The Effect of Motivation on Language Learning Essay

According to Seyfarth (2008) “all of the actions of a human being originate from inner motivation” (p. 81). Therefore, teachers need to reflect on their beliefs about education in order to keep motivated and teach effectively. This paper will present my own personal practice theories and beliefs about the learner, the teacher, and the subject matter. As well as to analyzing the importance of the classroom climate, the parents, the school leadership team and the principles of learning.

Of the many mini theories developed, intrinsic motivation plays a role in workplace situations I have personally experienced. Factors that encourage intrinsic motivation include challenge, curiosity, control, fantasy, competition, cooperation, and recognition. Intrinsic motivation challenges the way we learn, our purpose, interests, and meaning. Intrinsic motivation occurs when there is a generalized interest in a goal and it benefits us when the behavior to achieve the goal is self-imposed (Reeve, 2009).

Intrinsic motivation is the engagement in a behaviour as it is self-rewarding; essentially, executing an activity for its own sake rather than the expectation of a reward. Examples of intrinsic motivation can be applied to various sports and activities, such as: participation in a sport or physical activity because you find it enjoyable, or enjoying the sense of a challenge when completing a puzzle.

Every teacher encounters the challenge of getting students engaged in work in the classroom. While some students enthusiastically walk into a classroom each day, others need motivation and inspiration to focus in school. This issue is significant for school leaders because the role of the school is to provide a place for students to engage and interact with knowledge. If students are not

Extrinsic motivation it is the motivation brought about by what a person is getting from a certain task, rather than interest in the task. An example of extrinsic motivation is when a student who is not particularly interested in math works hard in order to attain a good grade, and in a working person’s life, it could be working on a task that is not necessarily interesting to him/her, but that is giving a good amount of financial reward. A good example of intrinsic motivation is working as a volunteer in a children’s home because taking care of children is of personal interest and satisfaction, to the person, despite getting no reward.

Current research on young adolescent student motivation shows that the teacher must; make the lesson connect to the outside world as much as possible, let the students decide where they sit or what project to work on, guide the student rather than tell them the way, and be someone the student can trust and depend on. Teachers must motivate their students to become better and more engaged within the classroom by using techniques that allow the student to develop their own sense of motivation.

The languages and skills learned will benefit them immensely in the future, but while conducting research about the success in learning a foreign language, I learned that a greater problem was the student’s engagement and motivation in learning a foreign language like Spanish. I started with a topic I found very interesting but soon realized there was an enormous problem in the process of getting to the success a foreign language brings. Student engagement and motivation in learning a foreign language then became the focus of my research and observations where I learned important tools I will take on in my future in teaching. Without the motivation and engagement a student has and is receiving by the instructor, the student won’t be exposed to the benefits of a foreign language.

Intrinsic motivation involves being in an activity only for the enjoyment of the activity and for no other motive (Deci, Ryan, & Guay, 2013). For example, going out shopping with friends because a person genuinely enjoys the company of friends and shopping (Deci, Ryan, & Guay, 2013). In a competitive setting a person may less likely express intrinsic motivation (Deci, Ryan, & Guay, 2013). The thought of the reward decreases the ability of intrinsic motivation according to a research study. Intrinsic motivation is important for every adult

Intrinsic motivation is when someone wants to complete an action because they think it will be an enjoyable or satisfying experience. Extrinsic motivation is when someone acts a certain way because it will benefit them externally in some

Self-motivation is essential for students to partake in an active and responsible role in their education.  Self-motivation allows students to perform at their best and to learn without any sense of limitation.  With this, students will find a reason to work — and as a result, they will give their best to every assignment.  In addition, students will take an initiative to participate in class. Studies made by Csikszentmihalyi and Nakamura state that, “activities will not continue unless they are enjoyable—or unless people are motivated by extrinsic rewards” (602).  Motivated students

Young children are compelled to learn because of their natural curiosity in life. Older children seem to need a push in the direction to learn. This describes the two types of motivation. Intrinsic motivation describes the young child. It is motivation from within and the desire someone feels to complete a task, including natural curiosity. Intrinsic motivation is anything we do to motivate ourselves without rewards from an outside source. “In relation to learning, one is compelled to learn by a motive to understand, originating from their own curiosity” (Rehmke-Ribary, 2003 p.intrinsic).

It is the duty of the teacher to identify those factors and comprehend it completely in order to teach the students effectively. Among all these factors, motivation is one of the most significant one. Dorneyi (2001 a) addresses the relevance of motivation by asserting, “ ‘motivation' is related to one of the most basic aspects of the human mind, and most teachers and researchers would agree that it has a very important role in determining success or failure in any learning situation. My personal experience is that 99 per cent of language learners who really want to learn a foreign language (i.e. who are really motivated) will be able to master a reasonable working knowledge of it as a minimum, regardless of their language aptitude.”

What is motivation? What influences it? The term motivation can be defined in different ways. Motivation can simply defined as “ a need that, if high, is evident in a strong desire to achieve, to excel, to reach a high level of excellence” (Lefrancois 430). To become motivated, one must have a positive attitude to a variety of learning skills. Some factors that influence motivation include our peers, friends, parents, and environmental settings. Division four being high school division, attention is focused towards learning and what methods can be used. Students at this stage are more eager and develop a sense of what he or she wants to do and accomplish in upcoming adulthood. With a division comes a group of intelligent theorists. All

Motivation is one of the most discussed topics in the present era’s organisations, especially since renowned psychologists like Maslow and Herzberg are dedicating their efforts to understanding it. Companies are investing a significant amount of resources in improving productivity in order to maximise profits. One of these important resources is of human nature. In order to get the very best out of employees, some motivational approaches need to be used. But what is motivation and how do I successfully motivate? I will try to relate one of my personal experiences with a friend to some of the most influential motivational theories. After introducing my story and making a definition of motivation I will address the ideas of Taylor,

     Intrinsic motivation can be defined as “motivation associated with activities that are their own reward” (Perry 2003). It is motivation that stems from your inner feelings and views which feed your desires to accomplish and perform. Oppositely, extrinsic motivation is “motivation created by external factors such as rewards and punishments” (Perry 2003). When you are extrinsically motivated, you are only performing the task for what you will gain from completion. On the other hand, when we are intrinsically motivated, there is no requirement for external rewards or punishments