SEEU Review vol. 5 Nr. 2 (pdf) - South East European University

Iranda Bajrami, MA
to read and use the other language skills. As with Guthrie (2001), Gambrell
describes the engaged reader as motivated as well as knowledgeable, socially
interactive and strategic. According to her, motivation is stated as the first
element in this model because “motivation is at the heart of many of the
pervasive problems we face in educating children today” (p. 17). The
importance of the teacher’s role is mentioned as the one which should serve
as a “reading model” (p.20) for students. Such a teacher should be
enthusiastic and value reading as a motivating activity for children.
What do Scholars of Foreign Language Cite as Important Factors of
Motivation in Education?
Williams & Burden (1997) claim that learning a foreign language is
different from learning other subjects. Furthermore, they cite Gardner (1985)
who states that:
Languages are unlike any other subject taught in the classroom in
that they involve the acquisition of skills and behaviour patterns
which are characteristic of another community (p.115).
Gardner (1985, cited in Williams & Burden, 1997), also makes a
distinction between two types of motivation which are “integrative” and
“instrumental” orientations of motivation. Specifically, integrative
orientation has to do with the desire of the learner to associate with the
culture of that language and to be involved to a greater extent. Instrumental
orientation has to do with outside factors such as learning a language only
for the job opportunities that might motivate the learner.
According to Krashen (1982, cited in Foundations Seminar in Foreign
Language Teaching, 2003) and his affective filter hypothesis, language
acquisition can happen only if the learner is motivated, self-confident, and
has a low level of anxiety. Richardson, Morgan and Fleener (2009) support
the previous comments in stating that the teacher should consider the
“affective domain” in order to make their classes more enjoyable by making
them funnier, rewarding and functional (p.439). Students’ capability to learn
is influenced by some affective constructs such as “feelings, emotions,
attitudes, self-concepts, values, self-esteem, and locus of control” (p.439).
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