ACE TESOL Diploma Program – London Language Institute OBJECTIVES You will understand: 1. What motivation is and the different types of motivation. 2. How motivation impacts student learning. You will be able to: 1. Integrate the theoretical knowledge about motivation into your teaching.

ACE TESOL Diploma Program – London Language Institute DEFINITIONS OF MOTIVATION While many factors affect student language learning success, researchers agree that motivation is one of the most influential of these factors. Motivation can be defined as an orientation or attitude towards a particular goal. The attitude or orientation may be positive, negative or neutral. Another way to think about motivation is as a person’s desire to achieve an end result.

ACE TESOL Diploma Program – London Language Institute DEFINITIONS OF MOTIVATION Gardner and Lambert (1972) noted two categories of motivation based upon purpose. Integrative motivation is the degree to which an individual wants to become part of a language group or culture. The stronger their desire to be integrated into a language group, the stronger their integrative motivation to become proficient in the language. They particularly strive to have native-like pronunciation and to use the language in a culturally appropriate manner. Instrumental motivation is the degree to which an individual sees a practical outcome from learning a language. This outcome may be acceptance into university, acquiring a new job, or getting a promotion.

ACE TESOL Diploma Program – London Language Institute Think of examples of integrative and instrumental motivation in an ESL classroom: Integrative MotivationInstrumental Motivation

ACE TESOL Diploma Program – London Language Institute DEFINITIONS OF MOTIVATION Motivation can also be analyzed according to the scope of the situation in which a student is or is not motivated. Global motivation means that the student in a general sense is motivated to learn something, for example a language. Situational motivation means that a student is motivated to learn in a specific situation. Task motivation means that a student is motivated to complete a specific task. For language learning to be successful, the student must have motivation at all levels.

ACE TESOL Diploma Program – London Language Institute We can think of the three scopes of motivation as concentric circles, with the task in the middle, followed by the situation, followed by the global. Task Situational Global

ACE TESOL Diploma Program – London Language Institute DEFINITIONS OF MOTIVATION There are two emotional drivers of motivation that also need to be factored into a discussion on the motivation of our language students. Intrinsic motivation is a factor when a student is learning the language simply because they want to learn a new language. They may love languages or they may love the intellectual process of learning languages. The reward for the activity therefore happens on an internal level through a sense of satisfaction or accomplishment. Extrinsic motivation is a factor when a student anticipates an external reward for accomplishing something. This may be a prize, good grades or entrance into university.

ACE TESOL Diploma Program – London Language Institute

Think of examples of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in an ESL classroom: Intrinsic MotivationExtrinsic Motivation

ACE TESOL Diploma Program – London Language Institute EXPECTANCY INSTRUMENTALITY VALENCE Regardless of the kind of motivation at work with a particular student, there are three variables that contribute to the strength of that motivation. Expectancy is the degree to which a student expects to be successful at a task. Instrumentality is the degree to which a student sees a connection between their effort and a successful outcome. Valence is the degree to which an individual values the results of success. If any one of these three variables is low, then the student’s motivation will be low.

ACE TESOL Diploma Program – London Language Institute EXPECTANCY INSTRUMENTALITY VALENCE Think of things that you as a teacher might inadvertently do that might affect a student’s expectancy, instrumentality or valence as they relate to motivation.

ACE TESOL Diploma Program – London Language Institute MASLOW’S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS In a 1943 paper entitled “A Theory of Human Motivation” Abraham Maslow proposed that human needs can be placed in a hierarchy.

ACE TESOL Diploma Program – London Language Institute MASLOW’S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS Maslow is important when we are talking about student motivation for language learning. The degree to which a student’s needs are met will influence that student’s success as a language learner. This is particularly true when looking at the deficiency needs, the four lower levels of the hierarchy. If students are hungry, learning will be challenging. If they have not had enough sleep, learning will be challenging. If they are worried about finances or relationships, they will not learn.

ACE TESOL Diploma Program – London Language Institute MASLOW’S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS Describe a situation in which a student’s language learning efforts may be impeded by the lack of fulfillment at each level of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. PhysiologicalA student was out partying all night. They had too much to drink and only had a few hours of sleep. They didn’t get up in time to have breakfast before class. Safety Love/Belongingness Esteem Self-Actualization

ACE TESOL Diploma Program – London Language Institute Complete Questions 4 (if not completed in class) and 5 in the Task Journal. Task Journals can be submitted via to (preferred) or printed and handed in.