Enhancing Motivation in the Foreign Languages Classroom

With Special Focus on German Textbooks, Teachers' Roles and Learners' Interests

Master's Thesis , 2010 , 74 Pages , Grade: 2,0

Didactics for the subject English - Pedagogy, Literature Studies

Motivation is, without question, the most complex and challenging issue facing
teachers today (Scheidecker and Freeman 1999:116, cited in Dörnyei 2007:1).
This quotation covers the importance of motivation for successful language learning
in the modern classroom. There are several ways of enhancing students’ motivation
in the EFL classroom but an important one is to create the lesson on the basis of the
learners’ interests. Everyone, who looks back on their former school days, might
remember that learning was more enjoyable when the topics were interesting and
furthermore, when they were handled in an exiting way.
The intention of this paper at hand is to present several ideas of improving the
general motivation in the classroom according to the consideration of learners’
interests. In addition to that, the current interests of students from German secondary
schools and the consideration of the interests in the common English classroom will
be presented with the help of a questionnaire.
This paper consists of six main parts. Part one is an overview of the terms motivation
and interest. At first, motivation and interest will be defined in their psychological
context and in the following these terms will relate to their meaning in the English
classroom. It is necessary for the further content of this paper because both of these
terms appear frequently throughout the text. In addition to the first part, the second
part will mention the importance of incorporating students’ interest in the learning
classroom.
The third part of this paper will deal with several possibilities of creating motivational
conditions in the L2 classroom. Therefore, this paper brings four main factors into
focus: the role of the teacher, the role of the student, the atmosphere in the
classroom and the lesson itself. In all four sections several ideas will be given how to
create a language learning atmosphere that is motivating to the participants of the
English classroom. In addition to the third part of this paper at hand, part four is about a research which
is conducted on the basis of the theoretical aspects which are presented in part one,
two and three. The intention of the research is, to find out the current interests of
students of secondary schools according to different factors of the English learning
classroom and furthermore the handling of students’ interests in the lessons. [...]

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction - What is the thesis about?
• 1. Motivation and Interest defined
• 1.1 Motivation
• 1.1.1 Behavioural and cognitive theories
• 1.1.2 Arousal theories
• 1.2 Motivation to learn
• 1.3 Intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation
• 1.4 Interest
• 2. The importance of interest for language learning in the classroom
• 3. Creating motivational conditions in the classroom
• 3.1 Focus on the teacher
• 3.1.1 Personal characteristics
• 3.1.2 Closeness
• 3.1.3 Classroom management
• 3.2 Focus on the learner
• 3.3 Atmosphere in the classroom
• 3.3.1 A classroom climate free of anxiety
• 3.3.2 A positive classroom environment
• 3.4 Focus on the lesson
• 3.4.1 Materials
• 3.4.2 Activities
• 4. How to increase motivation by including the learners' interests - a research
• 4.1 Aims of the research
• 4.2 The questionnaire
• 4.3 Results of the questionnaire
• 4.4 Evaluation of the results
• 4.4.1 Topics
• 4.4.2 Teachers' personality
• 4.4.3 Methods
• 4.4.4 Media
• 5. Relating the learners' interests to the Lower Saxony Core Curriculum
• 6. Conclusion

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This Master's thesis examines the complex issue of motivation in the foreign language classroom, focusing on how teachers can enhance motivation by incorporating students' interests into lesson planning. The paper aims to present practical ideas for improving motivation in the classroom and to explore the specific interests of German secondary school students in English language learning.

• The significance of motivation for successful language learning
• Defining motivation and interest in their psychological context and their relevance to the English classroom
• The importance of incorporating students' interests into classroom activities
• Exploring various strategies for creating motivational conditions in the foreign language classroom
• Analyzing the results of a questionnaire investigating the interests of German secondary school students in English language learning

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The introduction highlights the crucial role of motivation in language learning and introduces the concept of tailoring lessons to students' interests. Chapter 1 defines motivation and interest in their psychological context, exploring behavioral, cognitive, and arousal theories. It also distinguishes between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and explains the importance of interest for language learning. Chapter 2 elaborates on the significance of incorporating students' interests into classroom activities, arguing that it can enhance motivation and engagement. Chapter 3 delves into strategies for creating motivational conditions in the classroom, focusing on the roles of teachers, learners, classroom atmosphere, and lesson design. It provides practical suggestions for each aspect, aiming to foster a motivating learning environment. Chapter 4 presents a research study that investigated the interests of German secondary school students in English language learning. The research included a questionnaire focusing on topics, teachers' personalities, methods, and media. The results and evaluation of the questionnaire are also discussed.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This thesis explores the key concepts of motivation, interest, and their impact on English language learning. It focuses on creating motivational learning environments, incorporating students' interests, and analyzing research data on the interests of German secondary school students. The study emphasizes the importance of practical strategies for enhancing student engagement in the foreign language classroom, particularly through the use of student-centered approaches and engaging materials.

• College: University of Hildesheim
• Grade: 2,0
• Author: Katharina Okon (Author)
• Publication Year: 2010
• Pages: 74
• Catalog Number: V202280
• ISBN (eBook): 9783656321453
• ISBN (Book): 9783656326137
• Language: English
• Tags: Motivation, Interests, Teacher, Textbooks, Foreign Language