LESSON 7: SUCCESS IN LANGUAGE LEARNING

Success in language learning
Why are some students successful at language learning whilst others are not? If we knew the answer to that question the job of teaching and learning a language "would be easy.” We don’t of course but we can point to a number of factors "which seem to have a strong effect on a student's success or failure.

Motivation
Motivation is some kind of internal drive that encourages somebody to pursue a course of action. If we perceive a goal (that is, something we wish to achieve) and if that goal is sufficiently attractive, we will be strongly motivated to do whatever is necessary to reach that goal. Goals can be of different types;
a. Short term goal: for example, we want to pass the end of semester examination or we want to finish reading a book.
b. Long-term goals: for example we wish to get a better job at some future date or a desire to be able to communicate with members of a target language community.
In general strongly motivated students with long-term goals are probably easier to teach than those who have no such goals (and therefore no real drive). For such students short-term goals will often provide the only motivation they feel.

KINDS OF MOTIVATION
What kind of motivation do students have? Is it always the same? We will separate it into two main categories.
I. Extrinsic Motivation
This kind of motivation is concerned with factors outside the classroom. There are two main types of such motivation, integrative motivation and Instrumental motivation
(a) Integrative motivation
For this type of motivation students need to be attracted by the culture of the target language community, and possibly wish to integrate themselves into that culture. They may in some ways also only have the desire to know as much as possible about the culture of the TLC.

(b) Instrumental motivation
This term describes a situation in which students believe that mastery of the target language will be instrumental in getting them a better job, position or status. The language is an instrument in their attainment of such a goal.

Many other factors have an impact upon a student's level of extrinsic motivation and most of these have to do with his or her attitude to the language. This in turn will be affected by the attitude of those who have influence with that student; such as their parents or the student's peers (his or her equals).
Another factor affecting the attitude of students is their previous experiences as language learners. If they were successful then they may be pre-disposed to success now. Failure then may mean that they expect failure now.
II. Intrinsic Motivation
This is concerned with what takes place inside the classroom. Although many adult learners have some degree of extrinsic motivation and the attitude of students can be affected by members of their communities, intrinsic motivation plays a vital part in most student ' success or failure as language learners. Many students bring no extrinsic motivation to the classroom. They may even have negative feelings about language learning. For them what happens in the will be of vital importance in determining their attitude to the language, and in supplying motivation, which we have suggested is a vital component in successful language learning.

Whatever happens in the classroom will have an important effect on students who are already in some way extrinsically motivated. We can consider factors affecting intrinsic motivation under the headings of physical conditions, method, the teacher and success.

(a) Physical conditions
Physical conditions have a great effect on learning and can alter a student's motivation either positively or negatively. Classrooms that are badly lit and overcrowded can be excessively de-motivating, but unfortunately, many of them exist in schools. Vitally important will be the board: is it easily visible? Is the surface in good condition? etc.
(b) Method
The method by which students are taught must have some effect on their motivation. If they find it deadly boring they will probably become de-motivated, whereas if they have confidence in the method they will find it motivating.
(c) The teacher
Whether the student likes the teacher or not may not be very significant. What can be said, though, is that two teachers using the same method can have vastly different results. How then can we assess the qualities a teacher needs to help in providing intrinsic motivation?
We can look at the following qualities which can help teachers provide intrinsic motivation.
I He makes his course interesting.
2 He teaches good pronunciation.
3 He explains clearly.
4 He speaks good English.
5 He shows the same interest in all his students.
6 He makes all the students participate.
7 He shows great patience.
8 He insists on the spoken language.
9 He makes his pupils work.
10 He uses an audio-lingual method.

(d) Success

Success or lack of it plays a vital part in the motivational drive of a student. Both complete failure and complete success may be de-motivating. It will be the teacher’s job to set goals and tasks at which most of his or her students can be successful - or rather tasks which he or she could realistically expect the students to be able to achieve. To give students very high challenge activities beyond their capabilities may have a negative effect on motivation. It will also be the case that low challenge activities are equally de-motivating. If the students can achieve all the tasks with no difficulty at all they may lose the motivation that they have when faced with the right level of challenge.