MASARYK UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF EDUCATION

Department of English Language and Literature

Demotivating Influences for Learning

English among Students on Lower Stages of

8-year Grammar School

Diploma thesis

Brno 2011

Supervisor: Author:

PhDr. Alena Kašpárková Bc. Nikola Bednářová

Announcement

I hereby declare that I have worked on this diploma thesis on my own and that I

used only the sources listed in the bibliography section.

Brno, 10th December 2011 Bc. Nikola Bednářová

Prohlášení

Prohlašuji, že jsem tuto diplomovou práci zpracovala samostatně a použila jen

prameny uvedené v seznamu literatury.

V Brně, dne 10. prosince 2011 Bc. Nikola Bednářová

Acknowledgements

I would like to express my gratitude and thanks to PhDr. Alena Kašpárková for

her kind help, words of encouragement and valuable advice that she provided to me

during my work on this diploma thesis.

Brno, 10th December 2011 Bc. Nikola Bednářová

Annotation

This diploma thesis focuses on influences that have a negative impact on

learners’ motivation for learning English. The uniqueness of this thesis lies in exploring

second language learning demotivation from the perspective of the learners themselves,

their experiences in losing their initial interest in the language and their experiences in

overcoming demotivation. In the first part, previous studies of motivation and

demotivation provided a theoretical background to the studied phenomenon. Motivation

and demotivation are discussed in terms of their meanings and influential factors. In

addition, methodical advice on how to motivate students in second language learning is

included as well. The practical part of this diploma thesis gives the account of

qualitative research that was conducted at a grammar school. Based on the analysis of

54 learners’ essays, recommendations and practical implications are given.

Key words

demotivation, motivation, second language learning, influential factors, demotives,

motives, overcoming

Anotace

Tato diplomová práce je zaměřena na vlivy, které mají negativní dopad na

motivaci žáků k učení se anglického jazyka. Její jedinečnost spočívá ve zkoumání

demotivace k učení se cizího jazyka z pohledu žáků samých, jejich zkušenosti se ztrátou

počátečního zájmu o jazyk a jejich zkušenosti s překonáním demotivace. Teoretické

zázemí pro první část práce je vybudováno na základě již dřívějších studií zabývajících

se motivací a demotivací. Práce pojednává o motivaci a demotivaci z hlediska

významového a z hlediska faktorů, které je ovlivňují. Rovněž jsou uvedena metodická

doporučení k motivaci žáků ke studiu cizího jazyka. Praktická část této práce má

podobu kvalitativního výzkumu, který byl proveden na gymnasiu. Praktické implikace a

doporučení jsou navrženy na základě analýzy 54 studentských esejí.

Klíčová slova

demotivace, motivace, učení cizímu/druhému jazyku, faktory mající vliv, demotivy,

motivy, překonání

Table of contents

INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 7

THEORETICAL PART ....................................................................................... 11

1. MOTIVATION .............................................................................................. 12

1.1 What is motivation? ................................................................................................................................... 13 1.1.1 Definition of motivation ..................................................................................................................................... 13

1.2 Motivational factors in L2 learning ....................................................................................................... 14 1.2.1 Gardner’s model .................................................................................................................................................... 14 1.2.2 Dornyei’s model .................................................................................................................................................... 15 1.2.3 Williams and Burden’s model .......................................................................................................................... 17

1.3 Motivating students .................................................................................................................................... 19 1.3.1 Motivating students in L2 learning ................................................................................................................. 19 1.3.2 The teacher’s responsibility vs. parental....................................................................................................... 20 1.3.3 Taxonomy of motivational strategies............................................................................................................. 21

2. DEMOTIVATION ......................................................................................... 27

2.1 What is demotivation? ............................................................................................................................... 28 2.1.1 Definition of demotivation and the related term amotivation ............................................................... 28

2.2 Studies of demotivation ............................................................................................................................. 31 2.2.1 Chambers’s investigation ................................................................................................................................... 31 2.2.2 Oxford’s investigation ......................................................................................................................................... 33 2.2.3 Ushioda’s investigation ...................................................................................................................................... 34 2.2.4 Dörnyei’s investigation ....................................................................................................................................... 35 2.2.5 Sakai and Kikuchi’s investigation................................................................................................................... 37

2.3 Summary of the previous studies on demotivation ............................................................................ 39

PRACTICAL PART ............................................................................................. 41

3. RESEARCH DESIGN .................................................................................... 42

3.1 Purpose of the research ............................................................................................................................. 43

3.2 Research method ......................................................................................................................................... 44 3.2.2 Research sample: participants .......................................................................................................................... 46 3.2.3 Conducting the essays ......................................................................................................................................... 48

3.3 Data processing: qualitative content analysis ...................................................................................... 50

4. RESEARCH FINDINGS ................................................................................ 53

4.1 The scope of the demotivation problem ................................................................................................ 54

4.2 The demotivating factors experienced by students ............................................................................ 55

4.3 The prevalence and distribution of demotivating factors ................................................................. 58 4.3.1 Internal demotivating factors ............................................................................................................................ 59 4.3.2 External demotivating factors ........................................................................................................................... 61

4.4 Overcoming demotivation ........................................................................................................................ 67 4.4.1 Group 2 – Positive reasons for overcoming demotivation ..................................................................... 67 4.4.2 Group 3 – Positive reasons for overcoming demotivation ..................................................................... 71 4.4.3 Group 4 and 5 – Suggestions for overcoming demotivation ................................................................. 72

5 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION ............................................................... 74

BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................................................................. 78

INTERNET SOURCES ........................................................................................ 80

APPENDICES ...................................................................................................... 81

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Introduction

When I was a teenager, I had no idea what kind of job I would do one day. I was

neither a gifted student with talent in a particular subject area, nor was I someone with a

deep interest in anything specific. Yet, later, I had the fortune to experience what it is to

be influenced by a teacher. She was someone who engaged students in stimulating ways

and made them enthusiastic about a subject matter. The teacher who can spark a

students’ interest, and entirely change their attitude for the positive can make a real

difference to a students’ life.

Being vitally influenced by a teacher of English, I found my desire for English

language and teaching also. Since then I have been a strong believer in the essential and

crucial role of motivation.

When I began my secondary school teaching career in September 2010, I was

convinced that if I do my best as a teacher and a human being, if my lessons and

teaching are interesting, all students would be interested too. Unfortunately, from the

very beginning of my teaching experience, there were some students who I could not

get involved in learning, no matter how I tried. I was further surprised when I

encountered students who were capable but simply did not want to learn English and

insisted on making me aware of it. On the basis of this experience, my interest in

‘motivation’ and ‘demotivation’ arose. The loss of interest and already existing

demotivation in some of my students’ attitudes made me realise the urgent need to

investigate more about this issue and find possible ways to tackle it and re-ignite

students’ interest in second language (“L2”) learning. Motivation and demotivation

cannot be addressed or understood independently of one-another. Therefore, both

motivation and demotivation are discussed in this thesis as two inseparable behavioural

and attitudinal differences, within the context of L2 learning and teaching.

Motivation is generally seen as a key path to success. If we are motivated, we

can set and achieve any goals with ease and enjoyment. The presence of motivation in

our daily tasks, practical and theoretical issues and different points of life can inspire,

increase and, as mentioned earlier, make a big difference in achieving goals.

Learning processes, activities and materials differ amongst schools and teachers;

however, motivation is an underlying necessity amongst all students and teachers when

it comes to successful learning.

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In an ideal situation, all learners possess the desire to explore the world around

them with a natural enthusiasm and pleasure for learning. However, reality shows us

something quite different concerning attitudes towards learning (Dörnyei “Teaching and

Researching” 6). Brophy states that if there was a choice for students to decide what to

do, academic learning would not appear on most of their schedules (12). According to

Brophy,

The motivational challenge facing teachers is to find ways to encourage

their students to accept the goals of classroom activities and seek to

develop the intended knowledge and skills that these activities were

designed to develop, regardless of whether or not the students enjoy the

activities or would choose to engage in them if other alternatives were

available (12).

During every teacher’s practice, we encounter students whose classroom

engagement is poor and their attitude towards learning is more or less negative.

Generally, today’s students differ in many ways, such as learning experience, study

skills, cultural background, as well as socially, psychologically and economically, and

they come to schools from different regions, countries and even continents. Summing

up all the divergence among students, we start realising the struggle and potential

frustration that some of them might be dealing with.

Recently, the role of the teacher has been changed from teaching patterns and

emphasising instructional techniques, to teaching and developing learning techniques.

We (teachers) are facilitators and guides, helping students to increase their motivation

and develop learning skills. Our aim is a competent student who is responsible for his or

her own learning and further development.

A long history of studying and researching motivation has been issued in the

field of language learning. Motivational factors were analysed, teaching techniques and

learning strategies described, results and recommendations discussed. Contrariwise,

studies investigating demotivation in learning languages and/or learning in general, still

tend to be seen as unique and rare. Moreover, some of the studies mentioning

demotivation equate it with low motivation or no motivation, rather than researching

demotivation as a phenomenon of its own.

As I strongly believe in motivation as one of the most important elements of

successful learning and teaching, I would like to examine its negative side and the

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factors which may have a damaging effect on L2 motivation. While it is my own

opinion that demotivation is a more important factor in L2 learning than is generally

recognised, this assumption needs to be investigated. Thus, this diploma thesis focuses

on defining and testing the impact of demotivation in a classroom context.

Despite the fact, that English language has become an international language

and most Czech students learn it obligatorily from entering primary school, some

students do not appear ever to have had a positive attitude or interest in English

language, or if they had, they appear to have lost it, that is, they have become

demotivated. In both cases, the negative impact of certain factors affected their

achievement in English. While the application of conventional teaching solutions and

motivational strategies might help to motivate those without any interest in learning

English, offering effective solutions that would help already demotivated students

seems to be a more complicated issue. Thus, a critical look needs to be taken at the

causes of demotivation (i.e., the demotives) and explore and uncover the possibilities

for changing students’ adopted negative attitudes towards English language, and

become more engaged in L2 again.

This thesis is divided into two parts, of which the first part is theoretical and

provides the background information for the following practical part. Chapter 1 begins

by reviewing several different understandings of the construct of ‘motivation’ and its

components that have motivational influence. Thereafter, it explains the term of

‘motivating students’ and deals with ‘motivating students in L2’. The last subchapter

presents various strategies for motivational influence; some of which are described from

previous research and insight, and some of the strategies are examined as practical

recommendations collected by a language teacher.

In chapter 2, attention is turned to negative influences and factors in the learning

environment that cancel out existing motivation, in other words, the nature of

demotivation and its sources. Firstly, the term ‘demotivation’ is discussed and

compared to the concept of ‘amotivation’. Secondly, several investigations taking an

interest in demotivation are discussed. This is followed by a presentation of the most

influential factors of demotivation in the third subchapter.

The practical part of this thesis investigates the English learning experiences of

students at a particular grammar school in Prague from the perspective of demotivation.

It applies a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches to obtain reliable and

valid data that does not lose its original richness and individual character. In chapter 3,

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the research design is outlined, including the purpose of the research, the method of data

collection, the participants, and the method of data analysis. This is followed by a

presentation of the research findings in chapter 4. Finally, chapter 5 discusses the

practical implications of the findings and provides a conclusion on the studied

phenomenon.

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Theoretical Part

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1. Motivation

The first of the theoretical parts aims to provide an overview of motivation,

which serves as background material for the practical survey of this diploma thesis. It is

divided into three subchapters.

The first subchapter focuses on the meaning of the term ‘motivation’. It presents

several approaches to understanding motivation and a specific one for the purposes of

this study. The following subchapter deals with factors influencing motivation and

reviews three models of motivation. Finally, the third subchapter discusses motivating

students, and teachers and parents’ responsibility to do so. In order to motivate students,

teachers use different techniques that promote the individual’s goal-related behaviour.

Therefore, the final subchapter suggests a list of practical motivational strategies, some

of which were selected from Dörnyei’s framework of motivational teaching practice in

the L2 classroom.

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1.1 What is motivation?

This thesis addresses motivation from two different perspectives; that of the

student in their drive to successful learning, and that of the teacher and their

fundamental role in motivating students.

A student should be motivated to succeed if any educational task is going to be

successfully achieved. Biggs presents a teacher’s motivational role as persuading

students that learning tasks are both valuable and relevant. If a teacher is able to get

students to agree with appropriate tasks, then the students will learn (14).

1.1.1 Definition of motivation

Teachers when describing both stronger and more successful students, and

weaker, less successful students frequently use the term ‘motivation’. Within research

on ‘motivation’, the focus has been on understanding what motivates, as opposed to

agreeing a universal definition of the term.

Gardner, as one of the leading researchers in the field of second language

learning focuses on motivation, and defines motivation by specifying four aspects – “a

goal, effortful behavior, a desire to attain the goal, and favorable attitudes toward the

activity in question” (50). A goal is seen as a stimulus for increasing motivation rather

than a measurable part of motivation.

According to Harmer, motivation can be defined as “some kind of internal drive

which pushes someone to do things in order to achieve something” (51).

As stated by Dörnyei, motivation is “an abstract, hypothetical concept” that

explains people’s thinking and behavior in specific situations. In his view, motivation

concerns two basic dimensions of human behaviour. The first being ‘direction’, is a

choice of a particular action, and the second dimension – magnitude – describes the

effort given to the action and the persistence of this effort. Therefore, motivation is

responsible for “why people decide to do something, how hard they are going to pursue

it and how long they are willing to sustain the activity” (“Teaching and Researching” 7).

All previous approaches to understanding motivation confirm it to be a highly

complex issue, one that is easier to describe than to define. To summarise the theories

and choose the most appropriate definition for this study, I describe motivation as the

means to achieve set goals in L2 learning regardless of whether the motivation is fueled

by internal or external incentives.

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1.2 Motivational factors in L2 learning

There is a seemingly endless list of possible factors that can have an impact on a

student’s level of motivation; personal and family situation, economic condition, age,

sex, religion, cultural background, etc. It is essential to understand how these factors

come into play regarding a student’s attitude toward effective learning.

Teachers are confronted with the challenges of students growing into adulthood,

and their changing attitudes, needs and desires. In the on-going effort to deliver positive

influence, teachers realise they need to motivate in various ways. It is generally

accepted that there are two main sources of motivation. Firstly, there is intrinsic

motivation, referring to the personal satisfaction gained through undertaking an activity;

students are driven by the learning activity, by their own interests, or the enjoyment

found in undertaking the task itself. Secondly, extrinsic motivation concerns outside

influences or rewards (such as money, grades and achievements, teacher approval etc.).

An extrinsically motivated student wishes to succeed in order to obtain some reward (to

please a teacher, parent; pass an exam) or to avoid possible punishment (Harmer 3; Ur

276).

In order to provide a complete summary of specific factors that influence

motivation, three models of motivation by Gardner, Dörnyei, and Williams and Burden

are reviewed in the following subchapters.

1.2.1 Gardner’s model

Robert Gardner (54) identified reasons for L2 study that he classifies as

‘orientations’. In his research, he identifies two main orientations (54). First of them,

‘integrative orientation’, is characterized as a positively satisfying attitude toward the

target language community; possibly a desire to integrate and adapt to a new target

culture through use of the language. Second orientation called ‘instrumental orientation’

appeals more like a practical reason for learning the language, such as career

advancement, or a language requirement.

According to Gardner’s concept, a learner who is motivated with an integrative

orientation learns the language with the aim of achieving the ability to communicate

with members of the target culture. Also, such learner’s tends to be positively oriented

towards the language-learning situation. Conversely, the instrumentally motivated

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learner wants to learn the language for more ‘practical’ reasons such as passing exams,

getting a better job or prestige.

Gardner made a distinction between these orientations and actual motivation.

Motivation “refers to a complex of three characteristics which may or may not be

related to any particular orientation. These characteristics are attitudes toward learning

the language, desire to learn the language, and motivational intensity” (54).

While Gardener’s model is derived from results he collected in a motivation test,

just a few items in the test were focused on the learner’s evaluation of the classroom-

learning situation. Therefore, Gardener’s model has been typically emphasised for its

social psychological aspects of L2 learning rather than serving as a practical guideline

in the classroom context (Dörnyei, “Motivation and Motivating” 273).

In spite of criticism, which Gardner received for claiming that integrative

motivation was more influential among students, his model shaped the field of

motivational research in L2 learning (Ur 276).

1.2.2 Dornyei’s model

Psycholinguistics professor, Zoltán Dörnyei, outlines another concept of L2

motivation in which he focuses on motivation from a classroom perspective. In contrast

to Gardener’s focus on integrative orientation, Dörnyei makes a claim that in a

classroom setting, language learners would be more influenced by instrumental

orientation. He created a model of L2 motivation, “Components of Foreign Language

Learning Motivation”, which includes three different levels of motivational factors. The

factors encompass both the inclusion of orientations and educational context (see table

1).

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Table 1. Dörnyei’s framework of L2 motivation based on Components of Foreign

Language Learning Motivation (1994)

LANGUAGE LEVEL Integrative Motivational Subsystem

Instrumental Motivational Subsystem

LEARNER LEVEL Need for Achievement

Self-Confidence

• Language Use Anxiety

• Perceived L2 Competence

• Casual Attributions

• Self-Efficacy

LEARNING SITUATIONAL LEVEL

Course-Specific Motivational Interest (in the course)

Components Relevance (of the course to one’s needs)

Expectancy (of success)

Satisfaction (one has in the outcome)

Teacher-Specific Motivational Affiliative Drive (to please the teacher)

Components Authority Type (controlling vs. autonomy-

supporting)

Direct Socialization of Motivation

• Modelling

• Task Presentation

• Feedback

Group-Specific Motivational Goal-Orientedness

Components Norm & Reward System

Group Cohesiveness

Classroom Goal Structure

Source: Adapted from Zoltán Dörnyei, Motivation and motivating in the foreign language

classroom, Modern Language Journal (Blackwell, 1994) 280. Print.

It is important to be aware of the individual perspectives, which are being

simultaneously looked at, rather than three subtypes of motivation. The Language Level

is related to the social side of L2 motivation, including Gardner’s integrative and

instrumental motivation. Individual characteristics of the learner (most notably self-

confidence) are represented by the Learner Level. The Learning Situational Level is

associated with a classroom setting and situation specific factors, i.e. Course-specific,

Teacher-specific, and Group-specific motivational components (Dörnyei, “Motivation

and Motivating” 280 - 282).

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1.2.3 Williams and Burden’s model

Marion Williams and Robert L. Burden offered a framework (1997) of

motivational components, in which they assume that each human is motivated

differently and an important part is played by choice. They approached design of the

framework from the perspective of influencing the individual’s decision. The

motivational components were divided into two categories; internal factors and external

(see table 2). Within these two categories, they distinguished a large number of

subcomponents. The internal subcomponents are dynamically influential in a non-linear

style, and “affect the level and extent of learner’s motivation to complete a task or

maintain an activity” (Williams, 137). These subcomponents do not just affect others

within the ‘Internal’ category, but they are also subject to influence from the ‘External’

subcomponents, the interaction is dynamic as well (Williams, 137).

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Table 2. Williams and Burden’s (1997) framework of L2 motivation

Source: Zoltán Dörnyei, Motivational Strategies in the Language Classroom, Modern Language

Journal (Cambridge UP, 2001) 20. Print.

All three models discussed above, demonstrate different priorities when

characterising the motivational factors. It is beyond possibility to fully address to just

one approach which could be seen as ever valid and actual. And so it is not surprising

that psychologists have not produced a comprehensive model presenting the very

motivational factors and their interrelationships. Human behaviour is complex, a great

number of factors (ranging from basic physical and mental needs, through well-being

needs to higher level of values, beliefs and autonomy) influences and distinguishes

every human being and individual culture (Dörnyei, “Motivational Strategies” 6-7).

With this in mind, it is rather impossible to define a model concerning all diverse

motivational factors.

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1.3 Motivating students

Students’ motivation has become a frequent topic in both, psychology and L2

studies. Unfortunately, most of the material has been generated and applied to the

benefit of further research, rather than to help in practical teaching situations. Dörnyei

finds a simple reason for the gap between theory and practice. Teachers prefer clear

ideas that bring the teaching environment and learning material to life. Although

teachers are keen on making “this works and that does not” statements, psychologists

tend to be more circumspect about such statements because when it comes to human

beings, not many straightforward rules and valid principles can be found, independent

of the actual context and purpose of the learning activity (“Motivational Strategies” 23).

Dörnyei concluded “motivational researchers in the past have been rather reluctant to

come out with sets of practical recommendations for teachers” (“Motivational

Strategies” 24).

This subchapter attempts to explain the term ‘motivating’ and what exactly is

involved in ‘motivating students’. It presents two major influencers that facilitate

learners’ motivation. Furthermore, it provides a set of techniques and strategies for

motivating L2 students. Having said that, the main aim and also the extent of this work

limits the following information by and large, please note the subchapter cannot provide

a complete arrangement of the subject.

1.3.1 Motivating students in L2 learning

Motivating someone to do something includes a lot of various things that can be

included in the process. Generally speaking, in L2 learning context (i.e. lower

secondary and grammar schools) the language is usually taught for a few hours a week,

and therefore cannot be considered as a daily means for communication. On the other

hand, classroom experience is one of the most influential factors affecting students’

motivation. In contrast with natural settings, a teacher is the prime source of the new

language (Dörnyei, “Teaching and Researching” 35). Students can be influenced

directly – a teacher can motivate them by setting a specific/lesson/course goal,

assessment methods, giving immediate feedback, providing interesting learning

materials and tasks etc. Indirect influence can be delivered by arranging the conditions

in a way that a student has got the opportunity to choose what, when and how he or she

takes part.

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In classroom contexts, it is rare to find all students naturally enthusiastic about

learning, whereas it is quite common to witness students who need to be inspired and

stimulated by their teachers. It sounds simple, however, each student is different and so

it is his/her kind and level of motivation which is needed to be transformed in working

and learning. Furthermore, Dörnyei explains, “it is highly unlikely that everybody can

be motivated to learn everything and even generally motivated students are not equally

keen on every subject matter” (“Motivational Strategies” 25). With regard to different

needs, values and desires students are motivated by, it is a relatively simplistic view to

believe that any learner can be motivated to learn under the appropriate conditions of a

classroom, if a teacher provides such conditions (Dörnyei, “Motivational Strategies” 25).

1.3.2 The teacher’s responsibility vs. parental

Whose job is it to motivate learners? Leading researchers and psychologists all

have different approaches and arrive at different answers to this question. Harmer

argues the teacher’s main and most important function is to be a good motivator who

(with regard to personality, training and experience) is able to provide interesting

lessons and develop a good relationship with students (6). Nonetheless, according to Ur,

in recent “learner-centered” approaches, the teacher’s role is mainly seen as a “provider

of material and conditions for learning, while the learner takes responsibility for his or

her own motivation and performance” (276). Somewhere between Harmer and Ur’s

estimation, Dörnyei emphasises the teacher’s job is to motivate learners, but only if the

teacher thinks of the “long-term development of his/her students” (“Motivational

Strategies” 27). Motivational teaching should be a teacher’s long-term goal as far as

he/she intends to encourage and maintain the learners desire to invest effort in learning.

Similarly, a teacher as a competent motivator shapes learners motivational qualities to

stimulate effective learning in the classroom.

Williams and Burden (1997) and Dörnyei and Csizér (1998) argue that language

teachers have a motivational impact on their students in both ways, negative and

positive. When organising various teacher motivational influences, Dörnyei separated

four interrelated dimensions (“Teaching and Researching” 35 – 37):

Firstly, the personal characteristics of teachers (e.g. level of commitment,

empathy, competence, reliability, etc.). Teachers’ characteristics are essential to create

and maintain a learning environment, in which students feel comfortable and are

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motivated to learn. The relationship between the teacher and the student is largely

responsible for the “affiliative motive,” which has reference to the student’s need to be

successful at school in order to please the teacher or someone else (e.g. parents).

Secondly, teacher immediacy influences students’ motivation, students have a

more positive attitude towards a teacher who exhibits verbal and non-verbal closeness

to students. Such behaviour reduces the distance between a teacher and students (e.g.

calling students by name, smiling, gesturing, using humor, discussions with students).

Thirdly, ‘active motivational socializing behaviour’, by which a teacher

communicates beliefs, expectations and attitudes. In this way, a teacher pushes students

to adopt similar beliefs and expectations. A systematic motivational influence is

enforced by means of modeling, task presentations and a feedback/reward system.

Lastly, classroom management procedures including setting and maintaining

group norm and type of authority (autonomy supporting or controlling).

Another significant effect that motivates learners was pointed out by Gardner

(1985) and Dörnyei (2001). Parental influences may affect their child’s beliefs about the

L2 community and language learning. Children are witnesses of their parents’ language

learning, parents attitudes towards different cultures and communities, and their life

experience. If parents actively participate and help their children in the process of

learning, and there is a good cooperation between parents, teachers and learners,

obviously, learners feel all the parties are interested in their success, which affects them

to a great deal.

Dörnyei compares parents and teachers’ roles in terms of shaping learners

motivation. He states that the teacher’s role is as complex as a parents’ role. A teacher is

seen as a “powerful motivational socialiser,” providing guidance, support and limit

setting and as such he/she symbolises class unity and identity (“Teaching and

Researching” 35).

1.3.3 Taxonomy of motivational strategies

As it was mentioned previously, researchers and psychologists have been more

interested in motivation in terms of general motivational processes, different approaches

and theories. However, the question for practicing educators is not “what motivation is”

but “how to motivate students to learn.”

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In this subchapter, a variety of techniques and strategies are briefly examined in

order to offer a practical guide for teachers. A framework of “The components of

motivational teaching practice in the L2 classroom” (“Motivational Strategies” 29)

developed by Dörnyei in 2001 is reviewed first as a central source of information in the

area. Secondly, a few strategies and practical tactics are discussed on the basis of further

study of literature and my observations and teaching experience at the grammar school.

I completely agree with Dörnyei’s assertion that “almost any influence a person

is exposed to might potentially affect his/her behaviour” (“Motivational Strategies” 28).

Nonetheless, it is important to remind the uniqueness of each learner and therefore,

what works for one can fail for others. This is particularly factual with consideration of

how language-learning situations are varied in any situations. With regard to the

differences in students’ culture, age, language level of proficiency and relation to the

second language may render some strategies completely useless, and vice versa (36).

Moreover, to get students excited about individual activities does not mean they will be

excited in next lessons, initial enthusiasm needs to be generated and maintained.

The question of forming motivational strategies is answered by a simple and

logical taxonomy which I designed on the basis of the “The components of motivational

teaching practice in the L2 classroom” and “Taxonomy of motivational strategies” both

compiled by Dörnyei (“Motivational Strategies” 29). The crucial units of my taxonomy

are as follows:

• Creation of basic motivational conditions involving the scene settlement for the

further use of motivational strategies

• Generating learner’s primary motivation, which more or less conforms with the

pre-stage of the organization

• Maintaining and protecting learner’s motivation, which conforms with the

actional/main stage of the organization

• Encouraging positive self-evaluation, which conforms with the post-stage of the

organization

Dörnyei uses the simple organization of four main units for further separation

and suggests 35 motivational strategies for teachers to increase learners’ motivation and

establish a motivation sensitive teaching (for details, see Dörnyei “Motivational

Strategies” 2001). He reminds of the importance of quality rather than quantity, even a

few applied techniques and chosen strategies can deliver the best results. He

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recommends a stepwise approach from beginning to identify strategies that are already

practiced by a teacher, to addressing those strategies that ha not been a part of a

teaching practice. Dörnyei proposes that such strategies should be selected and one or

two specific techniques tried out in the classroom.

The first eight strategies go under the cumulative name “creating the basic

motivational conditions.” These strategies focus on teacher behaviour, classroom

atmosphere and social interactions between teachers and learners and among learners

themselves.

“Generating initial motivation” is the second area, in which Dörnyei discusses

the basic ways to encourage students’ acceptance of set goals. By making the

curriculum relevant for the students and creation of realistic student beliefs, students’

attitudes towards learning will be positive.

Another 14 strategies fall under the category of “Maintaining and protecting

motivation,” which is particularly prominent in terms of student’s natural tendency to

get bored and tired of the tasks if motivation is not protected. Increasing the student’s

self-confidence and creating student autonomy are argued as the basic yet great

maintenance strategies.

The last but not least group of strategies highlights how teachers can help their

students to evaluate themselves in a more positive light. Dörnyei presents such

strategies as providing motivation feedback, promoting attributions to effort rather than

to ability and other strategies all in the final category of “encouraging positive self-

evaluation.”

As already mentioned above, there is not a golden rule or the unique choice of

strategies that successfully work anytime for anyone. Each teacher has to find his/her

own way that will work best for a specific group of students. Bearing this in mind, a

few points that have been explored in my classes as enhancing students’ motivation are

presented here. For the practical reason of illustrating a number of motivational

techniques (that may be beneficial for teachers in their day-to-day classroom practice),

the following outline is a set of practical recommendations, rather than a sophisticated

taxonomy summarising motivational strategies. Some of the tactics presented are shared

among teachers and researchers as basic motivational strategies and can be found in

most overviews and works offering motivational ideas, effective learning and teaching,

and language teaching in general (see Harmer 1991, Ur 1991, Ushioda 2001 and others

for further reading).

24

Teacher’s enthusiasm and creativity

Students love teachers who can translate theory into practice while using

interesting ideas and materials. Children’s natural creativity should be also constantly

supported by challenging tasks, engaging the learner’s imagination (creating make-

believe stories, role playing, acting out, comic drawing etc.).

An American psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi has stated that the most

influential teachers are the ones who show their love and passion for the subject they

teach and teaching in general. Csikszentmihalyi also adds that even students sometimes

make fun of a teacher’s dedication, they admire his/her passion anyway (qtd. in Dörnyei

“Motivational Strategies” 32-33). Teachers using humor, doing unexpected things,

moving around a classroom entertain their students who feel that to miss a lesson would

mean to miss something fun. The more interesting a lesson is, the more likely it is that

students form positive attitudes.

Classroom environment – from the psychological and physical attributes

A positive classroom climate is one of the most frequently mentioned elements

in which student learning is maximised (see Dörnyei 2001, Gardner 1985, Young 1999,

Beard and Senior 1980 for further details). The classroom climate is made up of a

number of different components. Two major components are named by Dörnyei “the

teacher’s rapport with the students” and “students’ relationship with each other”

(“Motivational Strategies” 40-41). These components influence students’ physical and

mental needs, feelings and emotions. In order to improve the classroom atmosphere to

be supportive and pleasant, a personal relationship between teachers and students needs

to be applied. From the teacher’s side it is about showing students that you (as a

teacher) accept and care about them (e.g. addressing students by name, including

personal topics based on students past time activities, interests and lives outside school),

indicating high expectations for students’ achievement, providing non-verbal

encouragement (e.g. maintain eye contact, be expressive) letting students give feedback

during lessons. The question of establishing rules and norms in the classroom should be

followed with students input. “Norm of tolerance” is another element mentioned by

Dörnyei which helps students to feel comfortable in risking potential mistake or failure

as they know there will be no negative criticism or embarrassment. By physical

attributes I refer to the classroom atmosphere, which can be influenced by its size,

colours, the type of furniture, the amount of light, room arrangement and decoration

(posters, notice boards, flowers, etc).

25

Personally, I have tried to apply several not yet mentioned tactics to create a

more relaxed atmosphere. I applied them spontaneously (with neither previous study of

the topic nor based on my own experience). Firstly (at the beginning of the school year),

I invited volunteers (from all of my students) to help with decorating a wall of the

English Language Laboratory. Students voted and later painted the wall with images

and symbols of English speaking countries. The “personalising” and “familiarising” of

the classroom increased students’ interest in their new environment, their classmates,

and English speaking countries and their symbols as well. During students’ breaks

between lessons, I have been observing that the original decoration provides a lot of

conversation topics, along with the sense of accomplishment that comes with doing

something extraordinary. Secondly, students were offered background music during

some activities, especially during writing tasks and tests. For such activities relaxing

music was chosen. Lastly, and some teachers might disagree with me, students are

allowed to have soft drinks in a class, as long as they do not disrupt others.

Success expectation

Penny Ur listed success and its rewards as “the single most important feature in

raising extrinsic motivation” (278). Students who were successful in past tasks believe

they can succeed in new tasks and they are more likely to persist in their efforts. It is

important to realise that “expectancy of success” would not be enough in itself if not

accompanied by positive language-related values and attitudes (e.g. using authentic

materials, promoting contact with native speakers of the L2, offering extrinsic rewards,

arising learners’ curiosity and attention for the course). A Teacher’s most important role

here is simply to generate positive student attitude towards learning the subject matter

by making sure that students regard the learning task as achievable and they know

exactly what success in the task involves (Dörnyei and Ushioda 113-115). Achieving

success expectations is summarised by Brophy “the simplest way to ensure that students

expect success is to make sure they achieve it consistently” (60).

Feedback and Encouragement

Frequent, instant and positive feedback is essential for students to make progress

in reaching their personal goals. Appropriate feedback supports students’ self-

confidence and gives them constructive information about the areas that would need to

be improved. Negative feedback influences motivation too and teachers must be careful

about its power that could lead to a negative class atmosphere. Ur suggests a teacher’s

attitude should stay positive to a student’s weak performance. A teacher giving negative

26

feedback lets a student know that he or she believes in the student’s improvement over

some time and that mistakes are a natural and useful part of language learning (242-

243).

The previous paragraphs dealt with teachers’ responsibility to develop and keep

student’s motivated and engaged in learning. Nevertheless, Dörnyei and Ushioda stress

the difference between motivating students and developing their motivation. To put it

differently, they admonish “unhealthy teacher-dependent forms of student motivation”

(136) within which students will not develop their own motivation and self-regulatory

strategies. “Rather than merely thinking about techniques for motivating students, we

should perhaps also think in terms of creating conditions for developing students’

motivation from within and helping them to sustain this motivation” (Dörnyei and

Ushioda 136).

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2. Demotivation

The second of the theoretical parts aims to provide an overview of demotivation,

which serves as background material for the practical survey of this diploma thesis. It is

divided into three subchapters.

In the first subchapter the notion of ‘demotivation’ is introduced and compared

to the concept of ‘amotivation’. After that, attention is given to reviewing several

studies that focused partially or fully on investigating demotivation. In order to further

understand the role of demotivation and its negative impact in L2 studies, the most

salient sources of demotivation are summarised in the last subchapter.

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2.1 What is demotivation?

Having looked into the nature of L2 motivation and having analysed the range

of motivational strategies in the previous chapter, only “the positive” side of motivation

has been described. Unfortunately, during the learning process students may become

negatively influenced as well. Certain negative influences have a significant effect on

motivation. They may relate to particular learning-related experiences (e.g. public

humiliation, poor test results) or social learning events (e.g the personality and the

behaviour of the teacher, the classroom community) (Dörnyei and Ushioda 137). This

“dark side” of motivation, called demotivation, has not been considered as a research

topic until recently, even though its crucial role in the learning process has been

confirmed (Dörnyei and Ushioda 137-138).

Though I have only been a practicing teacher for a short time, based upon the

teacher training I have received, and most of the learning material I have read,

demotivation in L2 learning has been typically overlooked or forgotten. In spite of the

general view in English as a Second Language (“ESL”) field, where demotivation and

demotivated students are seen as exceptions to the rule, I think that demotivation is a

more common and frequent phenomenon than regularly admitted.

In my opinion the number of students who were once motivated and have lost

their interest in L2 learning is relatively high. This combined with wanting to help such

students avoid and overcome demotivation in my lessons were the driving motivators

for analysing all available literature that exists outside and within the L2 field on

demotivation. And whereas there is a relative shortage of the literature on demotivation,

the phenomenon is discussed mainly in the light of previous research outputs.

2.1.1 Definition of demotivation and the related term amotivation

As it was discussed earlier, there is no official definition of motivation that most

researchers can agree upon. And similarly when it comes to understanding demotivation,

which is besides a relatively new issue in the field of L2 learning.

Dörnyei and Ushioda (2011) have significantly contributed to the general

awareness of demotivation and increased interest in an issue that was not so long ago

left with little attention. According to them, demotivation refers to “specific external

forces that reduce or diminish the motivational basis of a behavioural intention or an

ongoing action” (138-139).

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In 1998 Dörnyei presented an analysis of main demotivating factors (“Teaching

and Researching” 150-151). His analysis concerns the learner’s ‘reduced self-

confidence’ and ‘negative attitude towards the L2’ as sources of demotivation. However,

this argument seems to contradict with his and Ushioda’s definition of demotivation. As

Sakai and Kikuchi (58) point out, Dörnyei himself listed two internal factors that reduce

or diminish motivation to L2 learning. Results of my preliminary findings, which are

presented in the practical part, support the doubt about demotivation being related to

external forces only. For these reasons, my own definition of demotivation is drawn:

Demotivation describes the psychological state of a student who was previously

motivated to learn and successfully reach set goals, but who is now affected by internal

and/or external factors that restrict his or her full progress.

There are many reasons, whether internal or external, to experience

demotivation and become demotivated. Dörnyei and Ushioda have created hypothetical

examples of a demotivated learner to illustrate various influences cancelling out

existing motivation (138). The first example is a learner who becomes demotivated after

his/her language group was split into two groups. The groups were divided according to

the ability of learners and the learner was put among less able ones. The second

example is of a learner whose motivation to learn a language is diminished as a result of

not understanding teacher’s interpretation during a lesson. The last example

demonstrates how an embarrassing experience, such as speaking in front of a class, can

negatively influence a previously motivated learner. In short, being demotivated relates

by no means to a student who has never been motivated before. It has exactly the

opposite meaning; a demotivated student used to be motivated but has lost his or her

interest for some reason. These reasons cancelling out previously existing motivation

are called ‘demotives’ which are the negative counterparts of motives. And whereas

motives are driving forces increasing the tendency and desire to succeed, demotives de-

energise the tendency and desire (Dörnyei and Ushioda 138-139).

Athough demotivation is related to negative influences, Dörnyei and Ushioda

do not consider all negative influences as demotives. In their opinion there are three

negative factors not resulting in demotivation. (1) Powerful distractions or more

attractive options (e.g. watching a movie instead of doing homework); (2) the gradual

loss of interest in a long-lasting, ongoing activity; (3) an internal process of deliberation

without any specific external trigger (e.g. a learner starts realising how demanding it is

to attend an evening course after all day working) (138-139).

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Furthermore, Dörnyei (“Teaching and Researching” 143) draws attention to the

distinction between the states of ‘diminished motivation’, that is demotivation, and

‘total lack of motivation’ that is amotivation. He emphasises the difference by referring

to the process and results of both, demotivation and amotivation. The first of them does

not necessarily cause the loss of all the positive influences that made up the motivation

at the beginning. Giving an example of a learner who has partly lost the interest in

learning English, as his teacher did not treat the learners fairly, Dörnyei points at

demotivation and the remaining positive motives that are operational. Despite the

insensitive English teacher, the learner may still consider learning English language

important.

The term ‘amotivation’ was introduced by Deci and Ryan (1985) as one of three

types of motivation (besides intrinsic and extrinsic motivation) and its relation to self-

determination theory (Dörnyei “Teaching and Researching” 23). Dörnyei explains his

concept of amotivation as “the relative absence of motivation that is not caused by a

lack of initial interest but rather by the individual’s experiencing feelings of

incompetence and helplessness when faced with the activity” (“Teaching and

Researching” 144). A model of four sources causing amotivation has been developed by

Vallerand (1997). The first reason people/learners can be amotivated is because they

think they don’t have the ability to perform an action (‘capacity-ability beliefs’).

Secondly, the strategies used are not considered by learners to be effective (‘strategy

beliefs’). The third type of amotivation results from the belief that to reach the desired

outcomes is too demanding and requires too much effort (‘capacity-effort beliefs’). The

last category refers to amotivation due to the general perception that a learner’s required

efforts are inconceivable considering the enormity of the task to be accomplished

(‘helplessness beliefs’) (Vallerand 271-360). To recapitulate the difference between

these two related terms, Dörnyei and Ushioda conclude that amotivation is related to

broad outcome expectations that are unrealistic for one reason or another, whereas

demotivation is related to specific external forces (140).

After the terms demotivation and amotivation have been defined and compared

to each other, the main focus is shifted to the previous studies on demotivation. Since

demotivation is rather far from being a well researched and documented area, previous

investigations of demotivation are reviewed somewhat in detail to create a more precise

picture of the phenomena and provide an adequate theoretical background for the

practical part of this thesis.

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2.2 Studies of demotivation

There have only been a few studies that focuse on student demotivation, in spite

of how important role demotivation plays in learning and teaching in general, and

foreign language (“FL”) learning in particular. Since motivation is viewed as a central

element within the field of education and has been examined and developed by diverse

research disciplines, it is not surprising that the only systematic line of research on

demotivation is found in the seemingly unrelated field of instructional communication

(Dörnyei and Ushioda 140-141). The area of instructional communication research

expects that the classroom, as a place where interactions between a teacher and students

take place, is a suitable environment to study language communication (see Christophel

and Gorham, 1995). Logically, analysing how teacher behaviour affects students’

motivation, the outcomes of the research involved the study of the negative impact of

various factors. According to Gorham and Christophel’s study (1992), approximately

79 % of students’ demotivation was caused by negative teacher behaviour (see Gorham

and Christophel, 1992). And as it was later noted by Dörnyei and Ushioda, “the general

finding that negative teacher behaviour is perceived as central to students’ demotivation

is fully consistent with the results obtained in the L2 field” (141).

Demotivation in relation to the teacher’s interaction with the learners, has

generated interest among instructional communication researchers; however, the reason

demotivation has started to be examined in L2 studies is different. Most of people

studying languages have failed at least in one (or more) of them. This issue is called

learning failure and it characterises the area of L2. Thus, studying what are the causes of

language-learning failure is directly related to demotivation (Dörnyei and Ushioda 142).

The following subchapters are focused on five main investigations that I feel

carried out interesting issues and findings lacking from other studies that seek a way to

address and manage students’ demotivation.

2.2.1 Chambers’s investigation

Gary Chambers was one of the first researchers who took an interest in

demotivation in the area of L2 learning (see Chambers 1993). Chambers visited four

schools in Leeds (1993) and collected data from 191 ‘year nine’ learners (age 13). He

used means of a questionnaire to find out what goes on in heads of the learners who are

not interested in learning German in the UK. What is interesting about this research is

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the new approach of looking at the issue from different point of views. Particularly from

the view of those, who according to the previous evidence had the main responsibility

in generating demotivation. Thus, the questionnaires were given and filled out by seven

teachers as well.

Based on this study, teachers found demotivation to be a salient problem in

relation to L2 learning at schools. Demotivation was considered to be a very serious

problem by one of the seven teachers, two teachers labeled it as quite serious and the

rest (4 teachers) gave demotivation a position of concern and anxiety. The teachers were

also asked to characterise a typical demotivated student. Such students were identified,

for instance, as having poor concentration during lessons, not believing in their

competence, making no attempts to learn, distracting their classmates and failing in

bringing study materials to lessons. Surprisingly, when the teachers were asked to

qualify the possible causes of demotivation, they included a variety of reasons such as

psychological, social, attitudinal, historical and geographical reasons, but they did not

mention themselves.

As one could guess, the students’ responses were not indifferent to their

teachers’. A pleasing fact was to find that despite a number of demotivated students

who had been indentified by the teachers, the large majority of the students agreed with

language learning to be very or quite important. Although only about 10% viewed

language learning as enjoyable, about 50% did not feel learning languages would be a

‘waste of time’ and did not mind learning it. The rest of the students went on record as

either not enjoying or loathing language learning. However, it is important to take into

account both the results and age of the respondents. A lot of teenage students do not

show much enthusiasm for learning and they can become bored quite easily. There are

many external stimulations taking their attention away and they need to learn to

recognise what they really like and want to do. Moreover, each student is a unique

individual with different needs and so if there are two students attending a lesson and

one of them is fascinated and the other one is bored and falls asleep, it simply means the

students react differently to the same experience.

The students blamed their teachers for various reasons, for instance, not giving

enough clear instruction, criticising students, using old-fashioned teaching materials,

shouting at students when they do not understand. Other students stressed the learning

group was too big and on the other hand the actual classroom where the lessons were

held was too small. But some students expressed opposite dislikes such as the need for a

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smaller room. On account of this data, Chambers was not able to draw far-reaching

conclusions about the impact of demotives on the L2 learning. According to him “what

one pupil likes, the next pupil detests” (14).

Unfortunately, Chambers neither determined what demotives are nor looked at

them critically. Although it was the first investigation fully devoted to demotivation in

the field of L2 learning and Chambers started it off to satisfy his curiosity, he did not

feel satisfied at all. “I find that I am dealing not with a molehill but rather a mountain.

There are so many aspects to the problem of motivation that I have not even started to

do it justice. I have made a barely perceivable scratch on the surface” (16).

2.2.2 Oxford’s investigation

Rebecca Oxford’s study (1998) is based on analysing 250 essays written by

American high school and university students. Her study progressed the understanding

of negative influences by dealing with the time factor, in her case, five years. As she

saw a significant association with students feelings and experiences over a period of

time, she asked them to respond to a variety of prompts, such as “Describe a situation in

which you experienced conflict with a teacher”, and “Talk about a classroom in which

you felt uncomfortable” (qtd. in Dörnyei and Ushioda 143). In the content analysis of

the student essays, four broad sources of demotivation were revealed, i.e. the teacher’s

individual relationship with the students, the teacher’s attitude towards the course or the

material, style conflicts between teachers and students, and the nature of the classroom

activities.

Oxford, following the data provided by participants in the study, specifically

pointed to the teacher’s behaviour and attitude as causes of demotivation; however, she

did not include potentially differing views of teachers on the subject matter and no other

demotives (apart from those referring the teacher’s role) were revealed in her research.

In all probability other potential sources of demotivation were not provided by the

participants in her study. The hypothetical gap was filled in the same year by Ema

Ushioda.

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2.2.3 Ushioda’s investigation

Ema Ushioda conducted a small-scale (20 Irish learners of French) empirical

study of effective motivational thinking at Trinity College in Dublin (1998). Without

specifying prompts, she wanted to explore students’ own conceptions of motivation,

their experiences with changes in motivation over time and what they find to be

demotivating in their L2 learning (see Ushioda 2001).

The study consisted of two phases, separated by 15 – 16 months. The purpose of

the first phase was to explore what participants find as motivating them to learn French

language. Thus, Ushioda chose to use loosely structured interviews to get the data

without her influence on participants’ thinking. In spite of a detailed content analysis

and its collected data, the first part of this study is omitted here as it does not concern

the study of demotivation or its analysis.

To elicit data in the follow-up phase, a technique of a more structured interview

was used. The interview questions were open-ended in order to encourage the learners

to describe events from their point of view. There were four aspects of motivation the

interviewees focused on: primarily motivation and its evolution over time; secondly,

factors negatively affecting L2 motivation; and finally, motivational strategies (Ushioda

109).

The third aspect (factors negatively affecting L2 motivation) of Ushioda’s study

is the most interesting and important in terms of this thesis. As Ushioda summarises,

almost all participants agreed on external factors associated with the learning

environment as the most demotivating in their L2-related learning experience. Only one

learner mentioned internal factors leading to demotivation – namely the pressure of

setting too high standards. Ushioda reports that all the factors (except for one internal

attribute) which were perceived by participants as having a negative effect on

motivation, are related to negative aspects of the institutionalised learning context, such

as teaching methods and learning tasks (114). Regarding her elaborated findings,

demotivating factors fell under three categories. First category, ‘L2 classes with native

speakers’ was critically evaluated by the participants for the atmosphere being too

casual and too many classes and/or too many students in a class. Students have also

experienced boredom from listening to artificial prepared speeches which they found to

be a waste of time, or a teacher’s private joke that left the learner feeling alienated.

Secondly, ‘L2 coursework/methods’ were said to have a demotivating effect because of

studying literature, dull teaching methods in a particular grammar class, learning

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grammatical rules, writing L2 compositions on set topics of little relevance and gap

between coursework studied and exam questions were criticised among other demotives.

Thirdly, demotivation derived from issues related to ‘Institutional policies and/attitudes’,

including for example, too many lectures in English rather than L2, lack of oral L2 use

or practice, lack of individual attention with too many students and lack of teacher

concern about student motivation (115).

Ushioda’s investigation (mainly the third part of a broader discussion on

effective motivational thinking) provided similar results as in previous studies.

However, her conclusion is rather positive. Most students experiencing the lack of

motivation considered external factors as the main sources rather than personal factors.

Thus, Ushioda lays emphasis on students’ ability to “limit their loss of motivation

damage and dissociate the negative affect they are currently experiencing from their

own enduring motivation for wanting to learn the language” (121).

2.2.4 Dornyei’s investigation

All the previous studies which were presented above, differ from the study by

Dörnyei (1998). Dörnyei did not agree that students who were quite interested in

language learning were able to provide full-value data on the possible factors

demotivating others. Thus, he focused specifically on demotivated students or those

who had experienced demotivation before, rather than looking at a general sample of

students (Dörnyei and Ushioda 147-148).

Like Ushioda’s, Dörnyei’s study was exploratory in its nature and so he

followed a qualitative approach (see Dörnyei and Ushioda 2011). One-to-one structured

interviews were conducted among 50 secondary school pupils in Budapest, studying

either English or German language as a foreign language. The participants were chosen

on the basis of identification by their teachers or peers as being particularly demotivated.

A stepwise theme-based analytical procedure was followed to analyse the data, in which

firstly, all the salient demotivating factors mentioned by the participants were marked

and common themes were established. Dörnyei assumed that some of the negative

influences mentioned by participants might have only been reflections of existing

demotivation. Hence, the most important demotivating factors (‘primary demotives’)

were identified for each student and tabulated to the main categories (Dörnyei and

Ushioda 148). The result of the analysis is a table listing nine main negative influences,

36

which were mentioned by at least two students as the main sources for their

demotivation.

The most salient source of demotivation (40% of the total frequency of

occurrences) was directly attributed to the ‘teacher’. This result, including the teacher’s

personality, commitment to teaching, attention paid to the students, competence, rapport

to the students, teaching method and style, was fully consistent with the previous

studies (cf. Christophel and Gorham, 1995; Chambers, 1993; Oxford, 1998; Ushioda,

2001). The second most frequent factor demotivating 15% of the participants, was

found to be ‘the learner’s reduced self-confidence’ which again, although indirectly,

concerned the teacher (e.g. perception of too strict grading). In short, these two

categories, the teacher and the learner’s reduced self-confidence, were mentioned by

more than 50% of all participants as the most demotivating factors. Then, another two

demotivating factors were significantly marked by more than 10% of the occurrences:

‘inadequate school facilities’ and ‘negative attitude towards the L2’. The first of them

related to factors such as an inappropriate group level, a group being too big or frequent

changing of teachers within groups). The second factor, ‘negative attitude towards the

L2’, was mainly reflected in students’ dislike of the way the language sounds and/or

operates (Dörnyei and Ushioda 148-149).

Aside from the identification of four most influential demotivating factors,

participating students mentioned other, less frequent elements having demotivating

effects. Namely, some minor factors causing demotivation were divided into five

categories: ‘the compulsory nature of the L2 studies’, ‘interference of another foreign

language being studied’, ‘negative attitudes towards the L2 community’, ‘attitudes of

group members’ and ‘course book’ (Dörnyei and Ushioda 148).

Dörnyei has provided data, which were not unlike the data collected by previous

researchers directly pointing out a negative teachers’ influence on students and causing

their demotivation. He gathered the data by interviewing individual students and

following analysis. There is no doubt he intended to offer a qualitative investigation

based on real learners’ experience. Nonetheless, what remains to be seen is the validity

of dealing such a sensitive issue directly with demotivated learners. It is arguable

whether students who have experienced demotivation or are currently demotivated feel

comfortable enough to discuss the issue face to face with a teacher/ researcher.

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2.2.5 Sakai and Kikuchi’s investigation

While there is a relatively short history of literature focusing directly on L2

demotivation, the interest in demotivation has been recently aroused and become a

major educational concern in Japanese research. Kikuchi and Sakai (2009) designed a

study, which derived from reviewing locally published studies that investigated

demotivation of learners of English in the Japanese context, e.g. Arai, 2004; Falout and

Maruyama, 2004; Kojima, 2004; Tsuchiya, 2006 (58). These studies were the key

components in identification of six common demotivating features:

• Teachers (e.g. attitudes, behaviour, teaching competence, language proficiency,

teaching style and methods, personality)

• Characteristics of classes (e.g. course content and pace, focus on difficult

grammar and vocabulary, focus on examination and memorisation, unvarying

and dull lessons)

• Experience of failure (e.g. disappointing test results, inability to memorise, lack

of acceptance by others)

• Class environment (e.g. compulsory nature of English study, classmates and

friends’ attitudes, school facilities and resources not being used adequately)

• Class materials (e.g. a lot of required literature and handouts, inappropriate

and/or boring materials)

• Lack of interest (e.g. feeling of English learnt at school is impractical and

unnecessary, lack of admiration for English speaking people)

Based on these six constructs, a questionnaire (consisting 35 questions) was

designed and distributed among 656 Japanese senior high school students. In contrast to

the original model consisting of six factors, the data analysis showed a result of five

demotivational factors. The exemplary hypothesised areas of ‘characteristics of classes’

and ‘learning materials’ were linked together in one demotivational factor ‘learning

contents and materials’. The rest of four emerged factors was likely to represent the

previously formed factors: ‘teacher’s competence and teaching styles’, ‘inadequate

school facilities’, ‘lack of intrinsic motivation’, and ‘test scores’. Surprisingly to the

previous research findings and general expectations, demotives related to the teacher’s

role were not found as having the strongest negative influence on students. On the other

38

hand the analysis showed that ‘learning contents and materials’, and ‘test scores’ were

the most distinctive demotivating factors among the students.

In the previous investigations of demotivation, researchers had been focused on

either demotivated students or rather motivated ones, however, Sakai and Kikuchi

decided to examine the differences between these two groups and compared them in

terms of demotivating factors. They found significant differences among students with

no or a little motivation who found ‘learning contents and materials’, ‘lack of intrinsic

motivation’, and ‘test scores’ factors to be more demotivating than the students with

moderate or high motivation. Especially ‘lack of intrinsic motivation’ factor was found

to be seen as more salient among demotivated participants.

39

2.3 Summary of the previous studies of demotivation

To conclude the analysis of the previous studies of demotivation, it is necessary

to confirm the prominence of demotivation as a specific phenomenon in L2 learning

and teaching. At this stage, drawing far-reaching conclusions of the results is not the

main intention. In point of fact, as all of the studies have been experiental and

introductory in their nature, it is rather impossible to carry out the generalised and ever

valid results. Moreover, by categorising various negative influences in different studies,

the results are often overlapping and thus difficult to compare. In addition to this

problem, the opinions of researchers are not aligned concerning the internal attributes as

sources of demotivation into account. What seems to be more important is the

complexity of the problem and its correlation not only with learning related events and

experiences but also with factors outside the classroom. Therefore, the aspect of the

wider social context must be considered and shaped by public attitudes and discourses

which may have impacted negatively on individual L2 motivation or motivation to learn

other foreign languages.

Even though there have been various differences in conceptualising

demotivation and identifying negative influences as demotives, the studies reviewed

above managed to expose the large-scale range of possible demotives and have

introduced and raised the understangding of demotivation as a complex issue. However,

one factor directly referring to the teacher’s role in causing demotivation seems to be

fully consistent with the results reported by all the researchers. The investigations have

confirmed a significant direct correlation between teachers (e.g., behaviours, attitudes,

personality, teaching style and competence) and a high value of demotivating

experiences identified by most students.

Christophel and Gorham provided the first systematic line of research on

demotivation. Although their investigation is grounded in the field of instructional

communication, they revealed what factors were perceived as demotives according to

their students’ responses. The interest in demotivation in the field of L2 learning was

aroused by the Chambers’s study, though he could draw only a few conclusions from

the survey. By taking into account the time factor and students’ descriptive comments

about language teachers, the study by Oxford advanced the understanding of demotives

variety and nature. Further, in spite of the fact that Ushioda’s investigation of demotives

was only a part of a larger investigation of effective motivational thinking, she found

40

that negative aspects of the institutionalised learning context were more demotivating

than negative teacher behaviour. The first study concentrated specifically on

demotivated students came from Dörnyei. Also, he demanded the identification of the

most important demotivating factors for each student. The recent study by Sakai and

Kikuchi reviewed a number of studies on demotvation in the Japanese learning English

context. They carried out statistical information on the pre-set categories of

demotivating features, however, the study provided neither characteristic nor detailed

information on various demotives.

In sum, all the studies reviewed above demonstrated that demotivation is a

salient phenomen in learning a L2 and that both classroom practitioners and educational

systems have a considerable impact in this respect. However, negative attitudes and

discourses in society influence learners to the similar extent and might cause real harm

to their motivational process.

To increase understanding of demotivation (its causes, how to deal with it, how

to cancel it out) and eliminate all possible factors which lead to its manifestation, this

thesis provides an investigation of the phenomenon, by cooperating with 8-year

grammar school students’ and using their learning experiences.

41

Practical Part

42

3. Research Design

The practical part of this thesis is established on two core principles around

demotivation. The first principle, which also motivated my choice of topic for this

thesis, concerns the ability to quickly recognise and respond to demotivated students, by

helping them to rediscover their initial interest in learning English again. The second

principle is about the prevention of demotivation through the elimination or reduction of

demotives within the classroom. Ideally cure follows prevention, however, the solution

comes out of the problem, and so it is appropriate to firstly explore the problems that

demotivate and the solutions, and then move on to prevention.

It is important for any educationalist to have the ability to prevent, recognise,

and remedy students’ demotivation. And so the challenge of this research piece is to

produce meaningful results that can be distilled into a set of practical solutions that

teachers can employ within their classrooms.

In this chapter the research design is outlined. Firstly the purpose of the research

is presented, followed by the methods for data collection. The research participants are

described, and a detailed explanation of data processing concludes the chapter.

43

3.1 Purpose of the research

There is a substantial amount of literature devoted to discussing motivation as a

strategy for successful language learning. This is in stark contrast to the subject of

demotivation, which gets very little attention. I believe that understanding motivation

and applying motivational techniques alone does not provide adequate answers or

solutions to current FL learning problems. In addition, English language has become an

international language and the ability to communicate in English is understood as a

basic necessity for today’s students. Despite the large number of students learning

English through compulsory programs from their first day at primary school, many of

them fail to learn it successfully or they learn it without any interest devoting a

minimum of effort.

The purpose of the research was primarily to understand whether students

generally perceive demotivation to be a problem when it concerns their language

learning, and to what extent these problems exist. Following that I went on to explore

students’ recommendations for managing demotivation, based on their own first-hand

experiences with demotivation.

Through my own professional experience in teaching English I am fully aware

that what influences motivation within one student can quite easily and conversely be a

demotivating factor for another. In order to reach a set of results that offer deep insight I

assembled a broad spectrum of participants. This allows the research to reveal the

differences in students’ experiences with demotivation. The data extracted shows

whether the participants considered demotivation to be a problem and to what degree.

Participants who indicated demotivation to be a problem were asked to identify the

factors they believe were likely contributing to their demotivation.

Lastly, the results will contribute to a better understanding of what causes

demotivation, how to overcome demotivation, and how to prevent demotivation. This

valuable knowledge can be used to successfully manage motivation and demotivation

within my professional language-learning environment.

44

3.2 Research method

Due to motivation (well researched) and demotivation (under researched) being

inseparable issues, it is possible for me to borrow some of the previously established

research techniques applied to understanding motivation, in my quest to understand

demotivation. Dörnyei and Ushioda have emphasised three features of motivation that

might negatively influence the collection and analysis of data (199). Firstly, motivation

is an abstract term referring to mental processes and therefore not directly observable.

Secondly, motivation cannot be represented by means of simple measures (e.g. the

results from a few questionnaires) because it is a multidimensional construct. Lastly,

dynamic changes representing the nature of motivation (as a result of personal progress

and individual difference variables) make studying motivation quite complicated.

Logically, all these factors have the same impact on demotivation and its research too.

Previous studies focusing on demotivation (see subchapter 2.2) used both

qualitative and quantitative research methods to find answers to research questions.

However, a qualitative research approach was used predominantly in most of the studies.

Dörnyei and Ushioda’s point of view can be used here to explain the preference of

using qualitative research methods rather than quantitative. They state that if there is

only little knowledge and information on a phenomenon, qualitative research is an

effective way of exploring, as it provides a detailed study of a few cases and it doesn’t

require prior understanding. Moreover, qualitative methods offer in-depth information

and description of a problem or condition by the main research participants’ experience

(204-205). Admittedly, there are some weaknesses of qualitative methods as well.

While quantitative methods emphasise systematic classifying features, constructing

more complex statistical models in attempt to produce reliable and generic data,

qualitative findings are less generic due to the subjective nature of the research. Another

weak point in qualitative research is seen in its validity and reliability, which are both

dependent on the skills and preciseness of the researcher (Dörnyei and Ushioda 202-

205).

As far as selecting the best research methods for understanding demotivation,

each method has got certain strengths and weaknesses and for this reason there is no

single best method, only a carefully chosen approach that best fits the research

objectives.

45

After careful consideration, it was decided to apply a combination of both

qualitative and quantitative approaches. The main reason for combining the approaches

was to benefit from their strengths and eliminate their weak points. Due to demotivation

being a highly subjective area, and the need to explore the students’ experiences, a

subsequent qualitative approach was chosen to gather in-depth information. Moreover,

there was no aim to test already existing theories on demotivation (which could not be

done here anyway, as demotivation is relatively a new area of research and there is a

noticeable lack of theory) but to give voice to the students and understand the

phenomenon from their point of view. In terms of a quantitative approach, the data was

analysed by a technique of coding which organised the data in a quantitative way. Thus,

the qualitative data was transformed into quantitative data in order to bring more

general conclusions which might be applicable not only in the particular case being

studied but in broader contexts as well. Whilst the purpose is to obtain reliable and valid

data that will not lose its original richness and individual character, the majority of

codes will be supplemented with an example of the underlying data defining the

particular code. The examples are in the original (Czech) version in order to preserve

their authenticity, English translations can be found in appendix C.

Within the research design the retrospective data was collected by means of

stimulated recall procedure. Stimulated recall was chosen as the most suitable way of

gathering rich, in-depth information that reveals students’ feelings, thoughts,

perspectives, and intentions, that are difficult to obtain by observing, interviewing or

through other qualitative methods. This decision is supported by Lyle’s statement

“Stimulated Recall is a family of introspective research procedures through which

cognitive processes can be investigated by inviting subjects to recall when prompted . . .,

their concurrent thinking during that event” (“Stimulated Recall” 861). Students were

asked to bring the memory of their English learning experiences across the whole

learning process and give a description of what they remember by writing an essay. The

essay consisted of three parts; each part was represented by a question or questions to

which students were asked to respond. The first part of the essay was designed

specifically for the purpose of collecting information about the existence and sources of

demotivation, the second part dealt with students having been able or unable to

overcome and cope with demotivation and the last part examined students’ experiences

and concepts of how to successfully reduce demotivation. These themes were used to

46

develop a set of essay questions that were later given to participants. The questions

were as follows:

1. Have you ever felt demotivated in learning English? If yes, why?

2. Are you enjoying learning English these days? How have you or haven’t you

managed to retrieve your interest in learning English?

3. Can you point at anything that according to you helps to reduce demotivation?

Before the essay was introduced and conducted, a warm-up task was given to

the participants to make them feel relaxed and comfortable about sharing their thoughts,

feelings and experiences from their own English learning. Both of the events, the warm-

up activity and conducting the essays are explained in detail in subchapter 3.2.3. Before

that, the participants of the case study are introduced.

3.2.2 Research sample: participants

A relatively small number of participants were purposefully selected to gather

in-depth information on the phenomenon at Grammar School of Professor Jan Patočka

(“GPJP”, a Czech secondary school in Prague). For the purpose of this study, the

sample was limited by setting key requirements. While the school offers two different

courses of study (a 4-year program providing secondary education, an 8-year program

providing lower secondary and secondary education), the focus was placed on the lower

stages of the eight-year program. Particularly, students attending the third or fourth

grade of the 8-year program at the grammar school. This criterion was set for two main

reasons. Firstly, the research is derived from the personal and professional interest of

the author who mainly teaches at lower stages of the 8-year grammar school and who

would like to successfully accommodate the needs of demotivated learners there.

Secondly, it was expected that from all the students attending lower stages of the 8-year

grammar school, students in the third and fourth grade would have had more experience

of learning English than those in the first or second grade of the same program. And

therefore the students in the third and fourth grade most likely had already experienced

demotivation to some degree.

Another set requirement for the sample group was to exclude learners who had

been brought up in a bilingual (Czech-English/English-Czech) environment. In this case,

a learner coming from a family where at least one of the family members is a native

English speaker and the learner uses English in everyday interactions with a member of

47

the family, is defined as a bilingual learner. The reason why bilingual learners could not

be included in the research sample is simple and logical; both languages, Czech and

English, are exposed to them as mother tongues or first languages and thus such

learners have different approaches, attitudes and experiences to learning English at

school than other students. However, bilingual learners did not face any isolation or

discrimination in this research as they were engaged in the activity as well. Instead of

writing about their experiences with learning English as L2, they did contribute to the

topic by writing about a language that was second/foreign for them. Nevertheless, the

results of these essays were not counted as an official part on the issue for further

analysis.

The participants of the research consisted of twenty-nine third grade learners and

twenty-seven fourth grade learners of the 8-year study program at GPJP. The majority

of participants had been learning English as L2 for more than five years, their length of

study varied from 5 to 11 years but six participants had been studying English for less

than five years. All of the participants had been learning English three times a week as a

compulsory subject at the grammar school from the first grade. In the first grade they

started with another compulsory foreign language. All of the participants had been

studying one of the following languages as the second foreign language: Spanish (24

participants), German (17), French (15).

To ensure anonymity and increase the validity of the potential results at the

same time, a few steps were taken. First of all, participants were assured about their

anonymity during the research and that no questions that might have made individuals

identifiable would be asked. Moreover, the essays were written outside the classroom

considering to minimize time pressure on students while completing the essays. In

addition to these preconditions and to strengthen the element of anonymity, students

were asked to hand in their essays in print form (adhering to a strict rule on formatting)

to their teacher at the class meeting within seven days. The last criterion used to make

participants feel comfortable with being able to express themselves correctly and also to

prevent any misunderstandings, the language of the essays was chosen to be the mother

tongue of the participants; Czech language.

48

3.2.3 Conducting the essays

The essays were conducted in April 2011. To get students thinking about the

broad topic and their interest in participating, a warm-up activity was undertaken as a

stimulating way to start sharing ideas and experiences. At the beginning of the classes

where the research was to be conducted, the purpose and the design of the research was

explained to the participants. The terms ‘demotivation’ and being ‘demotivated’ were

clarified to avoid any possible confusion or ambiguity. It was made clear to the

participating students that the main focus of the research was on their experiences with

negative factors influencing their motivation in learning English.

After the introduction of the research and ensuring that participating students

understand what the research deals with, the students were asked to arrange their seating

in a large circle. In the middle of the circle I drew two chalk lines on the floor and

explained that those two lines were representing ‘a river of learning languages’. In order

to activate any (both, positive and negative) memories of learning a language, the name

of the river intentionally did not describe learning English language only. Each student

was given three paper fish and three small stones. The fish represented positive

experiences in learning languages and the stones represented the negative experiences.

It was requested of the students that they would think back about their foreign language

learning and imagine the river they had in front of them represented the timeline of their

language studies.

Students were asked to place stones and fish in the river and specify what kind

of experience their items in the river represent. Since the purpose of the warm up

activity was to encourage the students to discuss their own experiences, feelings,

successes or problems while learning a language, there were no restrictions on how

many pieces of fish or stones they set, and they were not obligated to comment on their

decisions. To begin with, I needed to prompt the participants into getting involved, and

after a few minutes all students quickly got involved in the activity and naturally

discussed and shared their experiences.

Warm up activities usually take from five to ten minutes at the beginning of

lessons but in this case almost half of the lesson was devoted to the event as it was seen

as an indispensable precondition to the actual essay writing.

In the last third of the lesson, the essay was assigned. Students were once again

reminded of the basic requirements and conditions for writing (i.e. the anonymity of the

49

participants, typing and formatting, writing in Czech) and most importantly to think

back across the whole learning process, not just a few months back.

The essay questions were written on the whiteboard from where the participants

copied them on a sheet of paper. Both versions of the questions, Czech and English, can

be found in the appendices section (appendix A, B). As previously mentioned, the

students were given one week to complete the essays.

50

3.3 Data processing: qualitative content analysis

During the qualitative research a large amount of rich textual data was generated.

To be successful in discovering the essential meanings and underlying patterns of

demotivation and to make the research accessible (to the researcher and the reader), the

appropriate analysis approach needed to be applied.

Qualitative content analysis as a research tool was found as the most appropriate

method for the problem being investigated. In general terms, qualitative content

analysis explores the meanings in particular contexts and attempts to provide core

patterns and reliable conclusions (Patton, 453). Hsieh and Shannon define it as “a

research method for the subjective interpretation of the content of text data through the

systematic classification process of coding and identifying themes or patterns” (1278).

The definition illustrates that qualitative content analysis is a search for general themes

and statements involving the creation of coding and categories in which the researcher’s

subjective judgment becomes part of the procedure. Saying this, both the participants’

and the investigator’s views are reflected, thus the qualitative approach produces unique

meanings and themes rather than the statistical implication of the research testing

hypothesis or previous theories.

To avoid the research analysis being influenced by any previous research, the

inductive content analysis approach was adopted to develop initial categories for coding.

The aim of this method is to create objective analysis free from the theoretical

background on the issue and allow the analytical units to emerge from the data itself

(Patton, 453). However, as Dörnyei points out, not many researchers are able to start

analysing data without having initial ideas and biases (“Research Methods” 253). For

example, to collect some background information (based on studying previous

theoretical and practical studies) was seen as an essential part of the whole process of

designing and conducting this research. Strictly speaking, even the earliest stages of any

research project (such as choosing a topic or developing research questions) include

reviewing existing studies in a specific field, if we do not intend to “waste time and

energy to reinvent the wheel again and again” (Dörnyei and Ushioda 196). I was fully

aware of these problems that might have an effect on the data analysis and its results,

and thus to avoid any influences, the research was directed as insulated as possible.

After all the essays were collected from 56 participants, data analysis was

conducted. First of all, four different groups of essays emerged (see graph 1). Based on

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students’ answers, there were 4 students who had never felt demotivated (Group 1), 27

students confirmed that at some point they had been demotivated but had already

regained motivation (Group 2). The last two groups indicated they had been

demotivated as well, but the difference is that 12 students (Group 3) had almost

overcome demotivation, whilst 10 students remained demotivated (Group 4). Three

students were left out and their answers could not be further analysed due to them

having no motivation (being unmotivated) to study English language at all.

As it was already presented, three parts were included in each essay (see

subchapter 3.2.1). For the first two parts of the essays a method of coding was used, the

third part was analysed separately.

In practice, the analysis started by careful reading and re-reading all students

essays. To develop categories for coding, the constant comparison approach (Glaser &

Strauss, 1967) was adopted. Each clause, sentence or paragraph of the essays describing

a separate observation or indicating some kind of student demotivation, functioned as

the unit of analysis. The length of the unit did not matter as long as the unit represented

a single meaning that was relevant to the essay questions. At this stage the list of the

related segments was created (by using Microsoft Word) and single subcategories were

labeled. For example, ‘boring way of providing new information’ and ‘doing the same

things over and over again’ were pasted in the same group to form a subcategory of

‘teaching methods’. The formed subcategories were further compared and based on the

similarity of their attributes, they were embedded into themes (lower categories). For

example, ‘teaching methods’ and ‘teacher competence’ were placed in the theme of

‘teacher-related factors’. The last step was to categorise the themes. Even though the

research adopted the inductive content analysis approach to overcome the problems of

predetermined categories, at this point of analysis the previous studies came to play a

part as two main categories derived inductively from the data; internal and external.

Next, designation codes were assigned so that each category, theme and

subcategory had its own unique code (e.g. two upper case letter codes correspond to the

theme, two upper case letters and one lower case letter codes correspond to the internal

factors or external subcategories etc.).

In order to provide unaffected results and to ensure coding reliability, the results

were adjusted and published only after another two teachers of English language

applied the coding process again. Moreover, a record of all subcategories, which had

been generated beforehand, was given to the teachers to sort the subcategories into

52

themes. All the results were compared, discussed and used to produce the concluding

framework for the 53 essays dealing with demotivation (see table 3).

Now, when the data processing and method of analysis have been described, the

focus is shifted on presenting the research findings.

53

4. Research Findings

In this chapter, the results of the study are presented in a visual form; tables and

graphs, and also in a written form; comments and explanatory notes. These two means

of communicating the findings effectively complement and support each other to

provide clear and accurate insight into the problem being investigated. Moreover, this

chapter does not only analyse and interpret the collected data, but it also discusses the

causes for the research outcomes and expresses my own opinions.

The chapter is organised in the same order as the essay questions were asked.

Therefore, the first issue to be discussed is how significant and actual the problem of

demotivation had been for language students at GPJP. After that the focus is moved

towards the types of demotives which the participants labeled as causing the loss of

their interest in learning English. Last but not least, the ways of overcoming

demotivation are discussed from the view of the students.

54

4.1 The scope of the demotivation problem

The first question was intended to measure the scope to which demotivation was

an actual problem for the students of English language as a L2 at GPJP. As presented

earlier (see subchapter 3.3), 93% (49 of 53) of the research participants stated that to

some extent they have already felt demotivated at some point during their L2 learning.

The outcome strongly suggests that demotivation is the actual problem for most of the

participants. Personally, I think such a large number of “already having personal

experience in being demotivated” students should serve as a warning signal for all

people dealing with students in any subject or level of schooling. This result also

opened up a following question that aims to find out factors having negative influence

on students’ motivation and thus causing demotivation.

What might be quite surprising is the fact that most of the students understand

demotivation to be an inevitable phenomenon and they are aware of its existence.

Whilst demotivation is the object of their own concerns, it seems that they accept its

existence even though they feel uneasy about it. Additionally, it was found in 12

students responses that demotivation occurs discontinuously. In other words, 12 of 53

students have partly overcome their demotivation for some period of time, but still they

remain subsequently demotivated.

Graph 1 Classification into groups according to the scope of the demotivation problem

55

4.2 The demotivating factors experienced by students

The second question dealt with the types of demotives that students encountered

as factors that had influenced them negatively in learning English. The collected data

resulted in 54 different demotives (out of 188 references) which were grouped into 11

subcategories according to their common demotivating features (see table 3). These 11

subcategories were further classified in two main categories based on their nature of

demotivation. The first category consists of internal demotives and the second category

of external demotives.

The category of internal demotives that emerged from the data was divided into

three themes including the participants’ experience of failure, their attitudes towards

English and the issues concerning the students’ reduced self-confidence. In the case of

internal demotives, the former subcategories were replaced with the themes as the

subcategories were identical to the themes. The group of external demotives fell under

three themes concerning factors related to the teacher, the learning environment and

other demotivating factors reflecting external constraints. In this case, the former

subcategories were retained and filed under one of three themes.

56

Table 3 A coding framework for demotivation: categories and subcategories of demotivating

items experienced by the participants

INTERNAL DEMOTIVES

IF. Experience of failure (30)

• IFu. Failing to understand during lessons (16) • IFc. Failing to communicate in English (6)

• IFm. Getting a low mark despite having put a lot of effort into

preparation (5)

• IFl. Being left behind classmates in learning (due to background

factors) (3)

IA. Attitudes towards English (28)

• IAg. Difficult grammar (12)

• IAv. Large vocabulary (11)

• IAp. Difficult pronunciation (3)

• IAi. English learnt at school is impractical in reality (2)

IC. Reduced sDelf-confidence (7)

• ICs. Feeling of shame (3)

• ICm. Fear of making mistakes (2)

• ICe. Afraid of not being able to satisfy parents’ expectations (1)

• ICd. Feeling dissatisfied with oneself (1)

EXTERNAL DEMOTIVES

ET. Demotives related to the teacher’s role (85)

ETp. Personality ETs. Teaching styles ETa. Assessment (5)

and Behaviour (16) and methods (64) • ETp1. Lack of enthusiasm (6) • ETs1. Boring way of providing • ETa1. Only one way of

• ETp2. Unfair treatment (4) new information (19) assessing (tests) (3)

• ETp3. Unable to discipline (2) • ETs2. Unable to explain specific contents (11)• ETa2. Different view

• ETp4. Too strict (2) • ETs3. Focus on memorization (7) on learning English (2) • ETp5. Insulting students (1) • ETs4. Focus on grammar rather

• ETp6. Criticizing students (1) than speaking (5)

• ETs5. Using L1 more then L2 (4)

• ETs6. Providing unclear instructions (4)

• ETs7. Using outdated technologies (3)

• ETs8. Too fast teaching (3)

• ETs9. Repetitiveness of lessons

and tasks (2)

• ETs10. Lessons limited to textbook (2)

• ETs11. Lack of revision (2)

• ETs12. Frequent testing (1)

• ETs13. Teacher-centered environment (1)

EE. Demotives related to the learning environment (31)

EEc. Learning conditions EEa. Classroom EEm. Learning EEi. Interference with

and school facilities (13) atmosphere (9) Material (5) another language (4) • EEc1. Lack of practical • EEa1. Stressful (5) • EEm1. Boring and • EEi1. French (2)

occasions to use English • EEa2. Boring (3) uninteresting (2) • EEi2. Spanish (1)

out of a classroom (4) • EEa3. Conflicts and • EEm2. Ridiculous • EEi3. German (1)

• EEc2. Frequent changes in negative behaviours topics (2)

teachers of English (3) among classmates • EEm3. Inappropriate

• EEc3. Outdated equipment (1) level of proficiency (1)

(e.g. CD players) (2)

• EEc4. Too big groups (2)

• EEc5. Unequal levels of

proficiency among students (1)

• EEc6. Grouping students by proficiency

57

(away from classmates) (1)

EO. Other external demotives (7) • EOt. A must to study hard a lot of other subjects and so having no time to concentrate on English

only (4)

• EOc. Compulsory nature of learning English (2)

• EOp. Parental pressure (1)

58

4.3 The prevalence and distribution of demotivating factors

The previous table introduced all demotives that were mentioned by the

participants. To be able to draw any further conclusions, understanding the prevalence

and distribution of demotivating factors is the next step.

Table 4 The prevalence and distribution of demotivating factors

Number of Cases Percentage

Grand total 188 100%

Internal Demotives

IF. Experience of failure 30 16% IA. Attitudes towards English 28 15%

IC. Reduced self-confidence 7 4%

Total 65 35%

External Demotives ETp. Personality and behaviour 16 8%

The teacher’s ETs. Teaching styles and methods 64 34%

role ETa. Assessment 5 3%

Subtotal 85 45%

EEc. L. conditions and school facilities 13 7%

EEa. Classroom atmosphere 9 5%

The learning EEm.Learning material 5 2%

environment EEi. Interference with another language 4 2%

Subtotal 31 16%

IO. Other external demotives 7 4%

Total 123 65%

Graph 2 The prevalence of demotivating factors by coding categories

First of all, the results emerging from the essays analysis strongly confirm the

prominence of external factors in demotivating students. In particular, 65% of all

59

demotivating factors experienced by the participants point out the role of external

factors in causing demotivation. Not only the number of external negative influences is

greater, but also the range of external demotives described by the students is wider than

the range of internal demotives.

With regard to the external demotives, the findings show that the role of the

teacher has been blamed as the most influential demotive in 45% of the occurrences.

Further 16 % of the occurrences concern the learning environment, and the remaining

4% is viewed in relation to other external factors, such as an obligation to study English.

In contrast to the external demotivating factors, demotivating factors related to

the students themselves were mentioned less often and the range of these factors is not

so wide. On the other hand, 35% of the respondents’ answers stated that they have been

negatively influenced by at least one of the three internal demotivational themes

emerging from the data. Particularly, the experience of failure and negative attitudes

towards English seem to be more prominent than the other internal factors.

The following two sections review and discuss the internal and external

demotives in detail.

4.3.1 Internal demotivating factors

Table 5 The prevalence and distribution of internal demotivating factors

Themes Number of Cases Percentage

188 100%

IF. Experience of failure 30 16% IFu.Failing to understand during lessons 16

IFc. Failing to communicate in English 6

IFm. Getting a low mark despite having put 5

a lot of effort into preparation

IFl. Being left behind classmates in learning 3

IA. Attitudes towards English 28 15% IAg. Difficult grammar 12

IAv. Large vocabulary 11

IAp. Difficult pronunciation 3

IAi. English learnt at school is impractical in reality 2

IC. Reduced self-confidence 7 4% ICs. Feeling of shame 3

ICm. Fear of making mistakes 2 ICe. Afraid of not being able to satisfy 1

parents’ expectations

ICd. Feeling dissatisfied with oneself 1 Total 65 35%

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Nearly one third of the cases (65 out of 188) confirmed that internal demotives

have played a very important part in cancelling out existing motivation. Even though a

number of researchers have not considered or defined internal forces as significant

negative factors decreasing motivation (see subchapter 2.1.1), the survey findings prove

the major role of internal forces in causing demotivation.

As it is summarised in table 5, the highest number (16% of all demotives),

indicating the most influential internal factor, is related to the students’ experiences of

failure. The experience of failure has demotivated the students in 4 different ways. More

than half of the demotivating encounters (16 out of 30) have been affected by

misunderstanding during the lessons. Other participants pointed at an inability to

communicate in English, the feeling of being left behind other classmates and as it is

discussed in the following extract (1), getting disappointing marks (despite the effort

students put into preparation) resulted in demotivation as well.

(1) “Mám pocit, že když se na test hodně učím, tak to pak stejně dopadně špatně.

Když test dopíšu, mám dobrý pocit, že jsem to napsal dobře, ale nakonec stejně

nedostanu lepší než trojku” (P47, IFm.).

The second most salient internal factor, attitudes towards English, was found to

be mainly related to the negative attitudes towards English grammar and vocabulary.

This is illustrated in the following extracts (2, 3):

(2) “Vždycky když chci něco říct nebo napsat, tak nevím, jak je to s těmi časy.

Myslím si, že je tam [v angličtině] strašně moc časů, které se pletou a je těžké se v nich

vyznat” (P32, IAg.).

(3) “Nemohla jsem si zapatovat žádná slovíčka, nejhorší bylo, když jsem začala

mluvit a v každé větě se kvůli slovíčku zasekla” (P12, IAv.).

Further, two demotivating factors falling under the subcategory of negative

attitudes were found to be related to the problems with pronunciation (which is

perceived as difficult) and the feeling that English taught at school is impractical and

useless out of school.

Although the third theme of internal demotives, reduced self-confidence, has

frustrated the participants, according to the results, it has not had such a demotivating

effect as the previous two themes. Experiencing of some kind of reduced or no

confidence accounts for 4% of the occurrences. Four types of incidents resulted from

the data: feeling of shame, fear of making mistakes, fear of not satisfying parents’

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expectations and feeling dissatisfied with oneself. Among these factors, feeling of

shame and fear of not satisfying parents’ expectations were found to be more influential

than the other two.

4.3.2 External demotivating factors

The category of external factors consists of 123 negative influences that have

been experienced by the participants. The demotives fell into 3 major themes: the

teacher’s role, the learning environment and other external demotives. Each of these

themes and its related subcategories are presented in the order of prevalence and a few

illustrative examples justifying the results are included too.

As it has been already mentioned, the largest theme (with 45% of the total

frequency of occurrences), reflecting the strongest demotivating factor, directly

concerns the role of the teacher. With regard to the teacher’s role, three major negative

features were found: teacher behaviour and personality, teaching styles and methods,

and assessment. Each of the three broad themes set up a subcategory in which further

features were assigned according to their common relation and significance.

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Table 6 Demotivating factors related to the teacher’s role

Themes Number of Cases Percentage

188 100%

ETs. Teaching styles and methods 64 34%

ETs1. Boring way of providing new information 19 ETs2. Unable to explain specific contents 11 ETs3. Focus on memorization 7 ETs4. Focus on grammar rather than speaking 5 ETs5. Using L1 more then L2 4 ETs6. Providing unclear instructions 4 ETs7. Using outdated technologies 3 ETs8. Too fast teaching 3 ETs9. Repetitiveness of lessons and tasks 2 ETs10. Lessons limited to textbook 2 ETs11. Lack of revision 2 ETs12. Frequent testing 1

ETs13. Teacher-centered environment 1

ETp. Personality and Behaviour 16 8% ETp1. Lack of enthusiasm 6

ETp2. Unfair treatment 4

ETp3. Unable to discipline 2

ETp4. Too strict 2 ETp5. Insulting students 1 ETp6. Criticizing students 1 ETa. Assessment 5 3%

ETa1. Only one way of assessing (tests) 3 ETa2. Different view on learning English 2 Total 85 45%

The results show that the majority of the participants who have been

demotivated by factors related to the teacher, are most often negatively influenced by

the way the teachers organise the lessons and the way new information or skill is being

taught. 34 % of the participants’ answers pointed to the teaching styles and methods in

generating demotivation for several reasons. Mainly a boring way of providing new

information to the students has been found to be demotivating. The point is illustrated in

the extract (4):

(4) “Těď mě to baví, pokaždé děláme něco jiného a hlavně je při tom i sranda.

Třeba když se máme naučit něco nového, nikdy nezačneme vysvětlováním gramatiky a

zápisem do sešitu, tak jsme to dělali dřív a všichni z toho byli otrávení” (P 11, ETs1.).

A lot of participants were evaluating and comparing their former teachers of

English with the present teachers on the basis of the teacher’s ability to explain well and

in an interesting/enjoyable way the subject matter that was being studied. Analysis of

the essays confirms that students consider teachers who can explain the subject matter

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clearly and in an interesting/enjoyable way as easy to follow and such teachers motivate

them in learning (or do not demotivate them).

(5) “Všechno co v hodině probíráme, tak chápu, paní učitelka to vysvětluje tak,

že napoprvé vím, o co jde. To se nedá srovnat, předtím jsem vůbec v hodinách nevěděla,

o co tam šlo” (P 9, ETs5.).

As it is apparent from table 6, the participants mentioned 13 different demotives

referring to the teaching styles and methods. Apart from the first two factors, which

have already been mentioned as the most demotivating ones, other factors were

mentioned in the following frequency of causing demotivation: focus on grammar

rather than speaking, using L1 more than L2, providing unclear instructions, using

outdated technologies, too fast teaching, repetitiveness of lessons and tasks, lessons

limited to textbook, lack of revision, frequent testing and teacher-centered environment.

Out of 188 cases mentioning demotivating factors, the teacher’s behaviour, the

way he or she treats the students and the way he or she performs, thinks and feels, all

these factors were mentioned 16 times by the participants. The results show that the

biggest problems experienced by the participants are lack of enthusiasm and unfair

treatment, as illustrated in the extract (6,7):

(6) “Myslím si, že to nebavilo nikoho [výuka AJ]. A nejmíň našeho pana učitele.

Měli jsme z něj pocit, že chce být někde jinde a dělat něco jiného. Dával nám jasně

najevo, že ho to s náma nebaví no a nás s ním taky ne” (P 15, ETp1.).

(7) “To, že jsme tam byli namíchaní mi nevadilo, ale to, že já jsem automaticky

patřil do skupiny “těch hloupějších” jenom kvůli tomu, že jsme ji [učitelku] měli na

matiku, to mě fakt štvalo. Kdybych měl z matiky jedničky, určitě by mě v angličtině

přilepšila” (P 38, ETp2.).

Moreover, extreme bias in a teacher’s focus on student discipline and classroom

instructions can result in demotivation as well. In other words, if the teacher is not able

to discipline the students or is too strict, both of these cases have a negative impact on

them.

The last two demotives, and in this case the least influential of all negative

factors related to the teacher’s role that have been identified by the participants

uncovered a problem of insulting and criticizing students. Contrary to the results I do

not believe that insulting and criticising has such a low impact on student’ motivation. I

believe it appears to have such an insignificant impact on motivation due to the low

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occurrence of students being or feeling insulted by their teachers, and as a result it goes

unmentioned.

The teacher’s way of grading students’ performance and progress is the last

theme that was identified by the participants to be demotivating in their English

learning experience. Three students complained that their grades did not reflect their

real knowledge of the language and the true development of language skills. Basically,

the students feel that the assessment is based on test results only and thus does not

reflect speaking skills and active participation during classes. Two students also

complained that assessment does not agree with their understanding what is or is not

important in knowing English.

Demotives relating to the learning environment generated the second large

theme of external factors. The results revealed that the learning environment accounts

for 16% of all the negative factors causing demotivation. As can be seen from table 7,

four subcategories fell under the theme: learning conditions and school facilities,

classroom atmosphere, learning material and interference with another language.

Table 7 Demotivating factors related to the learning environment

Themes Number of Cases Percentage

188 100%

EEc. Learning conditions and school facilities 13 7% EEc1. Lack of practical occasions to use 4

English out of classroom

EEc2. Frequent changes in teachers of English 3 EEc3. Outdated equipment (e.g. CD players) 2 EEc4. Too big groups 2

EEc5. Unequal levels of proficiency among students 1

EEc6. Grouping students by proficiency 1

(away from classmates)

EEa. Classroom atmosphere 9 5% EEa1. Stressful 5

EEa2. Boring 3

EEa3. Conflicts and negative behaviours 1 among classmates EEm. Learning Material 5 2% EEm1. Boring and uninteresting 2 EEm2. Ridiculous topics 2 EEm3. Inappropriate level of proficiency 1 EEi. Interference with another language 4 2% EEi1. French 2

EEi2. Spanish 1

EEi3. German 1

Total 31 16%

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A lot of different characteristics of the learning conditions and school facilities

have had a demotivating impact on the students. From all of them, 4 participants have

expressed the feeling of not having enough possibilities to use English and so it became

the most influential demotive under this subcategory. Although the similar

dissatisfaction has already derived from the students’ experience of learning the

language mainly by focusing on grammar rather than speaking, this time the

participants emphasised the problem results from two aspects. Firstly, they feel having

no or just a little contact with English native speakers (among both the teachers and

classmates) and secondly, having not enough possibilities to travel abroad (and be

forced to use English there) during the school year.

The frequent changing of English teachers has been seen as demotivating for

three students. In the following extract (8), the displeasure is discussed.

(8) “Nelíbilo se mi, když se nám během dvou let tady třikrát změnili učitelé na

aj. Sotva jsem si na někoho zvykla jak učí, zkouší a známkuje, tak jsme zase dostali

někoho jiného” (P7, EEc2.).

Further demotivating factors related to the learning conditions and school

facilities were as the following: using outdated equipment (e.g. CD players), groups

being too big, varying levels of proficiency among students and grouping students by

proficiency (away from classmates).

After the learning conditions and school facilities, the second theme of

demotives associated with the learning environment was found to be a classroom

atmosphere. Apart from the statement that the classroom atmosphere may negatively

influence student motivation (which appears to be the case for 9% of the occurrences)

several types of classroom atmospheres were identified. Two significantly different

atmospheres revealed from the data, however, resulting in the same effect, i.e. –

stressful and/or boring classroom atmosphere negatively influences students’

motivation. It is an interesting finding when we realise that exactly the same classroom

atmosphere can be stressful for one student but boring and thus demotivating for the

other one. One student also expressed his negative experience arising from conflicts and

negative behaviour among classmates.

With regard to the students’ demotivation, two more themes were found to be

linked with the learning environment. First of them - learning material – has been

mentioned slightly more often (5 participants) than the second one – interference with

another language (4 participants). The main problem with the learning material (most of

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the students talk about a course book used in lessons) has been the boring and

uninteresting content. Two students even consider the course book they currently use as

a ridiculous one because of the topics and texts contained. The question is, whether this

issue has something to do with the book itself or with the age, cognitive and emotional

development of the respondents, see the extract below (9).

(9) “No, ta naše [učitelka] je fakt trapná, hlavně ty rozhovory, jak pro děti v

mateřské školce. Koho by to bavilo číst o tom, jak dvě kamarádky chtěly jít do kina a

jedné ujel autobus a tak to nestihne. Opravdu směšné” (P 45, EEm1., EEm2.).

Learning two foreign languages at the same time has caused demotivation for

four participants. They have complained that it was difficult to start learning another

foreign language when they didn’t feel they had a good solid base in the first foreign

language (English language in this case). Students see this as a main cause of their

confusion (leading to demotivation) when similarities and differences among languages

start to be remarkable.

Three external factors accounting for 4% of all the experienced demotives, were

found to be impossible to group with any theme or subcategory of external demotives.

They created a separate theme of other external demotives and they all seem to be

connected by some kind of external obligation or need (see specifics in table 3).

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4.4 Overcoming demotivation

So far the attention has been focused on the negative factors that have been

experienced by the participants as the causes of their demotivation. However, students’

experiences can also help to investigate the conditions for overcoming demotivation and

thus supporting re-motivation.

To fully understand how students had managed to defeat demotivation, the

answers to the second question are analysed (“How have you or haven’t you managed

to retrieve your interest in learning English?”). Only students from Group 2 and 3 could

provide the required information because unlike the others they have recovered their

motivation to learn English language. In other words, these students identified the

positive factors (motives), which helped them to get motivated again.

The data from each of the Groups (2 and 3) is analysed and discussed separately

in order to be able to compare and contrast the results later. Moreover, the members of

Group 2 already retrieved their motivation, and so the reasons for their overcoming

demotivation cannot be included with those who have not fully overcome demotivation

yet.

First of all, internal factors were separated from the external factors to create

two categories of positive influences that assisted the students to overcome

demotivation. Secondly, motives with the same motivating feature were grouped

together and several subcategories emerged.

4.4.1 Group 2 – Reasons for overcoming demotivation

The participants from Group 2 specified 85 different reasons that helped them to

overome their demotivation (see table 8 and 9). Most of these reasons (72%) concerned

positive changes in the internal demotives rather than external demotives (28%). This

result is an interesting contradiction to the findings in subchapter 4.3. In other words,

external factors do not have such a significant role in reducing demotivation as they

have in causing demotivation. Even though the external sources of demotivation were

still operating in the learning environment, the internal motives were the crucial ones

for overcoming demotivation.

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The four subcategories of internal factors that helped the participants are:

English as a lingua franca (26%), using English outside the classroom (25%), positive

attitudes towards learning (12%) and positive attitudes towards schooling (9%).

Table 8 Group 2 – Internal factors for overcoming demotivation

Internal factors Number of Cases Percentage

85 100%

OEf. English as a lingua franca 22 26% OEf1. Recognizing English as an international language 13

OEf2. Realizing the importance of English 9

OEs. Using English outside of the classroom 21 25% OEs1. Being able to watch movies 5

in the original language

OEs2. Being able to talk to foreign friends 4

OEs3. Being able to understand English songs, jokes 4

OEs4. Being able to travel easily 3

OEs5. Want to get a good job 2

OEs6. Being able to read English books 2

OEs7. Want to get unlimited access to information 1

OAl. Positive attitudes towards learning 10 12% OAl1. Self-determination 7

OAl2. Drive to compete 2

OAl3. Feeling good after some progress 1

OAe. Positive attitudes towards English 8 9% OAe1. Recognizing English as a fundamental skill 3

of educated people

OAe2. Like the way English sounds (attractive) 2

OAe3. Finding English as an easy language 2

OAe4. Like using no T-V distinction 1

Total 61 72%

The results suggest that when students recognized English language as an

international language and realised its importance, they also found the most influential

reason for overcoming demotivation. Students stated that they are interested in learning

English because it is a language that is spoken globally, and consequently if one cannot

speak English one cannot deal successfully with today’s world. This is illustrated in the

next extract (10).

(10) “Dřív mi to bylo jedno, jestli anglicky umím nebo ne, ale postupně jsem si

začal všímat, že se bez angličtiny neobejdu….Je užitečné umět angličtinu, ne kvuli

známkam ve škole, ale potom do budoucna, abych se všude domluvil” (P 5, OEf.).

Since students felt demotivated by not having enough practical occasions to

speak the language, it is quite logical to assume that if the opportunities to use English

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are increased the interest in learning is strengthened and recovered as well. Seven

motivating issues were mentioned by the participants, of those three were the most

influential: the ability to watch movies in the original language, to talk to foreign

friends and being able to understand English songs, jokes.

The results revealed that the different kinds of information students wanted to

obtain got them into situations in which they wanted to improve their English skills. In

spite of the demotives, the participants experienced the need to be able to understand

and use the language and thus they were motivated to learn English again. Different

contexts made participants realise the need, such as watching movies in English

language, having a multicultural friendship, understanding English songs and jokes

without translating into Czech, travelling abroad, getting a proper job in the future,

reading English books and having unlimited access to information. From all of these

contexts, being able to watch movies without Czech subtitles or dubbing is the most

influential one (5 participants), see the extent below (11).

(11) “ …protože filmy v originále jsou nejlepší! Filmy s českými titulky ztrácí

vtip a kolikrát jsou ty překlady špatně. A nadabované zase ztratí hlas konkrétního

herce” (P8, OEs1.).

The students’ positive attitudes towards learning also helped them to cope with

their demotivation. Three categories of attitudes were identified and classed as

following: self-determination, the drive to compete, and feel good after some progress.

Self-determination in terms of setting personal goals and evaluating oneself according

to ones own criteria helped seven students to find learning English interesting and

satisfying again. In addition to that, the effect of competitiveness among the classmates

who are willing to improve their English skills in order to feel good and confident again,

also activated the students’ effort to learn the language despite the demotivating factors.

Moreover, there was found a certain connection between an apparent experience of

failure and the following willingness for improvement. This point is made in the extract

(12).

(12) “Už se nevzdávám, když dostanu špatnou známku nebo se mi něco

nepovede, už si něřeknu, že to nejde nebo že se to nemůžu naučit. Prostě se nevzdám,

protože vím, že ono to jde” (P 29, OAl.)!

In addition to realizing the international status and importance of English

language, some other positive attitudes towards the language also helped the students to

defeat demotivation. However, the following attitudes are not as much related to the

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global status of English as they are related to the language itself. Considering English

language as a fundamental skill of educated people helped three students to appreciate

the language and thus rediscover their interest in it again. Two students pointed out that

although English language is quite difficult to learn, they want to learn it because they

like the way it sounds. On the contrary two students found English to be an easy

language, which helped them in recovering their motivation. However, these two

students became demotivated in learning French instead, as they see it as a really

demanding language. The last attitude which helped one student to overcome

demotivation is rather connected to the difference between Czech language and English.

The student mentioned his appreciation for the fact there is no difference between

second-person pronouns in English (Ty-Vy distinction), which is something the student,

dislikes in speaking Czech or German.

According to the participants’ responses to ways of overcoming demotivation,

there is a notable difference between the number of the internal and external factors.

The participants indicated 61 instances of internal re-motivating factors whereas

external re-motivating factors accounted for 24 instances. These results provide the

conclusion in terms of the need for internal factors which provided 2.5 times higher

chance of overcoming demotivation than from external factors.

Although the external factors were less influential than the internal ones, just a

few positive changes in external demotives can bring immediate improvement. The

classroom environment, the teacher’s attitude towards students, and the teaching styles

were among the three most frequently mentioned external factors that assisted the

students to cope with their demotivation. Once the external factors had changed their

demotivating nature, their demotivating effect lost its importance and so they helped to

overcome demotivation. For example, if the classroom environment had changed to

one with more practical and real opportunities to use English, this specific demotive lost

its relevance and the demotivating effect did not have such an influence on the students.

As far as the other external demotives were concerned, similar outcomes were reached

(see table 9).

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Table 9 Group 2 - External factors for overcoming demotivation

External factors Number of Cases Percentage 85 100%

OTs. Teacher’s attitude towards the subject 2 2% OTs1. More interested and excited 2

OTl. Teacher’s attitude towards learners 5 6% OTl1. More caring, emphatic and sympathetic 3

OTl2. Fair treatment 1

OTl3. Adequate criticism 1

OTm. Teaching styles and methods 5 6% OTm1. Focus on communicative activities rather 3

than grammar

OTm2. Clearer explanation of the subject matter 1

OTm3. Learning via playing games, acting out 1

and doing projects

OAs. Assessment 1 1% OAs1. Assessing individual progress and participation 1

in lessons (not based on general restrictions)

OCe. Classroom environment 6 7% OCe1. More practical and real opportunities to use 4

English in a class

OCe2. Fewer students in a class 2

OCm. Classroom materials 2 2% OCm1. Wider variety of learning materials 1

OCm2. More up to date topics 1

(for reading and communication)

OEp. External pressure and attitudes 3 4% OEp1. Friends’ enthusiasm and success 1

OEp2. Parents’ support and encouragement 1

OEp3. Teacher’s support and encouragement 1

Total 24 28%

4.4.2 Group 3 – Reasons for overcoming demotivation

The participants from Group 3 were also asked to describe the reasons that

helped them to overcome demotivation. Although these students have almost, or at least

partly defeated their demotivation, the number of positive motives that assisted them is

quite low. 12 students identified 13 re-motivating cases, which equates to an average of

each student benefiting from one motive only. When this result is compared to the result

from Group 2 where on average 3.15 motives (internal and external combined) were

needed to overcome demotivation per one student, it is possible to say that the more

positive motives students have, the grater chance to completely defeat demotivation

they have. In terms of comparing the effect of internal and external factors in Group 3,

internal factors were more influential in defeating demotivation. However, the variety of

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internal motives was rather low, students identified four motives they had benefited

from, among which the awareness of the importance of English was the most influential

one. In both groups, re-motivating factors related to positive attitudes towards schooling

and using English outside of the classroom were seen as helping students to recover

their motivation. On the other hand, motives related to positive attitudes towards

schooling (especially self-determination) were not found in Group 3, only in Group 2.

With regard to external factors, only 3 students in Group 3 were pushed by external

motives to overcome their demotivation,

Table 10 Group 3 - Factors for overcoming demotivation

Number of Cases Percentage 13 100%

Internal factors

OEi. Realizing the importance of English 7 54%

OEo. Using English outside of the classroom 2 15% OEo1. Being able to watch movies in the originals 1

OEo2. Being able to understand English songs, jokes 1

OEe. Positive attitudes towards English 1 8 % OEe1. Like communication in English 1

External factors

OIm. Teaching styles and methods 2 15% OIm1. Focus on communicative activities rather 1

than grammar

OIm2. Learning via playing games, acting out 1

and doing projects

OIl. Teacher’s attitude towards learners 1 8% OIl1. More caring, emphatic and sympathetic 1

Total 13 100%

4.4.3 Group 4 and 5 – Suggestions for overcoming demotivation

The students in Group 1 and 4 could not provide any information on the motives

that helped them to overcome demotivation. However, their opinions on possible

solutions which lead to overcoming demotivation were derived from the last essay

question: “Can you point at anything that according to you helps to reduce

demotivation?”

There were 14 participants (Group 1 and 4 in total) who suggested 8 reasons that

may influence students’ demotivation in a positive way. Although the participants

emphasised the students’ own responsibilities to overcome demotivation, they laid more

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emphasis on the teachers’ responsibilities. In particular, they think that teachers are

more important factors than any other factors in the learning process as they should

know best how to help demotivated students to overcome the situation.

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5 Discussion and Conclusion

The key theme of this thesis - demotivation - can be seen as only one of many

issues surrounding L2 learning and teaching. However, different problems affecting the

learning process have different impacts on learners’ performance and progress. The

purpose of this research was to examine students’ attitudes and experiences towards

demotivation to reach the understanding of its influence on language learning and

provide some practical applications for the findings.

Approximately 93% of the participating students admitted their personal

experience of losing their initial interest in language learning. The findings revealed

demotivation being not only an actual issue in contemporary L2 learning but also a

serious problem negatively influencing the majority of the ESL students at Grammar

School of Professor Jan Patočka. Although the research was not carried out in different

types of schools and cities, I do not believe that students’ demotivation would be a

significantly less frequent phenomenon in other schools than it was found to be at GPJP.

All in all, these results suggest that demotivation seriously decreases students’ action

tendency and interest in learning English and thus it has to be specifically taken into L2

learning account.

The prominence of external factors causing learners’ demotivation in language

learning confirms my results to be aligned with the results of the previously mentioned

studies (but only those that made the distinction between internal and external forces,

see chapter 2). Among all the external demotives, the students most often criticised their

teachers for the negative impact on their motivation to learn. Moreover, the demotives

that came under the category of the teacher’s role were expressed more emotionally and

in more detaile than the other demotives. On the other hand, if teachers are those who

have such a strong negative impact on students’ motivation, they should also be the

ones who can effectively help students to avoid demotivation and/or help to deal with it.

The demotivating factors relating to the teacher’s role were varied but the

majority of the participants experienced suffering from negative aspects of teaching

styles and methods. The students admitted having difficulties to keep their positive

attitudes towards learning the language when teachers were not able to provide new

information in an interesting way or were not able to explain some contents at all.

Moreover, the students referred to the focus on grammar and memorisation rather than

oral skills which was found as negative influence in a number of different areas

75

(teaching styles and methods, assessment, learning conditions and school facilities).

Teachers should pay special attention to these issues because not only the teachers are

the main sources of their rising but also they should be the main emancipators of their

reduction and correction. Based on these findings, teachers should aim to communicate

in a clear and straightforward manner, using relevant examples and activities that are

meaningful, challenging, and engaging. In the case of classroom activities, the students

would appreciate activities that emphasise communicative competence in English rather

than aiming at grammatical correctness. In order to diminish any negative effects of fast

teaching and unclear instruction, teachers should regularly check that all pupils follow

the lessons, for example by giving them checkup questions which can serve as content

revision too. Another important finding that is related to the teacher’s role and that can

result in students’ demotivation is inappropriate teacher behaviour. The students

expressed their serious dissatisfaction with teachers who are not interested in their

subject and who are unfair or unable to maintain discipline. The last theme related to the

teacher’s role that has to be taken into account is the assessment. The participants feel

that having only one form of testing (written tests) is insufficient. They also disagree

with what is commonly asserted as being important to know about the language. The

students themselves recommended that testing and assessing should also include oral

skills and overall language ability, not only the level of grammatical knowledge. To

satisfy students’ needs and make learning more beneficial and consistent with their

hopes and beliefs is not a straightforward task. The combination of more attributes

needs to be considered, however, the teacher’s contribution to enhancing and

maintaining their students’ motivation is essential.

Another important finding is that many of the participants experienced

demotivation because of negative factors related to the learning environment. Lack of

practical occasions to use English, frequent changes in teachers of English, stressful or

boring classroom atmosphere, boring and uninteresting learning material and

simultaneous learning of foreign languages were found to be frequently mentioned

demotives by a lot of the participants. Although some of these changes would require

changes at the institutional level, some of them can be implemented quite easily. For

example preparing additional material, games and exercises that support and enrich the

core material. Also, it would be beneficial to teach functional language and vocabulary

(situations like ordering a meal or checking into a hotel) and social English (useful

phrases like ‘how is it going’ ‘come on, it’s time to go’) more than just occasionally.

76

Lessons with a story line or lessons providing a link to real situations might be an

interesting change. In addition to that, the constructive use of humor, and engaging

students in challenging activities (acting out, miming, interviewing…) may energise

students to participate fully in the learning process and thus motivate them to learn the

language.

Even though internal factors were not found to have such a strong demotivating

effect on the participants as their external counterparts, special attention needs to be

paid to encouraging and offering positive feedback in order to diminish long-term

effects of the demotives. In the case of the demotivated students it is very important to

keep their spirits up and avoid demotivation resulting from being unable to understand

and communicate in English or getting a low grade, for example. It is also necessary to

explain to students the reasons for their given grades and discuss learning goals together

in order to avoid feelings of failure.

It is important to realise that the group of students who were participating in this

research was quite a heterogeneous one. Thus, a diverse range of internal and external

demotivating factors was discovered, quite often contradictory in nature. For example,

some of the students felt demotivated because of the boring, repetitive nature of lessons

and tasks whilst others wished for more repetition during lessons as learning English

was an uneasy task full of complicated subject matters. This indicates a certain level of

differentiation that teachers have to take into consideration. Offering extra support and

material to students who seem to be left behind and, on the other hand, providing

additional tasks and material to those students who seem to be under challenged in

learning English and might be at a risk of becoming demotivated.

In reference to what helps students to overcome their demotivation, students’

awareness of the importance of English was the most frequent motive that helped them

to recover their interest in learning. Thus, the status of English as an international

language and its importance in today’s world should be further emphasised to students

whenever possible. The awareness of the importance of English plays an important role

in both motivating students and recovering their motivation as well. Despite the

important role of English there were usually more positive factors needed to absolutely

overcome demotivation. If students’ awareness of the important status of English was

complemented by their self-determination to learn English, they were more likely to be

successful to overcome demotivation completely. Teachers helping students to establish

and maintain this effective internal strategy that makes students more autonomous and

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independent, naturally support positive attitudes towards learning the L2. The research

uncovered more ways for increasing students’ motivation that could be utilised in the

classroom. For example learning via playing games, role-playing, doing projects,

having access to a wide range of up-to-date learning material, increasing linguistic skills

that learners can engage outside the classroom in their free time (surfing the internet to

find information, reading and communicating on weblogs, watching movies without

dubbing, listening to radio/TV broadcasting, travelling, reading simplified versions of

compulsory literature on other subjects, playing online computer games and interacting

with other players, finding idioms that exist in both languages, singing and translating

songs, and many more).

All in all, this study explored that students’ demotivation is a major problem in

FL learning at GPJP. There are a variety of factors, mainly in the school-learning

environment that caused demotivation among the participants. To reduce these situation

specific negative factors, which can suppress the initial motivation and positive attitudes

towards English learning, it is necessary to employ teachers’ better awareness of these

influences and their better training in not being the source of demotivation in the ways

that were described in this study.

For the participants in this study, external factors played the major part in

causing demotivation, while internal factors were the most influential in terms of re-

motivation. Thus, this study directly addresses the changes in teaching practices and

curriculum to be the potential factors with the greatest impact on increasing students’

interest in English learning.

It is important to mention that having conducted this research and analysis I can

employ my deeper understanding of demotivation to improve my professional teaching,

and the learning experience of my students. I come away from this research with a

much deeper understanding for what motivates and demotivates. I am more aware that

as teachers we are the single most influential factor when it comes to student

motivation. Lastly, and probably more importantly, I am aware that internal factors

yield the most influence on a student’s remotivation. As such, designing classroom

activities aimed at stimulating internal factors can serve as a powerful trigger for

remotivation.

78

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Appendices

List of Appendices:

Appendix A: The essay questions (English translation)

Appendix B: The essay questions (Czech version)

Appendix C: English translations of the students’ quotations (from the essays)

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Appendix A: The essay questions (English translation)

1. Have you ever felt demotivated in learning English? If yes, why?

2. Are you enjoying learning English these days? How have you or haven’t you

managed to retrieve your interest in learning English?

3. Can you point at anything that according to you helps to reduce demotivation?

Appendix B: The essay questions (Czech version)

1. Už jsi se někdy cítil/cítila demotivovaný/á při studiu a výuce angličtiny? Jestli ano,

proč?

2. V současné době tě angličtina baví? Jak se ti podařilo nebo nepodařilo získat zpět

svůj zájem o angličtinu?

3. Napadá tě něco, co by mohlo podle tebe pomoci ke snížení demotivace?

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Appendix C: English translations of the students’ quotations (from the essays)

(1) “I have got a feeling that when I learn a lot for a test, then it just turns out wrong

anyway. When I finish a test, I have got a good feeling that I was successful in it, but in

the end I don’t get a better grade than 3” (P47, IFm.).

(2) “Anytime I want to say or write something, I don’t know how it works with the

tenses. I think there are [in English language] too many tenses, which are confusing and

it is difficult to figure them out” (P32, IAg.).

(3) “I couldn’t remember any vocabulary, the worst was when I started to talk and I got

stuck in every sentence because of vocabulary” (P12, IAv.).

(4) “I enjoy it now, we always do something different, and above everything there is

some fun too. For example when we learn something new, we never start with

explaining and making notes. We used to do it like that and everyone was annoyed”

(P 11, ETs1.).

(5) “All we discuss during a lesson is clear to me, our teacher explains everything in a

way that I know what is going on from the beginning. I cannot compare it to what it

used to be like before, I had no idea what was a lesson about” (P 9, ETs5.).

(6) “I think that no one was enjoying them [English lessons], least of all our teacher.

We had the feeling that he wanted to be somewhere else doing something else. He

behaved in a way that we knew he didn’t enjoy working with us and we didn’t either”

(P 15, ETp1.).

(7) “I didn’t mind the fact that it was a heterogeneous group, but I did mind that I was

automatically placed among “more stupid” students just because she taught us maths

too. If I had achieved A’s in mathematics, I am sure she would have given me a better

grade in English as well” (P 38, ETp2.).

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(8) “I didn’t like that within two years of studying here, we have already had three

different teachers of English. As soon as I got used to someone, his way of teaching and

assessing, we got someone else” (P7, EEc2.).

(9) “Well, ours is really awkward [the teacher], especially the dialogues, they are like

for nursery children. Who would enjoy reading about two friends who wanted to go to

the cinema but one of them was late because she missed her bus? So ridiculous” (P 45,

EEm1., EEm2.).

(10) “I didn’t care if I could speak English or not but I slowly started to realise that I

can’t get along without being able to speak English. It is useful to speak English, not

because of the school grades, but to be able to understand and communicate later in the

future” (P 5, OEf.).

(11) “…because movies in their original language versions are best! Movies with Czech

subtitles lose their humour and the translations are often wrong. And dubbed movies

lose the voice of the particular actor” ( P8, OEs1.).

(12) “I don’t give up any more, when I get a bad grade or I fail at something, I don’t

say to myself that it isn’t possible or that I cannot learn it. I simply don’t give up

because I know that everything is somehow possible to do” (P 29, OA1.)!