The importance of learners´ and teachers´ motivation in EFL learning

master's thesis

• Author: Julija Milanović
• Mentor: Alenka Mikulec (mentor)
• Committee member: Alenka Mikulec (predsjednik povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Ivana Cindrić (član povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Marija Andraka (član povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Teacher Education; Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2020-07-06, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: HUMANISTIC SCIENCES; Interdisciplinary Humanistic Studies; Teaching Methods in the Humanistic Sciences
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: SOCIAL SCIENCES; Psychology; School Psychology and the Psychology of Education

Abstract

The main goal of this thesis is to present publications and research papers discussing motivation in English as a foreign language (EFL) teaching and learning. The thesis deals with motivation of primary school EFL teachers and learners as well as the effect that motivation has on learners´ language achievement and attitudes towards language learning. One of the biggest challenges in the EFL classroom is improving learners´ motivation, so different aspects of motivation and motivational strategies in English language teaching and learning will be presented. This thesis will show what researchers have found on motivating and demotivating factors that influence teachers´ job motivation as well as the importance of choosing appropriate motivational strategies in English language teaching and learning. As research showed that learners tend to highlight certain activities as preferable, the connection between those activities and English language learning motivation will also be discussed. Alongside teachers, parents may also be involved in motivating learners and their involvement may be an extension to motivational strategies employed by teachers at school, therefore, their role will also be mentioned. Finally, since motivation has been found to have a great influence on learners´ language competence, especially reading and writing skills, those skills will be discussed separately as well as the ways in which teachers can motivate learners to learn vocabulary in English language, particularly because vocabulary learning has been found to be demotivating for FL learners.

Abstract (croatian)

Glavni je cilj ovoga rada predstaviti publikacije i istraživačke radove koji govore o motivaciji za učenje i poučavanje engleskoga kao stranoga jezika (EFL). U ovom je radu naglasak na motivaciji učenika i nastavnika engleskoga jezika u osnovnoj školi, kao i na učinku koji motivacija ima na učenička postignuća u jeziku i stavove prema učenju jezika. Jedan od najvećih izazova u nastavi engleskoga kao stranoga jezika je poboljšanje motivacije učenika, tako da će u radu biti predstavljeni različiti aspekti motivacije i motivacijske strategije u poučavanju i učenju engleskoga jezika. Ovaj će rad pokazati što su istraživači otkrili o motivirajućim i demotivirajućim čimbenicima koji utječu na motivaciju nastavnika za posao, kao i važnost odabira odgovarajućih motivacijskih strategija u poučavanju i učenju engleskoga jezika. Kako su istraživanja pokazala da učenici ističu određene aktivnosti kao poželjnije, u radu će se raspravljati o povezanosti tih aktivnosti s motivacijom za učenje engleskoga jezika. U radu će se spomenuti i uloga roditelja budući da oni, uz učitelje, također mogu biti uključeni u motiviranje učenika i njihova uključenost može biti produžetak motivacijskim strategijama koje učitelji koriste u školi. Kako su istraživanja pokazala da motivacija ima velik utjecaj na jezičnu kompetenciju učenika i kako više utječe na vještine čitanja i pisanja, o tim će se vještinama raspravljati zasebno. S obzirom da je utvrđeno da učenje vokabulara može biti demotivirajuće, bit će predstavljeni načini na koje nastavnici mogu motivirati učenike za učenje vokabulara na engleskom jeziku.

• Keywords: learner motivation; teacher motivation; motivational strategies; reading motivation; motivation and writing skills; motivation and English language competence.
• Keywords (croatian): motivacija učenika; motivacija učitelja; motivacijske strategije; motivacija za čitanje; motivacija i vještine pisanja; motivacija i jezične kompetencije u engleskom jeziku.
• Language: english
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:147:274707
• Study programme: Title: Integrated Undergraduate and Graduate University Programme of Study of Primary Teacher Education and Integrated Undergraduate and Graduate University Programme of Study for Primary Teacher Education with English and German Language; Study programme type: university; Study level: integrated undergraduate and graduate; Academic / professional title: magistar/magistra primarnog obrazovanja (magistar/magistra primarnog obrazovanja)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2021-02-05 11:55:56