Motivation n Second Language Learning

demand n Second Language teachingIt is natural that students achieve differently in the selfsame(prenominal) class, nurture from the same teacher. How students watch out and why they achieve differently has been a field of kindle among many scholars, especi tout ensembley in the field of second lyric poem (L2) schooling. many studies adopt been conducted about the different factors that affect learner variables, two cognitively and affectively. On a general basis, there are mainly troika factors that contribute to the several(prenominal) differences in L2 learning experience learning styles, learning strategies and affective variables Motivation existence adept of the most important issues in affective variables. (Ehrman et each, 2003) According to Wigfield (1994), penury is based on how much the individual expect to succeed and their value of their succeeder. Gardner defined want as the combination of effort plus swear to achieve the goal (learning the languag e) and favorable attitudes towards it. (Gardner, 1985) Although the theories and researches bear on on pauperism have never been free from criticism, it is generally concord that demand have great pertains and influences on individual learners. Based on the classification of different types of motive, this essay aims to explore how it affects a students learning experience, curiously in L2 learning. This essay in any case take into accounts round suggestions on teaching which qualification provide help to the abidanceation of a autocratic need.The different types of demandTheories and models of pauperism began to appear in the 1950s, when Gardner and cubic decimetre proposed the Socio-Educational model of language learning, which contained deuce types of want combinatory and subservient. (Gardner Lambert, 1959). Such model laid the ground trim for pull ahead research, being dilate by fol miserableing scholars. Deci and Ryan (1985) distinguished amidst intri nsic and extrinsic motivations the motivation in slope and outside the individual. And based on Skehans (1989) four hypothesis, Ellis (1994) categorized four types of motivation collective motivation, subservient motivation, resultative motivation and motivation as intrinsic interest. (Ellis, 1994) duration Lambert heard integrative orientation as a sincere and personal interest in the raft and socialisation represented by the another(prenominal) language group, (Lambert, 1974) Ellis (1994) exclamatory that orientation and motivation are two concepts which need to be considered separately. While Orientation refers to the underlying reasons for studying an L2, i.e. the effort plus desire motivation is the directed effort that learners make. (Ellis, 1994) In other words, integrative motivation is the desire for students to want to become part of a speech community, an important prognosis of which is utilize the target language for social interaction. Immigrants are usually exa mples of people with high integrative motivations. Integrative motivation is usually considered oppose to instrumental motivation, and often believed to be more(prenominal) than powerful in its effects than the latter. Gardner and Lambert studied English speakers learning French in Quebec and argued that integrative motivation led to greater success in L2 learning. (Gardner and Lambert, 1959)Instrumental motivation developed from Skehans (1989) The Carrot and Stick Hypothesis, which originally implies external influences and incentives. (Ellis, 1994) Different from integrative motivation, which appears to be less achievable and requires immenseer time as well as effort instrumental motivation is more centered on concrete goals such as a job, diploma, or the world power to read faculty member articles. This form of motivation is thought to be less analogously to slip by to overall success than integrative motivation, as the ultimate goal is more feasible. Rewards could also be seen as an instrumental motivation, which could aid the learning branch to some extent. Gardner and MacIntyre (1991) reported a study for a vocabulary travail in which the group of students who were offered awards did significantly die than the comparable group, although the tyrannical effects decreased as currently as the reward stops. Generally, the effects of instrumental motivation tend to keep abreast for a before longer time period. Unless the individual pushes himself further by setting up new goals, the effect ends as soon as the goal is achieved. Despite the differences in integrative and instrumental motivation, some (Muchnick Wolfe, 1982) argued that it is impossible to separate the two in certain occasions, when students have arduous motivations for both. (cited from Ellis, 1994)Resultative motivation is concerned with the relationship between motivation and operation, which Ellis (1994) identified as interactive. Learners motivation is strongly affected by their achievement. Students who perform well in classrooms are more likely to gain confidence and to be more willing to participate. However, Gardner, Smythe and Clement (1979) suggested that while greater motivation and attitudes intimation to better learning, the converse is not true (Cited from Ellis, 1994). But the vicious circle of low motivation = low achievement = lower motivation could ceaselessly develop. (Ellis, 1994) side crease is a powerful psychology tool in receiving attention from students and acantha them to make efforts. there are various ways that teachers could help students to develop their intrinsic interest motivation, such as welcoming students with a astronomic smile, or introducing new activities into the classroom.The effects of motivationFrom the psychological perspective, motivation could also be categorized as positive and interdict motivation. Positive motivation means an optimism and upbeat response towards the tasks being assigned to. Negative motivation implies unwillingness and is often companied with anxiety. Nearly all students will experience both positive and negative motivation in some level of their studies therefore, it is important for them to understand that both positive and negative motivations could be helpful or harmful.Positive motivationIt is generally believed that positive motivation leads to better results in the learning process. Students who enjoy learning a L2 or have a clear aim tend to work harder that those who have no interest. However, one of the limitations of the studies in motivation is that the main tool is normally questionnaires, which has questionably validity. There is of all time the possibility that students would write d take what the teacher hopes them to, or what makes them smelling good, even if the questionnaire is confidential. Also, motivation is different from the actual effort that people make. A student could be extremely-motivated judging from his questionnaire but might not have made any efforts in his studies. (Ellis, 1994) In terms of the learning process, motivation itself is not enough. It is just an urge which pushes the student work harder, which means slide fastener if not taken action. Adoring the teacher and enjoying the class does not needfully imply that the student understood what he should have learned. Also, motivation is sooner changeable making it difficult to measure which against time and persistence. Besides, a positive attitude might lead students to be overly relaxed or improperly prepared and perform worse than they could have. There is a thin line between confident and arrogance.Negative motivationNegative motivation is normally associated with anxiety, unsatisfactory performance and low achievement. But it might not of necessity be like that for every one. Oller and Perkins suggested that negative motivation might be more powerful to some learners in motivating them to excel, which they referred to as Machiavellian Motiva tion. (Oller Perkins, 1978) I recall a similar situation from my own learning experience. When I was studying English in primary school, one of the strongest motivations that legion me to work harder was a Korean girl who used to make playing period of me. I had the urge to show her that I was capable of learning the language. Although Machiavellian Motivation did not perpetually work that way. I did not like my French teacher when I was studying French as a L2 in my university. But I was never intrigued by the idea of running(a) hard and proving to her that I could manage to learn the language properly. Instead, I got trap between Elliss vicious circle of low motivation = low achievement = lower motivation. (Ellis, 1994) Supposable Machiavellian Motivation is more likely to ambit when the imaginary opponent is of the similar level. When the opponent is far more advance than the learner himself, the idea to conquer would not easy arise, although there could always be excepti ons.The formation of a positive motivationAlthough negative motivation may lead to positive results in the learning process, Machiavellian Motivation is quite risky which might not be suitable for all learners as well. It is generally more simple and beneficial to form a positive attitude when learning an L2. As Pintrich and Schunk (1996) indicated, motivation depends greatly on context, the people involved and specific circumstances. (cited from Ehrman et all, 2003) Motivation is never a refractory dimension teachers could always help students to form positive motivations.Not all L2 learners have the opportunity to be integrated in a hoidenish where the target language is used as L1. However, there are other methods which teachers could use to help students form integrative motivation, such as introducing the culture, using authentic reading material, or asking students to watch foreign movies in the target language. One of the methods that my English teacher used when I was in p rimary school was asking us to write letters to our American pen pals. We were all deeply engaged in the activity and highly motivated by the desire to communicate with our friends on the other side of the world.Teachers could help their students to form instrumental motivation by setting up clear goals and aims. There could be little steps for beginners, and gradually help students to form the habit of setting up goals for themselves. Realistic and feasible short term goals are very helpful to students in finding their helplessness and drive ining where they want to be. Teachers could also encourage students to set up long term goals and set up study journals to record their progress.Motivation is always closely linked with performance. To avoid the vicious circle of low motivation = low achievement = lower motivation, (Ellis, 1994) it is necessary to form a positive motivation towards all learning process. In helping students to form a positive resultative motivation, teachers s hould always consider the difficult of tasks. Students could easily be get down by their work and put in less effort or all effort when they have decided that it is too difficult for them. The book of instructions should also be clear so that they would understand what they are pass judgment to do. The tasks should be deigned to suit the demand of the majority of the class, within their cognitive ability and slightly out of their reach so that they would make an effort to obtain it. Also, how to give feedback and what type of feedback should be given to students is another important issue. An identification all in red marks would easily discourage anyone. What the teachers could do, specially for writing class is to have one focus each hebdomad such as future tense or pronouns and only verbalism for mistakes in the specified area. The errors could be marked by letters or underlined and ask the students to correct them by himself. Teachers need to understand that errors are n eeded in the learning process and actually a sign that learning is taking place. (Broughton et all, 1980) In SLA theories, error analysis (EA) is a technique which aims to describe and explain the systematic nature of errors generated in the learners language which was established in the 1970s by Stephen Pit Corder. (Corder, 1967) The errors that people make reveal patterns of L2 language development and the differences between L1 and L2 acquisition. Errors provide valuable feedback to both teachers and learners regarding learner strategies and the learning progress help the teachers to understand the students level and reflect on their own teaching methodology. They also indicate whether the students are ready to further their studies. Moreover, errors provide insights into the nature of SLA process.As mentioned before, interest is a powerful tool in L2 learning. To start with, teachers should always try to create a comfortable strain within the classroom. A teacher with a good pe rsonality, someone who is love by the students could make the class much more enjoyable. To boost students interest, teachers could always being new activities into the classroom. Task based learning combined with stories and games would easily attract young learners. For more advanced learners, teachers could occasionally bring culture and drama into the classroom for a change. Also, according to a study by Bachman (1964), students are more motivated when are involved in decision-making, which lead to overall productivity. (Cited from Ellis, 1994) As indicated, students will show more interest in their studies when they feel that they have made decisions. Consequently, teachers could ask for the students opinions to decide on a particular subject for their assignments. Group work also has significant determine in increasing students interests, providing with the students an opportunity to interact with each other and component part their opinions. Small group tasks are particula rly motivating as the students know that their peers are working towards the same project. (Drnyei, 2001) By working cooperatively, students will be urged to perform better, being a representative of their own group.ConclusionsAs how motivation works and the effects of motivation differ among each individual, also being influenced by many variables, the studies regarding motivation have never been free from criticism, including its classification. However, the impact and value of motivation is generally impossible to ignore. Although both positive and negative motivation could lead to higher achievement in L2 learning, students should be promote to form positive motivations as it is more likely to encourage success than Machiavellian Motivation. (Oller Perkins, 1978) Motivation is not an unchangeable domain teachers could help students form motivation in all of the four categorizes identified by Ellis integrative motivation, instrumental motivation, resultative motivation and motiv ation as intrinsic interest. (Ellis, 1994) Also, it is important for students to learn to control their motivation and use it in an active way to maintain longer motivation for greater success.(Word Count 2310)