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Motivating your students – and yourself

Desmond Thomas,

University Of Essex

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Recommended reading

• Bolton, R. 1986, People Skills, New York: Touchstone

• Dornyei, Z. 2001, Motivational Strategies in the Language Classroom, Cambridge

• Goleman, D. 1996, Emotional Intelligence, London: Bloomsbury

• Long, R. 2005, Motivation, London: David Fulton

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Why concern ourselves with student motivation?

Motivation is the single most important factor in any sort of success (Edmund Hillary)

According to this view, external factors such as teaching techniques, skills & resources are not enough …

We know nothing about motivation. All we can do is write books about it (Peter Drucker)

This writer seems to be suggesting that trying to understand human motivation and its consequences is no easy task.

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More views on motivation (1)

Desire is the key to motivation, but it's determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal -- a commitment to excellence -- that will enable you to attain the success you seek. (Mario Andretti)

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More views on motivation (2)

• Motivation is a fire from within. If someone else tries to light that fire under you, chances are it will burn very briefly. (Stephen R. Covey)

• There is only one way to get anybody to do anything... That is by making the other person want to do it. There is no other way. (Dale Carnegie)

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More views on motivation (3)

• No one does anything from a single motive. (Samuel Taylor Coleridge)

• Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going. (Unknown)

• I have come to the conclusion that my subjective account of my motivation is largely mythical on almost all occasions. I don't know why I do things. (J. B. S. Haldane)

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Some initial thoughts …

• Motivation can mean different things to different people. These include:– Self-motivation (Andretti, Hillary) – Persuading and encouraging others (Covey,

Carnegie)

• In education we need to consider the two types of meaning by asking:– How can we help learners to motivate themselves?– What interventions can we make to increase their

motivation? How can the teacher make a difference?

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Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

Different levels of motivation important at different times …

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Extra level: unattainable needs?

Possibility of negative motivational consequences:

• Focusing on a dream that is never fulfilled (eg winning the lottery)

• “If I can’t be famous/hailed as a genius then I’m not going to bother!”

• Insisting on having something you can never get

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Emotional Intelligence

• Self-awareness, impulse control, persistence, zeal and motivation, empathy and social deftness – qualities that mark people who excel (Goleman 1996)

• “Bouncebackability” (Ian Dowie)

• Optimism as the great motivator and a predictor of academic success

• These qualities can be learned (taught?)

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Attribution theory

• Two core aspects of motivation are students’ self-esteem and the process by which they make sense of what happens to them – the attribution process.

• Attribution theory describes these processes and their behavioural and emotional consequences.

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The attribution process

• When learners fail they might become demotivated by putting it down to:– Internal reasons: I didn’t study hard enough,

I’m not good enough– External reasons: The questions were unfair,

The teacher didn’t prepare us, The grading system is unreliable, The teacher doesn’t like me, There was too much noise in the exam room, There wasn’t enough time to revise

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Motivational strategies for teachers

• Success training: setting realistic goals, raising confidence and self-esteem etc.

• Highlighting discrepancies in thinking (cognitive dissonance)

• Challenging/confronting with evidence• Reframing alternative explanations for lack

of success• Encouraging self-monitoring of progress

(Long 2005)

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To which we could also add:

• Awareness-raising of expectations and behaviour

• Giving structured and meaningful feedback

• Encouraging responsibility/independence

• Helping to highlight & develop specific skills

• Referring to another source of help

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Bolton’s 6-part confrontation model

1. Prepare (time, place, opening script)2. Deliver 3-part assertion message:

“I’ve noticed that …”“I feel that …”“The result is …”

3. Silence4. Reflective listening to defensive response5. Re-asserting/recycling the process6. Focusing on an agreed solution

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Motivating yourself

• Look after “number 1” • Set realistic goals taking time and other

constraints into consideration• Invest time wisely at the beginning of the year• Set up a really good record-keeping system • Use positive strategies even after a reversal• Get help: talk to colleagues & course convenors• Get help: refer students to LTU tutorials etc