The Almighty An Analysis of Demotivating Factors in Learning English

Introduction Research on L2 motivation has traditionally been interested in the positive influences that generate interest in learning and facilitate in sustaining it. However, there is also another side to motivation that probably every learner has encountered at some point: experiencing temporary loss of motivation. This “darker side” of motivation or demotivation has been almost completely ignored in research on L2 motivation.

Dornyei (2001) has distinguished at least three negative factors that cannot be referred to as demotives. Firstly, there are powerful distractions, e.g. watching television instead of doing one’s homework. These cannot be regarded as demotives because they do not carry negative value. Secondly, gradual loss of interest cannot be regarded as a demotive because demotives are specific factors or incidents that reduce motivation on a single event. Thirdly, there are circumstances when a learner recognizes the inconvenience or high costs of pursuing the goal. Demotivation

The current study is an attempt to identify the major demotivating factors to which students majoring in English translation and literature at Ghuchan Islamic Azad University ascribe their perceived failures in Learning English. In seeking to find an answer for each of the research questions, the current study aims at: 1)Finding the relationship between the demotivating factors and learning English, and 2) Determining the frequency and order of importance of the demotivating factors. The aims of the study

The Study The Study Participants: The subjects participating in this study are university students majoring in translation at Ghuchan Azad University located at the northeast of Iran. The classes selected were fairly large and mixed. The students were between 3 rd to 8 th semesters. A pool of 465 students participated in this research project. The average age and standard deviation (S.D.) of the research were calculated as follows: Average age: 21.65, S.D: 1.34.

Conducted the pilot study to collect the data, the researchers using an open-ended questionnaire analyzed the resulting responses by means of a grounded theory approach allowing factors to emerge from the data. We defined success operationally as " specific external forces that reduce or diminish the motivational basis of a behavioral intention or an ongoing action” (Dornyei, 2001, p. 143). Indeed, the purpose of this study was to build upon emerging research into aspects of students' perceptions of their failures in learning English language. Data Analysis

Results The most commonly cited factors for demotivation were teacher, teaching methodology, lack of self- esteem, lack of effort, socioeconomic problems, and lack of job. The total number of the demotivating factors was gained by counting all the factors belonging to the same theme, regardless of the importance they had been given. The total number of the demotivating factors can be found in table 1.

Results Factors Percent Teacher 34% teaching methodology 21% lack of self-esteem 17% lack of effort 13% socioeconomic problems 9% Lack of job 6% Total 100%

The teacher was the source of demotivation that turned out to be the most frequent. He or she was mentioned 34%. Teaching methodology turned out to be the second, with the total percent of 21%. The frequency of lack of self-esteem, mentioned 17% by pupils was close to the frequency of lack of effort, mentioned 13% by pupils was, whereas, socioeconomic problems and lack of job came last measured by frequency. Results Results

Based on the findings, it is safe to say that the teacher has a strong influence on a pupil’s motivation. However, this did not come as a surprise because the teacher’s importance for a pupil’s motivation is a well- known fact in research on motivation (e.g. Taylor 1962, Pidgeon 1970, Nash 1976). Undoubtedly, the teacher is also a powerful source of demotivation. For instance, Aplin’s (1991) study on why pupils cease to study foreign languages revealed that dislike of the teacher was one of the reasons. Discussion

The same applies to the demotivating effect of teaching methods, considering the important role methodology play in learning and school environment because it is obvious that suitable way of teaching enhance learning. It is understandable that lack of self-esteem is a factor for reduced motivation and hence the relatively large number of pupils attributing demotivation to them. This indicates that these pupils were aware of their lack of confidence and of the motivational effect they had. This, in turn, could point to insufficient differentiation in teaching practice. Discussion

Yet, another unpredictable finding was the demotivating effect of the English language on some pupils, especially considering their efforts. Students usually attribute their failure to some externat factors rather than their own efforts. Any language classroom is a minisociety which is nested in a larger society. Factors such as socioeconomic factors affect students’ performance and endeavor. Unemployment and the increased number of students who graduate from university is another important reason for demotivation among students. Discussion

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