Job Discussion Forums

[guru]

What motivates students to study English?

[Cobra]

Actually did a survey on this last year.

Thought it would be that elusive future job, or make more money, or something to do with China joining the WTO. But the surprising answer turned out to be to please mom or dad which almost tied with the business English program was the only one I qualified for due to my low CET score.

At least I obtained a better understanding of my unmotivated students.

[Glenski]

[Steiner]

Sunaru's right, of course.

And to add to Glenski's questions, what do you mean by motivate? Do you mean what makes the students want to learn English or do you mean what makes the students come and sit in the classroom?

[dyak]

Mwah ha ha...!

In London it's usually the old equation -

Turn up to class (after/before work) + stay for minimum time = tick on attendance sheet = visa.

[Capergirl]

Whips and chains aside , students need to be motivated (internally or externally) to learn any subject, including another language. All of the students whom I have taught EFL or ESL have had their own personal reasons for studying English. The children were usually enrolled in classes by their parents in order to improve their chances of getting into a "good" junior high/high school/university. The adults often want to learn English to help them to get (or keep) a good job. Often, it is a required part of their training. I think that in many countries, English is viewed as the "language of business". As such, a high value is placed on speakers of other languages to have at least a working knowledge of English. So I would say that more people are externally than internally motivated, especially the children who are taking EFL classes.

[Capergirl]

Why Sunaru, I thought you'd never ask!

[Capergirl]

[Wolf]

I think he's refering to that "crack" I made about your Tailand vacation.

I endorse Capegirl's application. I can hardly sit down today!

Insert your own whip crack joke here.


Many of my students in Japan weren't motivated, actually. At NOVA, some of my students were sent by their company or their parents. Some needed high TOEIC scores for jobs or high TOFEL scores to study abroad. Many wanted to learn English because of a planned trip to Italy. The university (and high school) students came because of the shortcomings in the EFL programs at such places in Japan (I'm not knocking the people who teach at such places. I think they know what I'm talking about - rote learning, locals who aren't proficient in the langauge, lack of actualy conversational practice, student apathy, etc.) At my second job, many of my students studied as a hobby/way to kill time/means of socializing with gaijin.

In China people seem to learn becase a) the government tells them to (I'm not making this up) b) they want to work for a foreign company c) many want to study abroad (remember less than half of the Chinese students that actually leave China ever come back) d) a lot of the good jobs in China require some degree of language proficiency e) there is a belief amoung some that English = the foreign langauge and that speaking English = speaking to all foreigners (once again I'm not making this up - and it exists in Japan as well.)

[Capergirl]

Oh the Thailand thing, okay. (*ahem* Thailand with an "h" )

Thanks for the, uh, endorsement Wolf...I think.

[Wolf]

[Capergirl]

While you're at it, do you have an "r" for Capergirl? Ok, ok, I'll stop pickin' on ya, Wolf.

*cracks whip*

So let's get the show on the road, shall we?

[Wolf]

YEOW! Yes, Mistress Capegil.

BTW I did think of a couple of other motivations for my senior students.

Some of my senior students studied English because they had retired and wanted something to do. Also, the did it to execise their minds - and stave off senility (so they told me.) Some of my senior students had studied English many years ago (back when Japan had Imperial univeristies!) and wanted to brush up on old skills.