Motivation

I have a deep concern about student motivation. I have seen a big difference in results obtained by ESOL students in the class. Some of this can be attributed to language ability and some to study skills generally. However, I believe the biggest difference is in the amount of motivation to achieve. Students, who are determined to succeed, set their goals, and then work hard, are generally quite successful. Students who lack motivation, just seem to drift.

The degree of motivation and the subsequent success or lack of success has been very obvious on the online course. Most of the students have made a valiant effort. Progress is obvious in the motivated students. They know what they want to achieve and they work hard to achieve it. One remarkable student has joined us on a nine-week intake. In just four short weeks she has done nearly as much work as others who started nine weeks earlier!

Unfortunately I also have a few ghosts on the course. They started with a desire to learn but the motivation fizzled! They just seem to disappear into the digital ether. I have tried to understand the reasoning for having a number of ghosts.

• Maybe he/she thought that English could be absorbed by osmosis – that no effort would be required and that the English would be transferred by merely being in the environment. Reality wasn’t the same as the expectation.
  
  
• Maybe time management was a problem – perhaps the motivation to earn money, go to the pub, cook a meal, do some gardening, whatever, was greater then the motivation to improve.

I have tried to motivate. I have tried to make the course varied and interesting. I have worked hard to provide good learning materials. I have sent emails and made phone calls. What else could I have done? How can a teacher motivate when the student’s own motivation is lacking?

In an effort to understand the differences in motivation, I have organized an online chat with my students on Sunday evening. Hopefully they will turn up. I have many questions I want them to answer for me. I need to find the keys to increase motivation.