The Role of Motivational Strategies in an Iranian EFL Senior High School Learning Context

It is quite complex to motivate EFL students to develop in the target language. These students often face difficulties in learning English and may be demotivated to learn. Research in classroom motivation has found that certain strategies can help these students adopt more positive attitudes and become more motivated in the learning process. The present research is a modified replication of N. N. Bacha and M. Nabhani’s study [4]. It investigates the perceptions through interviewing students and surveying teachers’ views in an EFL Program of the problems that prevent these students from learning in the English classes related to motivation. Findings show that learners are not motivated to learn English because of an over-focus on reading and writing skills with very little new learning experiences, uninteresting materials, and unclear links between language courses and their majors or future careers; furthermore, teachers complain of unmotivated students and pre-structured or prescribed syllabi leaving little room for communicative methods. It is implied that the Ministry of Education should first reorganize the EFL classes with appropriate emphasis on the oral language skills; then, reexamine and revise its evaluation strategies. Next, according to the new learning theories such as multiple intelligences, catering for students’ learning styles should be taken into account. Last, most of the Iranian high school students don’t receive adequate exposure to the English language; only the textbooks and not any other English books are taught, and there is frequent use of mother tongue by both students and the teachers.

Keywords:

Motivation , Language learning , EFL Fourth-graders , multiple intelligences , Iran