Oukhiar 2010). First, the LGE of
1970 contemplates the introduction of a subject named “Foreign Language,” which would allow
schools to teach English or French to students around the age of twelve and up (sixth grade in
primary education). Little to no importance was given to methodology.
Twenty years later, with the implementation of LOGSE in 1990, the amount of study of a
foreign language was increased. English was introduced to students at the age of eight and was
introduced on an experimental basis to students in the first level of primary education (PE), aged
six. However, it was not until 2005 that the compulsory starting age for studying English was six
years of age for children studying within the public national school system. It was then that
28
MUSSO AND ORTEGA-MARTÍN: MOTIVATION
English was focused on as a language with a communicative function rather than a succession of
linguistic contents. Bilingualism began in Spain in 1996, when an arrangement was signed
between the Spanish Ministry of Education (MEC) and the British Council to develop a new
Bilingual Education System (Spanish-English). Later, in 1999, the study of a foreign language—
and, consequently, English—became a new purpose in Spain, promoting the study of a FL from
the age of three.
The Organic Law on the Improvement of the Quality of Education (LOMCE) is the current
Spanish education law and was passed in 2013. This law modified LOE, which was passed in
2006. Andalusia also has its own regional government and in December 2007 passed its
educational law, LEA (Andalusian Law on Education), making the Andalusian government
responsible for the education system, including higher education. Since LOE, English has
become the most common foreign language studied in Spain; it is studied by more than 90
percent of students from all levels of education. Furthermore, in 2010, there was a growing
presence of English as a medium of instruction in bilingual schools. There are approximately
1,600 public schools that provide Spanish-English education.
Finally, LOMCE gradually introduced French as a compulsory second foreign language, to
reach a Plurilingual Education System as recommended by the Council of Europe. This
programme is in line with the profound modification of language education announced by the
Council of Europe’s Common European Framework of References for Languages (2001), in
which the primary focus of language education moved to develop the proficiency in several
languages and experiences of several cultures.
Figure 1: Timeline that Provides a Short Description of the Introduction of Languages in the Spanish context
Sources: Enever 2007; Madrid 2001; Oukhiar 2010
Literature Review
The main aim of this section is to examine studies previously made in the field of motivation
when learning a foreign language. Therefore, it now seems important to mention some concepts
about what motivation is and what its main characteristics are according to previous studies.
First, Freud’s (1915) psychoanalytic theory and Hull’s (1943) drive theory both consider stress
reduction to considerably influence behaviour. A second group of theories suggest that behaviour
is dependent on the individual’s expectations for achieving success as well as on students’
incentives to reach the goal. Those theories established by Weiner include Lewin’s field theory,
Atkinson’s achievement theory, and Rotter’s social learning theory (Graham and Weiner 1996).
The last group involves the theories of attribution and humanistic psychology. Although
these differ considerably, they both maintain that human beings struggle to understand
themselves and their surroundings and that growth processes are an integral part of human
motivation (see Madrid and Cañado 2001). Both Weiner ([1980] 1989) and Maslow (1959)
wished to know what motivated humans. While Weiner developed a theoretical framework that
29
assumes that people try to understand their actions and interpret the cause to a specific behaviour,
Maslow’s humanistic theory states that people achieve their full potential according to their
personality and subjective experiences.
Motivation and Foreign-Language Learning
To start with, we can assume that motivation is a multifaceted construct with different
components (need, desire, interest, attitude, behaviour, etc.). In addition to this, behind the word
“motivation” there is a complex meaning studied and defined from early in the twentieth century,
as it is very difficult to explain through a single definition. There are different definitions for
motivation in psychology, in education, and, of course, in everything concerning human beings.
For this reason, a wide range of definitions can be accepted.
Definitions of the term are found in dictionaries and glossaries, such as the Longman
Dictionary of Applied Linguistics. Here, motivation is defined as follows: “Motivation refers to a
combination of the learner’s attitude, desires, and willingness to expend effort in order to learn
the second language. It is generally considered to be one of the primary causes of success and
failures in second language learning” (Richards and Schmidt 2002, 343). In this dictionary, a
distinction is made between integrative and instrumental motivation, as well as between intrinsic
and extrinsic motivation:
a) Integrative motivation includes integrative orientation (characterized by a

willingness to be like valued members of the language community) and an
instrumental orientation toward more practical concerns such as getting a job or
passing an examination, positive attitude toward both the target language
community and the language classroom and a commitment to learn the language.
b) Another widely cited distinction is between intrinsic motivation, enjoyment of
language learning itself, and extrinsic motivation, driven by external factors such as
parental pressure, societal expectations, academic requirements, or other sources of
rewards and punishments. (Richards and Schmidt 2002, 343–44)
Gardner (1985, 10) considers motivation as “a combination of effort and desire to achieve
the goal and favourable attitudes towards it.” Gardner and Lambert (1972), who studied the
relationship between motivation and success rate in foreign-language learning, differentiated two
types of motivation:
 Integrative: based on the desire to become a more valued member of a society

 Instrumental: based on the goal of attending a good job and social recognition
However, the division of motivation into two types has been ignored in recent years, as it is
considered too general (Lalleman 1996).
Madrid (1999, 370–71) defines motivation as “a set of processes which involve the arousal,
direction and sustaining of behaviour.” This means that we cannot directly observe someone’s
motivation; the only thing we can observe is that person’s behaviour, which is influenced directly
by his/her motivational state. Moreover, teachers’ behaviour and their way of organising the class
causes changes in students’ motivation. And, since behaviour could be affected by motivation,
we could conclude that teacher’s motivation in what he/she is doing could affect learners’
motivation. In other words, a motivated teacher should be able to motivate students.
30
Motivation builds up Behaviour
affects
Teachers’ behaviour Learners’ motivation
Teachers’ motivation
affects Learners’ motivation
Figure 2: Motivation and Behaviour Affect Teacher and Learners’ Motivation

Source: Madrid 1999
Later, Dörnyei (2001) identified three interrelated aspects in motivation: the choice of an
action, persistence with it, and effort to achieve it. In an ideal world, innate curiosity would be
enough to make all learners ready to learn, and the learning experience would be a constant
source of intrinsic pleasure. However, this is usually far from the reality that a teacher finds in
the classroom. But, according to Dörnyei, teachers can contribute actively to creating positive
students’ attitudes toward learning. He mentions four main groups of strategies that can be drawn
upon to achieve this:
 Enhancing the learners’ language-related values and attitudes

 Increasing the learners’ “goal-orientedness”
 Making the curriculum relevant for the learners
 Creating realistic leaners beliefs
As far as extrinsic motivation is concerned, teachers can use rewards and incentives. The
effectiveness of rewards has been a controversial issue, however, with early research indicating
that extrinsic rewards are to be avoided because they could undermine intrinsic interest. What
does seem to be important to avoid is rewarding learners for simply participating in an activity
rather than for achieving specific goals.
According to Madrid and Cañado (2001, 333), “motivation is an internal state of the
individual influenced by needs and/or beliefs, which generate an interest and desire to achieve a
goal, and moves the individual to attain it with a continued effort.” Richards and Schmidt also
note that “motivation is generally considered to be one of the primary causes of success and
failure in second language learning” ([1985] 2002, 344). This assertion refers to the relationship
between motivation and language achievement.
In the definition given by Ortega-Martín (2002, quoted in Espinar and Ortega 2015, 127),
“motivation is the disposition of an individual to carry out a task. This disposition can be
modified by him/herself or by the circumstances. The result of this task will condition the
performance of any other related task in the future.” Disposition and attitude are the keys to
success. Finally, Espinar and Ortega-Martín (2015, 127) argue that “motivation will be
understood as the reason that encourages students to freely devote their time to a specific
activity. It will foster students not only to initiate that activity, but also to continue working on it
throughout their lives. These reasons are individual and personal, different in each individual and
each context, and can come from the students themselves or from an external stimulus.”
Therefore, we can say that choice of, persistence with, and effort toward an activity could
indicate the level of motivation that an individual has.
As we can see, it is not only difficult to define motivation, but it is also difficult to establish
where it comes from. It seems that in learning contexts, especially in learning English in Spain,
many students only want to pass their exams without placing importance on whether they are
learning the language (Madrid et al. 1993). Nevertheless, in some learning contexts, students
31
want to learn English because they like languages. In other contexts, students want to learn
English because they are aware of the necessity of being fluent in English in the present day.
Sources of Motivation
Since motivation is one of the key factors that determines success in foreign-language learning,
strategies in motivating language learners should be seen as an important aspect of the theoretical
analysis of second-language (L2) motivation. For instance, it is necessary to know where
motivation in students comes from. For that reason, teachers should become aware of the sources
of motivation because they will have to know their students and act accordingly.
The sources of motivation of the students will depend on several factors, but they will
mainly depend on age, sociocultural background, economic status of the family, friends,
interests, and more. Madrid et al. (1993) highlight a variety of motivating factors:
 Classroom methodology: activities, tasks, etc.

 The EFL teachers’ qualities
 Parents and family background
 English as a school subject
 The desire to integrate into English-speaking communities
 The instrumental importance of English in society
In the meantime, the presence of sources of motivation in the L2 classroom will depend on
several factors: interests of the students, interests of their friends, family, socioeconomic status,
culture, type of school, school context, teacher attitudes, teacher initial and in-service training,
etc.
Gardner (1985) awards great importance to the subjects’ orientation or integral motivation.
Gardner’s socio-educational model presents four aspects of L2 learning: the social and cultural
milieu in which the learner grows up; individual learner differences such as intelligence,
language aptitude, motivation, and anxiety; formal or informal learning contexts; and final
learning outcomes. In short, Gardner’s socio-educational model is made up of:
1. Cultural beliefs: Gardner suggests that L2 learning takes place in specific cultural
contexts.
2. Individual learner differences: Gardner highlights the direct influence of four
personal features in the L2 performance. These differences are determined by the
degree of:
a. Intelligence,
b. Language aptitude, and
c. Motivation, which integrates:
i. Desire to learn,
ii. Effort toward a goal (L2 learning), and
iii. Greater satisfaction in learning (affective component).
3. Learning acquisition contexts: In the model, this refers to the setting in which the
language is being learned, the combination of formal language training, and
informal language learning experience.
a. Formal: when the L2 learning takes place in the classroom
b. Informal: occurs in a more spontaneous and natural situation in which
there is no formal instruction.
4. Language learning outcomes
a. Linguistic knowledge and language skills: this refers to linguistic
competence (knowledge of grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, etc.)
32
b. Non-linguistic skills: this involves the affective component—that is, the

subject’s attitudes and values regarding the beliefs or cultural values of the
target language community.
Figure 3: Socio-Educational Model

Source: Clément 1980
Skehan (1989) distinguishes four main sources of motivation in an educational context:
1. Learning and teaching activities: In this case, students’ interest to learn would
generate motivation (intrinsic motivation).
2. Learning outcomes: The learners’ successes reinforce or increase motivation,
whereas failure diminishes the students’ expectations, sense of efficiency, and
global motivation. In this sense, motivation is a consequence, not a cause, of the
learning outcomes.
3. Internal motivation: At this point, learners already have a certain degree of
motivation upon arriving in class, developed due to the influence of other
motivation agents (e.g., importance of languages in present-day society, parental
influence, etc.).
4. Extrinsic motivation: Finally, Skehan highlights the influence of external incentives
(such as rewards or punishment) on the learners’ behaviour.
Figure 4: Sources of Motivation in School

Source: Skehan 1989
Given that the students’ motivational state is often low—and, in many cases, nonexistent—
teachers have to resort to extrinsic motives to enhance their motivation. Therefore, the use of
extrinsic motivational strategies can be the first step to generating further intrinsic motivation.
The Study
This study was conducted in a primary school in the region of Andalusia, specifically in Huétor
Vega (Granada), a small town with approximately 6,000 inhabitants at a medium socioeconomic
level. The number of participants in this research are seventy-two pupils from the third, fifth, and
sixth grades of primary education. Their years of experience learning English or being in contact
with the English language varies from four to seven years. They all have studied in the same
33
urban public school since they started school. Their native language is Spanish, and their ages
range from eight to twelve years old. Considering that the characteristics of the teacher can
change the results, only answers from students that are taught by the same teacher have been
studied to make sure that this aspect does not change the answers; this is the main reason for
having a small sample.
Research Methodology
Tools and Type of Research
As mentioned before, the study was conducted to measure, in terms of diversity, some variables
affecting students’ motivation toward working on the acquisition of English as a second
language. Therefore, the study sought to provide insight into the feelings of English Language
Learners (ELL); their motivational factors; and, consequently, what teachers could do to adapt
their teaching practice to the pupils’ needs and interests.
In this case, the methodology used has focused on two research models: quantitative and, to
a lesser extent, qualitative research. Both models and strategies involve the collection and
analysis of data in a single study. Quantitative data refers to traditional surveys; a questionnaire
was selected as the most appropriate instrument for reaching the maximum number of
participants and maintaining uniformity in the question-and-answer process. Therefore,
questionnaires were based on a Likert scale comprised of a five-point rating system from
strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5). However, some qualitative questions have been used
to extract information from the students’ opinions. The purpose of these questionnaires was to
collect the participants’ expectations regarding their roles, based on the information gained from
their previous experiences. First, participants were asked for general information such as age,
gender, marks, and nationality, ending with more specific information. Open-ended questions
were asked in the second and third sections of the questionnaire to request details of participants’
expectations and experiences that may not be collected by means of closed questions.
To analyze the data collected from the questionnaires, it was necessary to import them into
an Excel spreadsheet. This was done by manually entering the data from the printed version of
the questionnaires. Then, analyses of the data were performed with SPSS software, version 21.0.
By using this program, a descriptive analysis was produced for each variable. Differences
between groups were identified with the X2 test for qualitative variables. In all analyses based on
bilateral comparisons, P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
The Findings
As the main aim of this research is to give answer to the objectives established before, the
findings will be grouped according to the above-mentioned research aims.
Knowing the Preferences of Students Concerning School Subjects
Taking into consideration the preferences that students have about school subjects, we have
delivered the first questionnaire with which we will analyse the position that EFL takes among
the others. In other words, we have studied the motivational potential that foreign language has
among other subjects (see Figure 5).
34
Figure 5: The Motivational Potential of EFL

Source: Data Obtained from the Present Research
An important goal of the curriculum is to enable children to learn how to learn and develop
an appreciation of the value and practice of lifelong learning; in other words, to be competent
with learning, identifying problems in situations, and using what is known to solve them and
continue to learn. However, at the early stage, the perspective that pupils have about school is
different. Pupils view primary school as a place where they can meet their friends and where they
may, consequently, be busier than at home. For instance, unsurprisingly, Physical Education was
the most popular school subject; 90 percent of pupils surveyed liked it the most. Art and Religion
were the next most popular options at 81 percent and 80 percent, respectively. These subjects are
those in which the demand of intellectual labour is lower than in the rest. Nevertheless, apart
from this, there must be other reasons for this selection. At the same time, it is predictable that
Math and Social Science were by far the least commonly chosen because of their characteristics
and the level of study they involve. However, it could be possible that English corresponds with
Music because of their similarities; for example, in both the atmosphere is relaxing, pupils can
sing or perform, and we could say that students enjoy themselves while taking these classes.
In addition to this aspect, we have also analysed what the pupils think about EFL, as it has
been considered very important to know their thoughts about the subject (see Figure 6). The
results show that there is a high percentage of pupils that consider English to be a very important
(40%) or important (34%) subject. 19 percent of students consider the subject to be unimportant
or of little importance and, therefore, they do not feel motivated to study it.
Figure 6: Percentage of Importance that Students Place on English as a Subject

35
Along with this information, we have also recorded some qualitative data. To make its
analysis easier, it has been decoded into one key word, as shown in Figure 7. Surprisingly, a high
percentage of pupils (38%) from primary education think that English is important for having a
better future. 37 percent of pupils affirm that they like the subject, and others find it difficult
(11%) or boring (7%), or they simply do not like it (8%).
Figure 7: Values of EFL in Primary-Education Students

Regarding how important pupils consider English and their feelings toward this subject,
results indicate that there is a high percentage of pupils who like it and value it as being very
important. At the same time, they consider the subject essential for having a better future. It must
be due to the recession in Spain and because of poor economic conditions that pupils at this stage
understand that even though learning English can be difficult, it is also very valuable, as it can be
useful to create many opportunities in their futures.
We also distinguish significant differences when we take into consideration the grade level
in which the question has been asked. As we can see in Figure 8, the answer changes
considerably. Pupils at the third-grade level appear more motivated to study English than pupils
at higher levels. We can assume that there are many factors that affect the results in this section,
including the methodologies followed in each class, the teacher’s and students’ relationship, the
pupils’ extrinsic and intrinsic motivation, the level of difficulty of content, their personal
experiences with the subject in previous years, their marks, and so on.
Year 3 13% 88%
Year 5 14% 24% 10% 24% 29%
Year 6 3% 12% 9% 52% 24%
Unimportant Of Little Importance Moderately Important Important Very Important
Figure 8: The Importance of EFL among Different Levels of Students

At the same time, and although the differences are not statistically significant, probably due
to the lack of potency of the sample, there is a tendency for females to like English more than
males. It can also be due to others factors, according to Kiziltepe (2003), who suggested that
when the teacher is a woman, female students feel closer to her, as having the same gender gives
a sense of better comprehension towards their feelings and enables communication with them
more easily than with males. As we can see in Figure 9, 53 percent of girls consider English to be
36
a very important subject, as opposed to 27 percent of boys. At the same time, there is a low
proportion of girls—9 percent—who consider the subject to be unimportant or of little
importance, as opposed to 30 percent of boys.
Figure 9: The Importance of EFL between Genders

Motivating Factors that May Make Students More Inclined to Study English
For this section, we have distributed two different questionnaires, with the aim of determining
the motivating factors that make those students be more inclined to learn English. There are
prominent differences in the nine categories analysed (see Figure 5). The acronym “SM” has
been used to mean “Sources of Motivation”:
 SM1: The importance of languages to communicate with others

 SM2: Environmental factors—the influence of the family, pop music, relationships
with foreigners, etc.
 SM3: Desire to live abroad
 SM4: Characteristics of the English subject
 SM5: Characteristics of the lessons
 SM6: The importance of doing English tasks
 SM7: The use of a textbook
 SM8: The teacher’s characteristics
 SM9: The use of ICTs in the English classroom
The top two categories of motivational factors in the students’ ranking are SM8 and SM1, as we
can see in Figure 10.
SM1 2 % 17 % 25 % 56 %
SM2 4 % 8 % 31 % 17 % 40 %
SM3 10 % 23 % 19 % 19 % 29 %
SM4 4 % 6 % 23 % 37 % 29 %
SM5 6 % 6 % 19 % 42 % 27 %
SM6 6 % 6 % 25 % 31 % 31 %
SM7 19 % 19 % 25 % 37 %
SM8 4 % 2 % 10 % 21 % 63 %
SM9 2 % 6 % 23 % 29 % 40 %

Figure 10: EFL Sources of Motivation
37
This shows that more than half of the students (83%) hold a positive opinion of the teacher’s
characteristics (SM8). According to many studies, one of the most important factors that
motivates pupils is having a good relationship with the teacher (Madrid 1999; Ortega-Martín
2002; Espinar and Ortega-Martín 2015). Furthermore, the teacher is the key of the teaching and
learning process; his/her personality has great impact on the learners’ like or dislike for learning
the subject. Krashen (1982, 32) states that “the effective language teacher is someone who can
provide input and help make it comprehensible in a low anxiety situation.” Due to the statements
and the percentage presented in this case, we can confirm that the teacher knows how to manage
the learning and teaching process successfully. It is very important to look for a constant better
performance to get the best of lessons and the most of students. If the teacher is able to do so and
show a positive attitude toward the subject, then he/she will increase the pupil’s intrinsic
motivation and a proper answer will be given to each different need found in the classroom.
Second, 81 percent of pupils feel more motivated when the importance of learning English to
communicate with others, find a better job, or travel abroad are considered. Since English is
considered a lingua franca and it is the most widespread language around the world, most of the
learners want to learn English to communicate with others (native or non-native speakers) when
they travel to other countries. This would enable them to have better job options and, on a larger
scale, to have access to knowledge.
Additionally, there are a high percentage of pupils (67%) who think that English is an
important or very important subject because of its characteristics (SM4); only 10 percent of
students do not hold this opinion. At the same time, a high percentage of pupils (69%) like the
lessons (SM5). A low proportion of pupils (13%) think that activities and tasks are not important
for learning English (SM6). Therefore, with the analysis of this data, we can say that most of the
pupils are satisfied with the teaching and learning process and that they value the importance of
trying to make a small achievement.
On the contrary, we can observe a lack of motivation for living in another country (SM3).
Ten percent of students deem this as unimportant, and 23 percent give it little importance. As we
have mentioned before, there are many families that suffer the consequences of the economic
recession in their own daily life; some of the students have experienced at least one of their
family members needing to go abroad to find a job and to bring their family some income. This
may also be one of the main reasons why they do not want to live abroad but do want to have a
better opportunity in their country. We can firmly say that not only their parents, but also society
in general are teaching those children the importance of learning a language to offer them better
job opportunities in their futures.
Finally, another source of motivation that they consider important is the use of the textbook
(SM7); 63 percent of respondents indicated this. English textbooks undoubtedly are valuable
instructional material for teachers and learners alike for many reasons. This might be because,
first of all, textbooks reinforce the teachers’ work and offer material for further learning and
revision; learners feel that they need a textbook that guides them in the learning process and
complements the role of the teacher. Furthermore, as they are not living in an area where English
is spoken, teachers need to bring the real world into their context, and using textbooks they can
help them use authentic language on a genuinely communicative basis at home. Even though
textbooks are a helpful resource for both teachers and learners, however, teachers cannot entirely
rely on them as a unique resource in the classroom.
Classroom Procedures that Impact on the Students’ Motivation to Learn English
In this section, we are going to analyse the classroom procedures that have the biggest impact on
the students’ motivation to learn English. It is very important for teachers to know which
activities really motivate students, and not only use activities that they simply like. In this way,
students will be more prone to participate and practice the language. With that purpose, we have
classified the variables into different sections, as follows.
38
Firstly, we have analysed three aspects: the importance of rewards, being punished, or
feeling motivated for having success. Predictably, the importance of achieving success after
much effort (45%) and being recognized with some rewards (36%) are the most motivating
aspects in this section. However, what can be surprisingly unexpected is that there is a high
percentage of pupils who do not care if they are punished when they do not do something
appropriately (26%). The possible reasoning for this might be that even though there are a high
percentage of pupils who expect a prize, good results act as a reward and reinforce and increase
motivation in learners. In this sense, motivation is a consequence—and not a cause—of the
learning process. Skehan (1989) highlights the influence of external incentives (such as rewards
or punishment) on the learners’ behaviour to motivate pupils to work on English. In other words,
pupils with instrumental motivation need a reward in order to work on English, whereas failure
diminishes the students’ expectations, sense of efficiency, and global motivation.
6%
14%
36%
45%
16%
12%
38%
26%
34%
18%
8% 26%
10% 9%
2%
Rewards Punishment Success
Figure 11: The Importance of Rewards, Being Punished, or Achieving Success

Regarding challenging tasks (see Figure 12), we can appreciate that even though students are
more motivated when the task is difficult (64 percent of pupils consider this aspect important or
very important), or if they like to solve a problem or discover by themselves (50 percent of pupils
consider this aspect important or very important), there is also a high percentage of pupils who
feel better when they listen to the teacher speaking in English rather than in their own mother
tongue, despite its difficulties.
6%
14% 26% 26%
49%
34% 24%
38%
27% 24%
22%
20%
11%
16%
24% 8%
15%
8% 9%
Easy Task Challenge Task Discover by myself Teacher Speaks English
Figure 12: Challenging Tasks as a Motivation Factor

39
Another class condition that is important to enhancing L2 learners’ motivation is grouping.

More than 75 percent of the students surveyed prefer working in groups or teamwork rather than
individual work. Therefore, the results show that this kind of arrangement or teaching strategy
could increase pupils’ motivation.
Group work is considered to be one of the most influential EFL learning strategies.
Cooperation and cohesion between members of the group provides students with a secure
atmosphere, which lowers their anxiety, especially for introverted students. Furthermore, this
way, they can communicate and exchange information effectively, which is essential to solving
problems or doubts about the subject with their classmates.
10%
8%
45%
16%
18%
31%
47%
18%
6%
Team Work Individual Work
Figure 13: The Importance of Learning Arrangement

Conclusions
There are many reasons that could be used to justify the poor results of Spanish students when
learning a foreign language. It has not only been the choice of the wrong teaching method, based
traditionally on grammar and translation, but also the ways in which teachers rely on curricular
aspects and forget other, noncurricular aspects.
The first of the proposed objectives in this research was to determine whether our students
like EFL and the preferences they have, which could affect their attitude when they come into the
classroom, get ready at home, or even watch television or play video games in which they have
to use English. In terms of motivation, it is known that English cannot compete with other
subjects that could be more active and attractive for kids. We teachers should ask students about
their preferences, what they like the most in other subjects and why, their interests, etc. The word
“action” must be considered in the classroom. We must not only do action research in the
classroom, but also bring action into our classrooms to be good teachers. Pupils want movement;
they want active exercises; and they want to interact with others and be grouped, no matter if it is
in pairs or in groups of three, four, or five. They feel that a subject is more attractive if the
process of learning is shared with others, and if the teacher gives them the option of participating
actively.
The second objective proposed for this research was to check which factors, those that
happen in and out of the classroom, are the most motivating ones for students. The most relevant
variables that pupils consider are the importance of the teacher’s characteristics as well as the
necessity of learning English for the future. If we link this first factor with the results obtained in
the first objective, we can see that our pupils expect teachers to teach well, to speak English
40
properly, to know how to manage the classroom, and, of course, to take care of their pupils. So,
when we combine both, a good teacher with the proper strategies and adequate skills to teach will
make students aware of how important English is and the impact that being fluent in a foreign
language can have for them not only to get a job, but to travel abroad, study at the university
level, or simply meet new people. Again, the role of the teacher cannot be that of transmitting
content, something that a webpage can almost do for us, but to work on values and cross-
curricular aspects that make our pupils grow in a more general sense.
The third of the proposed objectives aimed to differentiate the classroom procedures that
have the biggest impact on students’ motivation. Here, we will only highlight two of the results,
which could be considered a contradiction (but is not). Children want to be autonomous; they
want to create, work by themselves, assume their own responsibilities, and feel that they can do
things without the help of others, especially adults. But then it was found that what they like the
most is to be part of a group; girls especially feel this way. This means that they want to work
while guided by well-trained teachers and be part of groups to share knowledge and get the
benefits of cooperative-work. The use of group tasks is the best possible option to work with and
teach a foreign language in a monolingual context.
Finally, we can say that teachers should work on these two aspects to motivate students. It is
very important to first make them see how important English is and then foster intrinsic
motivation through resources that also contribute to the development of extrinsic motivation. The
main aim is giving this opportunity to all students to learn, despite their needs. This makes the
school an inclusive place where teachers do not leave any child behind.
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ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Carmen Jessyka Musso Buendía: PhD Student, School of Education, University of Granada,
Granada, Spain
José Luis Ortega-Martín: Associate Professor, School of Education, University of Granada,

Granada, Spain
43
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Motivation: A key issue in the EFL classroom

Article in International Journal of Diversity in Organisations · January 2018

Carmen Jessyka Musso Buendía José Luis Ortega Martín

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CARMEN JESSYKA MUSSO BUENDÍA AND JOSÉ LUIS ORTEGA-MARTÍN

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Keywords: Diversity, Motivational Factors, Inclusion, English as a Foreign Language

The International Journal of Diversity in Organizations,

EFL in the Spanish Curriculum

 The General Law of Education (LGE) of 1970

The following historical overview provides a general introduction to the development of

Motivation and Foreign-Language Learning

a) Integrative motivation includes integrative orientation (characterized by a

 Integrative: based on the desire to become a more valued member of a society

Motivation builds up Behaviour

Figure 2: Motivation and Behaviour Affect Teacher and Learners’ Motivation

 Enhancing the learners’ language-related values and attitudes

 Classroom methodology: activities, tasks, etc.

b. Non-linguistic skills: this involves the affective component—that is, the

Figure 3: Socio-Educational Model

Skehan (1989) distinguishes four main sources of motivation in an educational context:

Figure 4: Sources of Motivation in School

Tools and Type of Research

Knowing the Preferences of Students Concerning School Subjects

Figure 5: The Motivational Potential of EFL

Figure 6: Percentage of Importance that Students Place on English as a Subject

Figure 7: Values of EFL in Primary-Education Students

Year 3 13% 88%

Year 5 14% 24% 10% 24% 29%

Year 6 3% 12% 9% 52% 24%

Unimportant Of Little Importance Moderately Important Important Very Important

Figure 8: The Importance of EFL among Different Levels of Students

Figure 9: The Importance of EFL between Genders

 SM1: The importance of languages to communicate with others

SM1 2 % 17 % 25 % 56 %

SM2 4 % 8 % 31 % 17 % 40 %

SM3 10 % 23 % 19 % 19 % 29 %

SM4 4 % 6 % 23 % 37 % 29 %

SM5 6 % 6 % 19 % 42 % 27 %

SM6 6 % 6 % 25 % 31 % 31 %

SM7 19 % 19 % 25 % 37 %

SM8 4 % 2 % 10 % 21 % 63 %

SM9 2 % 6 % 23 % 29 % 40 %

Unimportant Of Little Importance Moderately Important Important Very Important

Classroom Procedures that Impact on the Students’ Motivation to Learn English

Figure 11: The Importance of Rewards, Being Punished, or Achieving Success

14% 26% 26%

Unimportant Of Little Importance Moderately Important Important Very Important

Figure 12: Challenging Tasks as a Motivation Factor

Another class condition that is important to enhancing L2 learners’ motivation is grouping.

Unimportant Of Little Importance Moderately Important Important Very Important

Figure 13: The Importance of Learning Arrangement

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

José Luis Ortega-Martín: Associate Professor, School of Education, University of Granada,

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