1.3.4. Adult intermediate students

Adult intermediate students may well be motivated extrinsically. They may well have very positive feelings about the way they are treated in the classroom. Success may be motivating, and the perception of having ‘more advanced English’ may be a primary goal. It is for this latter reason that the problems often arise. The beginner, as we have said, easily perceives success; since everything is new, anything learned is a success. But intermediate students already know a lot and may not perceive any progress. Conversely, they may find the complexity of the language too much.

Our job would seem to be that of showing the students that there is still a lot to learn without making this fact totally demoralising. Then comes the task of setting realistic goals for them to achieve. Once again, a major fact seems to be getting the level of challenge right.

1.3.5. Adult advanced students

These students are often highly motivated. If they were not, they would not see the need to continue with the language study when they have already achieved so much. Like some intermediate students, or probably even more so, they will find progress more difficult to perceive. Much of the time they may not be learning anything new but learning better how to use what they already know.

The teacher has a responsibility to point this fact out and to show the students what it is they will achieve at this level: it is a different kind of achievement. Many advanced teachers expect too much from their students, feeling that the setting of tasks and goals is in some way demeaning. But just because advanced students have difficulty in perceiving progress and success they may well need the clarity that the setting of short-term goals, tasks, etc. can give them.

1.4. Conclusions

We have seen, then, that there are many different reasons for learning a language, and we have said that we are mainly concerned with a classroom situation in which ‘general’ or mainstream English is being studied. We have included both those students who have themselves made the decision to study and also those for whom the study of a language is a compulsory part of their education.

We have suggested many different factors that may affect a student’s motivation, stressing that a strongly motivated student is in a far better position as a learner than a student who is not motivated.

Most importantly we have said that both positively motivated students and those who do not have this motivation can be strongly affected by what happens in the classroom. Thus, for example, the student with no long-term goals (such as a strong instrumental motivation) may nevertheless be highly motivated by realistic short-term goals within the learning process.

We have seen that the teacher’s personality and the rapport he is able to establish with the students are of vital importance. So, too, is the ability to provide motivating and interesting classes that are based both on the knowledge of techniques and activities and upon our ability to inspire confidence in our students and have answers to their questions.

Teachers, too, must realise the important effect success has on motivation. They must be able to assess the students’ ability so that the latter are faced with the right degree of challenge: success, in other words, should not be too easy or too difficult.

Discussion

1. Can you think of any other reasons why people learn languages apart from those mentioned above? Why are you trying to learn the languages?

2. What is motivation? How does intrinsic motivation affect learning L2?

3. What is a ‘good method’? What does a teaching technology consist of?

4. What are the main motivational differences of different age groups?

5. Decide on your own what major motivational peculiarities are characteristic for senior school students (10 – 12 grades). Make a list of these characteristics and explain how they affect learning English.