The Importance of Motivation.

By R. Bambirra

Many first time learners are faced with challenges in learning a second language. This can include many different variables, among which are motivation (intrinsic and extrinsic), lack of orientation, self-confidence, interest and practical goals/objectives.

However, lack of orientation, self-confidence, interest and practical objectives are all intertwined with the broader issue, which is motivation, either intrinsic or extrinsic, and therefore they can be grouped and referred to simultaneously as aspects of motivation. The focus of this paper is on the relationship between students’ needs, interests, goals and expectations towards learning EFL and teachers’ roles as motivators. There is an extensive body of literature addressing the issue of students’ motivation in the classroom. My primary intention is to refer to the main authors that have done research on this field, coming up with the most important theories and thoughts, as well as some of the most controversial ones and see how they can be applied in the Cape Verdean context.

Accounting for my own experience, though brief, as a teacher at Domingos Ramos high school and the experiences of other teachers, comments from students suggest that besides the basic fear that all students have when learning a foreign language (language ego), which prevents them from using it in the class, students also show a strong pessimism towards learning the English language. These common statements include, “I can’t make it!” “It’s no use trying!” “English is too difficult!” “I don’t feel like speaking!” “I will never be able to speak English!” and so on. These comments inevitably lead one to think that these students have low intrinsic or extrinsic motivation to learn English. Whatever the case may be, a basic truth is that students, who are not motivated to learn, do not learn.

Unfortunately, there is no magic bullet for motivating students. Many factors influence students’ motivation to learn: interest in the subject matter, perception of its usefulness, general desire to attain, self-confidence and self-esteem, as well as patience and persistence (Bligh, 1971; Sass, 1989 as cited in Davis 1999). It is also important to take into account that not all students are motivated by the same values, needs, desires, or wants. Some students may be motivated by the approval of others (peer acceptance), some by defeating challenges, while others seem naturally excited about learning. However, many students need or expect their teachers to inspire, challenge, and stimulate them. Ericksen stated that, “effective learning in the classroom depends on the teacher’s ability ... to maintain the interest that brought students to the course in the first place” (1978 p. 3). Whatever level of motivation students bring to the classroom will be converted, for better or worse, by what happens in that classroom.

Thus this paper will attempt to address this issue by asking the following thesis question: what is the relationship between students’ needs, interests, goals and expectations to learn English as a foreign language and the teachers’ roles as facilitators and motivators? With this question in mind, I will be focusing on intrinsic and extrinsic motivation for first time learners as they affect learning and try to discover whether or not Cape Verdean students at this level fall in the category of those who are motivated by extrinsic rewards rather than those who are called intrinsically motivated students.

The main objective of this study is to find out what are Cape Verdean first time learners attitudes, expectations and priorities towards learning EFL and what the teachers do or can do to meet the students needs and interests. I plan to carry out this study with regard to the following specific objectives:

• define intrinsic and extrinsic motivators, and explain how they are used to increase motivation and which are found to be the most effective ones;

• compare intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and explain how they affect foreign language learning regarding first time learners in the Cape Verdean context;

• identify the level of motivation that the students bring into the English classroom, their expectations, interests and goals;

• develop strategies that grab students’ attention and maintain their involvement in the learning situation.

As educators, it is our duty to seek ways to motivate our students in order to promote a personal interest towards the English language. What often happens in the foreign language classroom is that students are expected to learn the language whether they are interested in learning it or not. Therefore, it is necessary to take into consideration what students’ attitudes towards the subject are, what their perceived challenges are, and what they would consider as helpful for them to learn the language. In summary, it is important to consider what their needs and interests are. In this way, we as teachers can make our lessons more of a science than a hit or miss attempt at education, and certainly, more enjoyable for our students.

BAMBIRRA, R. (2017). Motivation to learn English as a foreign language in Brazil – giving voice to a group of students at a public secondary school. Linguagem em (Dis)curso, 17(2), 215-236. Recuperado de http://www.portaldeperiodicos.unisul.br/index.php/Linguagem_Discurso/article/view/5339. Acesso em: 08 jul 2019.