Научная статья на тему 'Student motivation problems and solution'

Student motivation problems and solution Текст научной статьи по специальности «Науки об образовании»

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Журнал
Sciences of Europe
Область наук
Ключевые слова
EXTROVERT / INTROVERT / SELF-CONFIDENT / WELL-PREPARED CLASSROOM TEACHER / INTERACTION / IMPORTANT QUALITIES / ENJOYABLE ATMOSPHERE / TO WORK CO-OPERATIVE / GAMES / INTRINSIC AND EXTRINSIC REWARDS

Аннотация научной статьи по наукам об образовании, автор научной работы — Nazirova O.

This article is devoted to student motivation in teaching foreign languages. It deals with students' motivation while teaching a foreign language, especially English for specific purposes. The research treats of the innovations in the practice of foreign language teaching as a result of reforms of the Uzbek education. Also here is described problems faced by the teachers in the learning process. There were observed some problems that teachers face during the teaching process. It is about some issues of motivating children, adults and higher education studentswho are in the 3rd year of their study there. Moreover there was explained the definition of extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. There was described the significance of the role of teachers in motivational process and given recommendations how to treat with passive students who are not eager to learn foreign languages.

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Текст научной работы на тему «Student motivation problems and solution»

Литература

1. Барсук Р.Ю. Основы обучения иностранному языку в условиях двуязычия. М.; Высшая школа, 1970. 176 с.

2. Барсук Р.Ю. Сопоставительные и типологические исследования как лингвистическая основа обучения второму и третьему языкам. /Лингвопси-хологические проблемы обоснования методики преподавания иностранных языков в высшей школе. М., 1971. Ч. I. С. 24-30.

3. Барышников Н.В. Мультилингводидактика. ИЯШ, № 5. 2004. С. 19-27.

4. Барышников Н.В. Методика обучения второму иностранному языку в школе. М.: Просвещение, 2003.

5. Джиоева А.Р. Теоретико-методологические и лингвистические основы формирующегося учебного многоязычия. Владикавказ, 2004. 165 с.

6. Щерба Л.В. О взаимоотношениях родного и иностранного языков // Языковая система и речевая деятельность. Л.,1974. С. 343.

STUDENT MOTIVATION PROBLEMS AND SOLUTION

Nazirova O.

Namangan Engineering- Technology Institute, Namangan, Uzbekistan

ABSTRACT

This article is devoted to student motivation in teaching foreign languages. It deals with students' motivation while teaching a foreign language, especially English for specific purposes. The research treats of the innovations in the practice of foreign language teaching as a result of reforms of the Uzbek education. Also here is described problems faced by the teachers in the learning process. There were observed some problems that teachers face during the teaching process. It is about some issues of motivating children, adults and higher education students-who are in the 3rd year of their study there. Moreover there was explained the definition of extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. There was described the significance of the role of teachers in motivational process and given recommendations how to treat with passive students who are not eager to learn foreign languages.

Keywords: extrovert, introvert, self-confident, well-prepared classroom teacher, interaction, important qualities, enjoyable atmosphere, to work co-operative, games, intrinsic and extrinsic rewards

Motivation is an important factor that teachers can target in order to improve learning efficiency. It is defined in Merriam-Webster's dictionary (1997) as the act or process of motivating; the condition of being motivating; a motivating force, stimulus, or influence; incentive; drive; something (such as a need or desire) that causes a person or student to act. Its meaning is wide. Many people see an association between personality attributes and the successful learning of a foreign language. While successful learner may show different types of characteristics (they may be extrovert, self-confident, active, passive, independent as well as introvert or shy), unsuccessful learners are more frequently described as demonstrating a lack of self-confidence and being shy, afraid to express their opinions and nervous. The role of the teacher is recognized as being highly significant in all the stages of the motivational process. Motivation is no longer thought of only as in-tegrative or instrumental. It is also considered a key to learning something in many cases created, fostered and maintained by an enthusiastic and well-prepared classroom teacher. Because of the importance of the interaction nature that occur between learners and teachers, many studies have been dedicated to the discussions of the influence of teachers in the process of foreign language learning. A good teacher should have some important qualities. The first one is the teacher's enthusiasm, acknowledgement and stimulation of students ideas, the creation of a relax and enjoyable atmosphere in the classroom, the presentation of activities in a clear, interesting and motivating way, the encouragement of pupils with difficulties, helping them to increase their

expectations of themselves. With rewards as "excellent" or "I knew that you can do it", and etc. students can go a long way. One way to encourage students - and teach them responsibility - is to get them involved in the classroom.

All teachers face a challenge of motivating learners. Each class is unique and consists of a wide array of students and each of them brings different learning styles, interests, and life experiences. That is what makes each classroom unique and special. There are several ways that teachers can tap into the individual learning styles and interests of students, thus making learning more fun and meaningful at the same time. One excellent way to start is by having strong classroom management skills; you can refine your natural talents by following them. Research indicates that pedagogical practices challenge learners to motivate the language learning. Pedagogical practices consist of motivating students into the lesson at the pre-stages of lessons and varying the activities, games, tasks and materials.

Needed materials and varying activities, tasks and materials can help to avoid the boredom of students' interest levels. Making students to work co-operative rather than competitive is useful either. If students work with groups, they will complete a task, activities and solve problems together. It increases students' motivation. So using team work, group work, pair works are considered as the best and most important factors in motivating students. Additionally, games are fabulous classroom team building activities which are great for creating motivation in the classroom. It's amazing how

it does wonder for students' self esteem and camaraderie.

What to do, if the content has no intrinsic value to a student? Any teacher knows the answer to this question. When students don't care about what they are learning, tests and grades force them to learn what they don't care about knowing. Of course, students can win this game in the long run by instantly forgetting the material they crammed into their heads the night before the test. Unfortunately, this happens nearly every time. What is the point of a system that teaches students to temporarily memorize facts? The only facts that stay are the ones we were forced to memorize again and again, and those we were not forced to memorize at all but that we learned because we truly needed to know them, because we were motivated to know them. Motivation can be induced artificially, but its effects then are temporary. There is no substitute for the real thing. The theories about motivated are as varied as the types of students that populate today's classrooms. Some focus on curiosity, and some focus on intrinsic and extrinsic rewards, still other theories focus on what the teachers should do.

High school students are still a curious lot. The curiosity, however, is not the wide-eyed, trusting soul that was in that third grade classroom. Instead, they are ready to question what the teacher says, investigate things that we as adults know they should stay away from, and rebel against the concepts they feel unfair or unjust. They do not have the wide-eyed, what-ever-the-teacher-says-is-right attitude. [4] As we walk down the long corridors of the high school or listen in the teacher's lounge, we find that there are as many varied ways to teach as there are ways students learn. In one room, there is the teacher who sits on the desk and speaks in a near-monotone voice. In another room, there is the teacher who reads without expression to the students, believing that they are following along. Still another teacher is telling the students exactly what information is on the test and how to write to it. Further down the hall, however, the teacher is moving around the room, asking the students questions that incite them to think and respond without the threat of right or wrong answers. Many of these questions begin with "What do you think..." Although there are still students who sleep in the last teacher's classroom, there are more interaction and more participation and, for the most part, more learning. [5]

Intrinsic motivation influences learners to choose a task, get energized about it, and persist until they accomplish it successfully, regardless of whether it brings an immediate reward. Intrinsic motivation is present when learners actively seek out and participate in activities without having to be rewarded by materials or activities outside the learning task. The first-grader who

practices handwriting because she likes to see neat, legible letters like those displayed on the letter chart is intrinsically motivated. The fourth-grader who puts together puzzles of states and countries because she likes to see the finished product and wants to learn the names of the capital cities is intrinsically motivated. The ninth-grader who repeats typing drills because he likes the feel of his fingers hopping across the keys, and connects that sense with the sight of correctly spelled words on the page, has intrinsic motivation.

Before we begin, consider the two most obvious features of the behavior of motivated learners: energy and determination. Motivated learners have more than just a vision of a goal they want to achieve. They have a passion or interest for achieving that goal. Motivated learners initiate actions, expend effort, and persist in that effort.

How to win the hearts and minds of learners has been a concern of educational psychologists since the foundation of their science. In any given classroom, some learners will participate enthusiastically while others will not, but the explanation for this disparity is not always apparent. Over the years educational psychologists have used the term "motivation" to account for variations in the energy and direction of learners' behavior. But as we will see, motivation means very different things to different psychologists. [6]

In sum up, I can say that students look to teachers for approval and positive reinforcement, and are more likely to be enthusiastic about learning if they feel their work is recognized and valued. Teacher should encourage open communication and free thinking with your students to make them feel important. They must use the statements given above as a sacred rule during the teaching process: Give students feedback as quickly as possible and be specific when giving negative feedback; Reward success; Give students specific information about how their work will be graded; Avoid demeaning comments; Avoid giving them pleas for doing homework. If they follow these steps, their students will also learn to develop greater patience and to work at their own pace. And by working through the problem, students will experience a sense of achievement and confidence that will increase their motivation to learn.

References

1. Good, T.L. and Brophy, J.E. 1994. Looking in classrooms. 6 th edition. New York: HarperCollins.

2. Little, D. 1991. Learner autonomy 1: Definitions, issues and problems. Dublin: Authentik.

3. MacIntyre, P.D. 1999. Language anxiety: A review of the research for language Teachers. In Young, D. J. (ed.). Affect in foreign language and second language learning. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill, pp. 24-45.

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