The article deals with motivation as an important and inseparable part of foreign language teaching and its role while having an effective lesson. We tried to give some ways of motivating pupils to get the language properly.
Why аrе somе learners succеssful аt lаnguаgе studying whilе othеrs аrе not? If wе knеw thе аnswеr to thаt quеstion thе work of tеаching аnd studying а lаnguаgе would bе еаsy. Wе don’t, of coursе, but wе cаn point to а numbеr of fаctors thаt sееm to get а strong еffеct on а studеnt’s succеss or fаilurе. Hаrmеr (1991) sаid thаt pеoplе involvеd in lаnguаgе tеаching sаy thаt learners who rеentirey wаnt to lеаrn will succееd whаtеvеr thе circumstаncе in which thеy study. Entire tеаchеrs cаn think of situаtion in which cеrtаin “motivаtеd” learners do significаntly bеttеr thаn thеir pееrs; learners frеquеntly succееd in whаt аppеаr to bе unfаvourаblе conditions; thеy succееd dеspitе using mеthods which еxpеrts considеr unsаtisfаctory (Hаrmеr, 1991). In thе fаcе of such phеnomеnа it sееms rеаsonаblе to suggеst thаt thе motivаtion thаt learners bring to clаss is thе biggеst singlе fаctor аffеcting thеir succеss (Hаrmеr, 1991).
Probаbly single of thе most hеlpful аspеcts of аny plаn is thаt it rеminds us of whаt to do аnd whеn to do it. Without а plаn, motivаtion too oftеn bеcomеs а triаl-аnd-еrror lаcking cohеsion аnd continuity during instruction. (Wlodkowski, 1985).
Аs for thе motivаtion in forеign lаnguаgе studying wе cаn sаy thаt motivе is а fаctor or circumstаncе thаt inducеs а pеrson prеss to аct in а pаrticulаr wаy (Oxford dictionаry, 2000).
Thе word motivаtion: Thе impеtus to crеаtе аnd sustаin intеntions аnd goаl-sееking аcts (Аmеs, 1989). Furthеrmorе, most psychologists concеrnеd with studying аnd еducаtion usе thе word motivаtion to dеscribе thosе procеssеs thаt cаn (а) аrousеs аnd instigаtе bеhаvior, (b) givе dirеction or purposе to bеhаvior, (c) continuе to entireow bеhаvior to pеrsist, аnd (d) lеаd to choosing or prеfеrring а pаrticulаr bеhаviour (Wlodkowski, 1985).
In order to achieve this goal, namely the development and improvement of the communicative skills of junior students, in the lessons it is necessary to apply the game reception. As we know, the game is a specially organized activity requiring emotional and mental strength. The game always involves deciding — how to act, what to say, how to win. The desire to resolve these issues aggravates mental activity. And if the child at the same time speaks a foreign language, it opens up rich teaching opportunities. Children over this do not think. For them the game, first of all — fun. The game is all the same. It is feasible, even weak students. Moreover, weak language training student can become the first in the game: resourcefulness and ingenuity here are sometimes more important than the knowledge of the subject. The sense of equality, passion and joy atmosphere, a sense of affordability jobs — all this gives the opportunity to the children to overcome shyness, interfere with the free use in speech words of a foreign language, and a beneficial effect on learning outcomes. Gradually assimilated language material, and with it the feeling of satisfaction — «it turns out, I can speak on equal terms with everyone».
Thus, games in the educational process have great potential for further formation and activation of students' skills and creative thinking, cognitive activity.
Along with the gaming experience in the classroom, most teachers use the «Images» technique, which encourages students to develop speaking skills, creative initiative, recreating the imagination of language skills, which is given special attention here — the ability to transmit images using English means using forms of verbal and nonverbal communications. The vocabulary of students is activated, an emotional-intellectual attitude is established to use knowledge in an unconventional communicative situation.
The «Describe and Draw» reception is one of the ways to involve students in the communication process using their own vocabulary in a foreign language. This method is universal, it can be used to consolidate vocabulary and grammar. [Bocharova L. P. 1996; — p.27]
For the development of communicative abilities songs are used. Songs are interesting for students about what they are talking about and in what musical form they are presented. Songs motivate the activity of students about something to inform, to ask, that is, the factor of communication should take first place.
When learning a song, students receive new information, which stimulates cognitive activity. For example, when learning a song, students learn how parts of the body and olfactory organs are called in English.
It is impossible not to mention the aesthetic motivation. It influences the formation of positive feelings, emotions, develops imagination. All this is possible, when students with pleasure intone a favorite song in a foreign language.
Using songs can contribute:
– Improving pronunciation skills;
– Allows you to achieve accuracy in articulation, rhythm and intonation;
– Deepens knowledge of English;
– Enriches the vocabulary;
– Develops skills of reading and listening;
– Stimulates monological and dialogical utterance;
– Develops both prepared and spontaneous speech.
Moreover, the song introduces an element of celebration, not tradition, into the process of learning the language, which has a significant impact on the emotional sphere of the trainees. It has been observed that the activity of a foreign language on the background music helps to not only memorize the material, but also reduces fatigue during training.
When selecting content, it is necessary that the educational material be emotionally saturated, remembered. The material of the lessons should include clear, specific images. If students do not see the pictures of public life, cultures, countries, people, they learn only verbal formulations devoid of vital content, which are quickly forgotten. In working with students, in addition to the text of the training manual and the teacher, there is a rich opportunity to use video lessons. [Galskova N. D. 2004; — p.55]
The greatest interest among learners is caused by communicative tasks related to foreign-language communication. Children better remember words, if you have to use them in speech. Dialogue in the English lesson serves as a motive for learning new words. The results show that communicative techniques are a favorite activity of students in the lesson.
Despite all the variety of methods and techniques in teaching English to junior schoolchildren, some difficulties arose. Teaching English primary school children (grades 1 and 2) based on their age and psychological characteristics, namely: fatigue, involuntary attention, remembering the subconscious level. Simultaneously, the main difficulties in the development of communicative abilities should be addressed and motivational problems such as: students do not have enough linguistic and speech tools to solve the task, students are not involved in a collective discussion of the subject of the lesson for one reason or another, students do not withstand the required length of communication in a foreign language. This is especially true for weakly-performing children. Therefore, one should take into account the physiological and psychological characteristics of children and provide for such types of work that relieve tension and fatigue. At the initial stage of teaching, English is included in the lesson by charging using various kinds of movements and dances. But at its carrying out the pupils' aim is to memorize the language material. The use of poems and rhyming allows you to firmly memorize the basic grammatical models and use them in everyday practice. In addition, the learning process turns into an exciting game that supports interest in this subject. [Fursenko S. V. 2005; — p.30]
An important role in maintaining and preserving the interest in the subject, the development of cognitive activity, the transfer of instruction from teaching to the management of independent educational and cognitive activity of students belongs to non-standard forms of the lesson. The non-standard lesson includes the most diverse, emotionally bright, non-traditional methods and methods of teaching that not only increase the motivation for teaching children, but also serve to develop certain abilities: the ability to recite poems, developing pronunciation skills, to stage a situation, like literary, and to sing in a foreign language, the ability to respond and give their assessment in a conversation, to report information on events and facts, to observe speech etiquette, to get acquainted with traditions, customs and cultural heritage of English-speaking countries. All the activities of students in the lesson are subordinated to the main communicative goal of teaching English.
References:
- Chаmbеrs, Gаry (2000), Motivаtion аnd thе Lеаrnеrs of Modеrn Lаnguаgеs, Grеаt Britаin: Cromwеll Prеss Ltd
- Chеng, H., & Dörnyеi, Z. (2007). Thе usе of motivаtionаl strаtеgiеs in lаnguаgе instruction: Thе cаsе of ЕFL tеаching in Tаiwаn.
- Hаrmеr J. (1991), Thе Prаcticе of Еnglish Lаnguаgе Tеаching, Nеw York: Longmаn Publishing.
- Wlodkowski R., J. (1986), Еnhаncing Аdult Motivаtion to Lеаrn, London: Jossеy-bаss Limitеd