Abstract

This study entitled the Influence of Secondary School Student Motivation by Teachers on Learners of the English Language, the case of St. Theresa Holiday Classes, had as general objective to investigate the extent to which teachers motivates students to learn the English language. The study employed the survey research design, with the sample of 20 participants made up of 18 students and 2 teachers. The instrument use for data collection was a questionnaire, and also a Random sampling technique was used to select the students. This was later translated to specific research questions as; To what extent does a teacher motivates learners of the English language? What are the impacts of teachers’ motivation on students? Which factors motivates students to learn the English language? The targeted population was made up of form four and form five students of selected from St. Theresa. A questionnaire was used in collecting data to arrive at the conclusion if students were motivated by their teachers to learn the English language. Recommendation goes to parents, that they should watch out for kind of language they use in conversing with their children. More so a more detailed research can be carried out to investigate the effects of secondary school students’ motivation by teachers in learning English Language since this study only treated them as objectives.

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the study

Motivation is defined as, the meaningfulness, value, and benefits of academic tasks to learners regardless of whether they are willing to learn or not. Hermine Marshall (1987). Students’ Motivation naturally has to do with students’ desire to participate in the learning process. But it also concerns the reasons or goals that underlies their involvement or non-involvement in learning the English Language

To study English as a foreign language (EEL) in classroom is often a complex and difficult task due to the feet that, they have their first language which they learn at birth and now to learn the English language becomes a difficult task for them. Some people learn the English language for business purposes while other learn it for prestigious reasons. Domzei, (1998) but most English teachers will attest to the important role motivation plays in the teaching and learning process because when a student is motivated, he or she learns well in class. While motivation has been defined in many ways Liuoliene and Metiveniene, (2006), these authors defined motivation as an effective strategy that could help learners develop skills. According to Alarm and Farid (2011), motivation of students by teachers is very important as it affects the students directly. This fact is supported by Marques (2010) in her conclusion that, motivation satisfaction and performance are interdependent. Domyei, (2001) further states that, teachers’ efficacy affects students directly as there is strong correlation between students’ motivation and language learning, hence, a desired outcome by the students can occur with the help of the teacher. According to Hackman and Oldham (1975), signs of motivation are, higher performance, low absenteeism and low turnover. According to Marques (2010), motivation in language learning leads to satisfaction and performance interdependent with each other. Hence, poor motivation of students by teachers would have a negative influence in language learning on students. A study by Spear (2000) in UK revealed that, students’ motivation was low due to low perception by the society. Findings by Sylvia and Hutchinson (1985) in developed countries confirmed presence of low students’ motivation which was attributed to intrinsic factors. According to a study carried out by Nyantika (1996) teachers are expected to have a good mastery of the language they are teaching in order to teach students effectively and make them succeed, teachers also have to focus more on learners motivation and try to employ appropriate motivational strategies so that, they can achieve their ultimate purpose of helping students to succeed in learning the English language,

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The bone of contention here is, are students motivated by their teachers to learn the English language?

1.3 Aims/Objectives

The objectives of this study are:

1. To investigate the extent to which teachers motivates students to learn the English language.
2. To demonstrate the impact of students’ motivation by teachers on learners of English language.
3. To identify the factors that influence teachers to motivate students.

1.4 Research questions

The study was guided by the following research questions:

1. To what extent does a teacher motivates learners of the English language?
2. What are the impacts of teachers’ motivation on students?
3. Which factors motivates students to learn the English language?

1.5 Significance of the study

Motivation plays an important role in the process of learning the English language. Language teachers effectively teach English language if they do not understand the relationship between motivation and it effects on language learning. This study is therefore, important due to the fact that its investigate the various means through which a language learner is motivated to learn the English language which can best be used by a teacher to improve his/her motivational techniques in a classroom to improve and attract language learners to learn the language and speak it fluently.

Definition of terms

Terms such as motivation, language, learning and language learning will be defining as follows;

Motivation:

According to Marques (2010), motivation is what people need to perform better and can only work if the right person with the right skills has been placed in charge of the task at hand Luthans (1998).

Learning:

Wofford (1971) defines learning as the acquisition of knowledge or skills through study, experience or being taught.

Language:

David Cristal and Robert Henry defines language as a system of conventional spoken manual, a written being as members of a social group and participants in its culture, expresses themselves. Lanqua defines language learning as developing the ability to communicate in the second / foreign language and in this context include language learning as a specialist. This also include programmes which are not only to teach language but also a variety of subject content related to language such as literature, culture, history and politics at BA level.

Also, this covers programmes and courses involving the teaching, translating and interpreting