Methods for Increasing the Motivation of Language Learners
There’s nothing that can beat authentic motivation to uplift the learning quotient of language students. Well-motivated ESL students learn faster, retain lessons better, discover possibilities to apply lesson principles with greater regularity, and express themselves in English more fluently when compared with students who lack proper motivation.
Early learners are naturally curious and are often compelled to understand more about and engage their environment. As a people age group, however, this natural curiosity tapers off substantially, such that a lot of students in a very conventional classroom environment fight to target the lesson.
As demonstrated in countless studies
motivation in toddlers is practically always quite high. This allows for cognitive, associative, assimilative, and imitative learning at an unparalleled rate. At this stage, learning languages is probably the locations where children exhibit unusual affinity and learning speed. However, as children get older, the intrinsic motivation to understand new skills gets eroded by different external stimuli. Bullying, driving a car to be ostracized by peers when a shot at something fails, and excessive parental restrictions some of the factors that may hamper young students’ learning rates. Eventually, the experience of learning–a process that previously generated pure excitement among toddlers–becomes something more linked to boredom inside a four-cornered classroom. Given this scenario, the intrinsic motivation to understand among many adults is understandably low and subconsciously de-prioritized for externally induced motivation (learning something to help settle the debts, being probably the most prominent).
That said, motivation–regardless of origin–is pivotal in hurdling the challenges associated with language learning. The more motivated ESL students are, the higher they are at absorbing and applying lesson principles. It is therefore important for ESL educators not only to know the nature and properties of motivation but also to consider approaches that assist motivate students to find out English.