Educational psychology

lecture 6
Motivation in Language Learning
1. 4 stage model of motivation
2. Achievement and effectiveness
motivation in learning process
1. Integrative and instrumental
orientations in motivation
1. Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation
2. Motivational styles
Definition.

Motivation may be constructed as a state of cognitive

and emotional arousal which leads to a conscious
decision to act, which gives rise to a period of
sustained intellectual and/or physical effort in order
to attain a previously set good goals.
motivation= cog/emot.arousal  cons.decision 
intel/phys effort  goals
Causes of arousal:
Internal causes – desire, interest, curiosity
External causes – another person, event

Reasons for doing smth  deciding to do  sustaining

the effort, persisting
The state of arousal.
A major component  curiosity.
1) If a task provokes curiosity (surprise, discrepancy
from existing ideas)  the state of arousal is high.
2) If a task is too complex, it induces confusion and
avoidance response.
Students are highly motivated or aroused in
the following conditions:
- Minds and bodies are completely involved
- Concentration is very deep
- Know what they want to do
- Know how well they are done
- Not worried about failing
- Time passes very quickly
The role of (I) Achievement motivation and
(II) Effectiveness motivation in learning process
I II
People differ in their need to Self-efficacy (Bandura’s
achieve and to be successful. theory)  if students believe
This drive to succeed pushes they can do this they will
some to be high achievers in demonstrate their skills; if
everything, whereas others not  won't. SO, self-
don’t seem to care much. efficacy influences our
choice of activities we
undertake, also efforts and
persistence.
Integrative and instrumental orientations in
motivation (Gardner)
Learner is studying a Learner is studying a
language because of a language because of
wish to identify with the external goods such as
culture of speakers of passing exams, financial
that language. rewards, furthering a
career or gaining a
promotion.
Dimensions of motivation.
Intrinsic
1. Preference for challenge
2. Curiosity
3. Independent mastery
4. Independent judgment
5. Internal criteria for success.
Extrinsic
1. Preference for easy work
2. Pleasing teacher/getting
grades
3. Dependence on teacher in
figuring out problems
4. Reliance on teacher’s
judgment about what to do
5. External criteria for success
Perceived value of the activity
Rule: the greater the value students attach to the
accomplishment in an activity, the more highly motivated
they will be both to engage in it initially, and later to put
sustained effort into succeeding.
Example: Learning a FL in British schools was rated as:
- Useful and interesting – 23% (15 years olds)
- Useful but boring – 13% (both sexes)
- Useless and boring – 23% (both sexes)

Result: significant minority are poorly motivated in learning

FL.
Locus of
Causality (Richard de
charms)
Am I the cause of the action?
-I am responsible for
originating my actions
So, I am origin.
- I find other people
responsible for what happens
to me. So, I am a pawn.
Control (Juliann Rotter)
-I am in control of my
learning, so, I have internal
locus of control.
-I lack control over what
happens to me and lose
motivation to succeed.
-So I have external locus of
control.
 Motivational Styles
Learned Mastery oriented Self-worth concern
helplessness

1) Lack of ability 1) See a lack of effort 1) Avoid expending

2) No control over their 2) Seek clues in their great effort on
actions. mistakes for ways
3) Demotivated
tasks seen as
to improve
Difficult to
ego threatening
4) performance
discriminate between
3) Improve 2) Failure is seen
right and wrong
performance as low ability.
5) Symptoms of anxiety
and depressions
6) Give up trying
Setting and achieving goals
Setting appropriate goals becomes an important part of
motivated behavior so that the decision can be carried
out and the required effort sustained.
Dweck: ‘Put simply, with performance goals, an
individual aims to look smart, whereas with learning
goals the individual aims at becoming smarter. (1985)
Choice of goals reflect both students’ beliefs about
intelligence and ability, and their typical behavior
patterns in achievement situation.
Power of feed back.
Motivating influence.
External reinforcers: rewards, merit marks, praise are
excellent ways of motivating underachieving or
reluctant learners.
Informational feedback is likely to increase motivation
towards certain tasks (helps to perform the task with
greater degree of independence).
Controlling feedback is likely to cause anxiety over the
performance and decrease motivation.
Praise can be informational if it describes personal
competence, which in turn will be influenced by
student’s view of himself.

Praise (reward) can be destructive as it may lead learners

to feel that their involvement in any activity is in
hands of others and beyond their control, decreasing
intrinsic motivation.
Summary:
What makes a person want to learn? Motivation in language Some important external factors are:
learning 1. Significant others
1. Intrinsic interest of activity - Parents
- Arousal of curiosity - Teachers
- Optimal degree of challenge ( zone of next potential) - Peers
1. Perceived value of activity 1. The nature of interaction with significant others
- Personal relevance 2. Mediated learning experiences
- Anticipated value of outcomes 3. The nature and amount of feedback
- Intrinsic value attributed to the activity 4. Rewards
1. Sense of agency 5. The nature and amount of appropriate praise
- Locus of causality ( origin versus pawn) 6. Punishments, sanctions
- Locus of control re process and outcomes • The learning environment
- Ability to set appropriate goals - Comfort
1. Mastery - Resources
- Feelings of competence - Time of day, week, year
- Awareness of developing skill and mastery in a chosen area What makes a person want to learn? Motivation in language
- Self- efficacy learning
1. Self- concept - Size of class school
2. Realistic awareness of personal strengths and weaknesses - Class and school ethos
in skills required The broader context
3. Personal definitions and judgments of success and failure - Wider family networks
4. Self- worth concern - The local education system
5. Learned helplessness - Conflicting interests
• Attitudes - Cultural norms
1. To language learning in general - Societal expectations and attitudes
2. To the target language
3. To the target language and culture
• Other affective states
- Confidence
- Anxiety, fear
• Developmental age and stage
• Gender
Tips for language teachers.
- Recognize the complexity of motivation.
- Be aware of both initiating and sustaining motivation.
- Discuss with learners why they are carrying out activities.
- Involve learners in making decisions related to learning the FL.
- Involve them in setting language learning goals.
- Recognize people as individuals
- Build up individual’s beliefs in themselves.
- Develop internal beliefs.
- Help to move towards a mastery oriented style.
- Enhance intrinsic motivation.
- Build up a supportive learning environment
- Give feedback that’s informational.
Intrinsically motivating techniques: A check list.
Does the technique appeal to the genuine interests of your students? Is it
relevant to their lives?
Do you present the technique in a positive, enthusiastic manner?
Are students clearly aware of the purpose of the technique?
Do students have some choice in:
Choosing some aspect of the technique?
Determining how they go about fulfilling the goals of the technique?
Does the technique encourage students to discover for themselves certain
principles or rules ( rather than simply being ‘told’)
Does it encourage students in some way to develop or use effective
strategies of learning and communication?
Does it contribute – at least to some extent – to students’ ultimate
autonomy and independence ( from you)?
Does it foster cooperative negotiation with other students in the class? Is it
truly interactive technique?
Does the technique present a ‘reasonable challenge’?
Do students receive sufficient feedback on their performance (from each
other or from you)?
 Educational Video
Cultivating intrinsic motivation and creativity in the
classroom
1. Which educational problem made Beth apply for Phd in Educational psychology?
2. What is her attitude to intrinsic and extrinsic motivation?
3. When can extrinsic motivation become helpful in learning?
4. Name 6 killers of creativity in the task according to Beth.
5. How reliable are her findings about motivation and creativity in the classroom?
6. Who demonstrates more creativity on the task : those learners with controlled /restricted or
non-controlled /non-restricted environment and why?
7. Which approach to teaching/learning is dominant nowadays and how things can be improved?
8. Which skills do teachers fail to develop ? What does this failure lead to?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2eRnhBvI_I
 
Seminar: Case study.
(analysis of effective strategies and intrinsically
motivating techniques)

Group presentation: ‘Your majesty, my son’s stopped

learning English and we blame the teacher for his
behavior.’