2017/01/22 Richard Sampson

Exploring Motivation with Students

by Richard Sampson

Whatever our teaching context, as practitioners we often consider it our own task to “motivate” students. Cookbooks of “motivational strategies” for teachers abound, propounding the idea that motivation in the classroom is, in large part, down to the teacher.

This workshop introduced participants to a more complex view of motivation that places agentic individuals – students and teachers – and interactions – with others in the class group, with opportunities afforded, with ideas – at the centre of classroom motivational processes. The session began with a brief outline of two currently prevalent motivation theories and one scientific theory which were drawn on throughout: Self Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan, 2002), The L2 Motivational Self System (Dörnyei, 2009), and Complex Systems Theory. The majority of the session then was turned over to allow participants to take part in a number of classroom activities that encourage students and teachers to explore their own motivation and share ideas across their class group. Activities included those intended to encourage realization of a more communicative approach to learning, explore messages and expectations from society about English, share ideas about classroom and future English use, and co-adapt motivation through collaborative activities and projects. The presenter also occasionally referred to some of the reflections and realizations emergent from students in his past learning groups through undertaking these activities.

Richard Sampson, PhD (Griffith University, Australia), is an Assistant Professor at Gunma University. His research interests include language learner and teacher motivation, affect and identity as a complex system. He uses action research to foster more participatory change in the social systems of the classroom. He has recently published the research monograph Complexity in Classroom Foreign Language Learning Motivation (Multilingual Matters) with a foreword by the esteemed Professor Zoltán Dörnyei.