云南丽江市永胜县民族中学卢华芹
I.Introduction
NoteverystudentisactiveandindependentintheirEnglishlearning.Itisclearthatinterestplaysanimportantpartinlearning.Motivatingstudents’interestisanimportantelementforsuccessfulEnglishteaching.Soitisnecessaryforteacherstofosterstudents’interestinteaching.ThispaperiswrittenforpeoplewhojuststarttheirEnglishteachingcareer.Inthepaper,severalsuggestionsofmotivatinginterestaregiven.MaybetheyarehelpfulforeveryEnglishteacher.
II.Discussion
A.Psychologicalcharacteristicsandreasonsformotivatinginterest
a.Constantmotivatingofthestudents’interest
Middleschoolstudentsareenergetic,vivaciousandeagertodowellineverything.Theyhavestrongcuriosityandthirstforknowledge.Theyalsohaveagoodmemoryandastrongsenseofhonor.Theyaregoodatimitationandeasytobeaffectedbyexternalstimulation.Theirinterestisstrongandwidebutnotsteady.Theproblemisthattheyoftentaketheirmindoffwhattheyaredoing.Tosolvetheproblemsabove,itisnecessarytomotivatethestudents’interestconstantly.Thedevelopmentofforeignlanguageisquitedifferentfromthatofmothertongue.Thestudentsconcentratetheirattentiononforms.Allthelanguageactivitiesaremerelearning.Sotheteachershouldseizethestudents’psychologicalcharacteristicsandfindeffectivewaysforstudentstogivetheirlanguagecompetenceafullplay.
b.Studymotiveforce
Interestisadesiretolearnsomething,andanattitudetowardstheactoflearning.Oneofthemainpartsthatformthestudents’studymotiveisdirectinterest.Directinterestreferstoakindofactiveattentiontendencytowardsthestudycontents.Perhapsthestudentslovethesubjectorsimplyhopetoseewhatitislike.“Onlywhenapersonlearnssomethingthathefeelsinterestedin,canheusehisheadactivelyandthinkhard.”1Inthemeantime,hecantryhisbesttogainthemostnecessaryknowledgeinamostsimple,directandeffectiveway.“Ifthereisnointerest,thereisnothirstforknowledge.”
Studyinterestshowstheenthusiasmwhichthestudentshaveinstudy.Itreflectsthestudents’innermotiveandsubjectiveinitiative.“Studyinterestmainlydependsontheteachers’fosteringinteaching.”Asateacher,ifhewantstoteachEnglishwellandmakethestudentschangetheideathatI’mforcedtolearnEnglishintoanotherideathatIwanttolearnEnglish,hemustthinkofwaystomotivethestudents’interestinEnglishbypraising,encouragingandexplainingtothemtheaimoflearningandotheractivities.“ThebestwaytoteachEnglishwellistoarousethestudents’enthusiasminEnglish.”
B.Waysofmotivatinginterest
a.Makecleartheaimofstudy
WhateachteacherofEnglishmustdoistoencouragethestudentstomakecleartheaimofstudyandleadthemtotakearightattitudetowardsstudy.Generallyspeaking,teachingonlyabstractconceptinclasswithoutanypersonalunderstandingwillproducelittleeffect.Ifateacherhasbeenworkingenergeticallyinaclassforalongperiod,tellingthestudentstheimportanceofEnglishlearning,intheendtheteacherwillfindmostofthestudentsstilldon’treallyunderstandhowimportantEnglishis.Sotheteachershouldteachthestudentsinaccordancewiththeiraptitude.Aftertheyreallyhaveaclearaimofstudyintheirmind,thestudentscanconcentrateontheaim.
Oncetherewasastudentwhoneverlistenedcarefullyinclassandoftenabsentfromschoolandseldomdidhishomework.Heseemedindifferenttohislessons.Hisnote-bookwasfullofphotosandpictures.Aftertheteacherhadaheart-to-hearttalkwithhimforseveraltimes,hetoldtheteacherthetruth.Hejustwantedtogetamiddleschoolgraduationcertificatebeforehewenttoworkinaphotostudio.Hehadnodesiretolearnthelanguageexcepttakingpictures.Knowingthefact,theteacherwasveryworried.Hetoldhimpatientlythattakingpictureswasarealart.Itneedednotonlymany-sidedculturalknowledgebutalsosomeaccomplishments.Ifaphotographerdidn’tknowEnglishhowcouldheknowhowtouseacameraorafilmimportedfromEnglish-speakingcountries?Ifhecouldn’tfixtheimportcameraorexposetheimportfilmproperly,howcouldhedothebusinesswell?Ifhecouldn’tdothebusinesswellhowcouldheearnmoneytosupporthimself?Soinordertoturnone’sidealsintorealities,onemustworkhardatschool.SincethenhisattitudetowardsEnglishchangedgreatly.Atthesametime,theteacheroftenpraisedhimassoonashemadeprogressevenifalittle.Althoughhewasnotthetopstudent,hebecamemoreorlessinterestedinEnglishandworkedharderthanbefore.
It’sclearthattheaimofeducationplaysapositiveroleinraisingthestudents’interest.“Onceapersonhasreallyseenthegoodtobeattainedinhisstudyandunderstoodthesignificanceofthegoal,madethegoalagreatpushingeffectonstudy,thegoalcertainlywillbecomeapowerfulstudymotiveforce.”
b.Morepraiseandencouragementbutlesscriticism
Praiseandencouragementcanstrengthenthestudents’interestgreatlywhilecriticismusuallyproducesthestudents’contrarythoughtsandmakesthemgofartherandfartherawayfromtheteacherandfromwhattheteacherteachesinsteadofcorrectingtheirownmistakes.Sointeachingtheteacherwouldratherpraiseonethousandtimesthancriticizeonce.“Englishgetsstoppedbecauseoftoomuchcriticism,toolittlepractice.”Ifateacheroftencriticizesthestudentswhentheymakemistakes,hejustwantstobestrictwithstudentsbuthedoesn’tknowthathehaskilledthestudents’interestanddestroyedtheirconfidence.Criticized,thestudentsfeelshy,afraidofmakingmistakesandbeingcriticizedagain,theydarenotpracticespeakinganymore.Imagineifawifeinvitesherhusbandtodanceandshetellshimhedanceslikeahorse,howhefeelsandmaybethat’sthelasttimeforhimtodance.It’sthesamewithEnglishlearning.
Criticizinginpublicwillmakethingsevenworse.Experiencedteacherwillfindthatifyoucriticizeastudentinpublic,heorshewillloseheart.Nomatterwhenheorsheisaskedtoreadoranswer,heorshealwayslowershisorherheadandmakesnoreply.Infact,ifthestudentscouldputtheirheartsintostudy,theywouldbeexcellentstudents.
WhatcanwedoifwegetstudentswhoseldomspeakEnglish?Ateachershouldencouragethestudentstopracticetalkingwithoutcriticism,andadmitwhatisright.Sodon’tbestingywithpraise.Keephighmoodsanddowhatateachercouldtocreateavividatmosphere.That’stheveryeffectivewaytomotivatethestudentstolearnEnglish.Whenstudentsareencouraged,theylearnbetterthanwhentheyarepartlyorwhollydiscouraged.
c.Highmoodsandclassroomatmosphere
Thehighmoralofhappiness,self-confidence,hope,optimismandhighmoodsinclasscannotonlykeepthestudentshealthybutalsogettheirbrainstoworkfast.Theteachershouldattachgreatimportancetotheelementoffeeling,createafavorableclassroomatmosphere,bringeverypositivefactorintoplay,andkeepaharmoniouscollectivebodyandhighemotionssoastogetridofthestudents’psychologicalbarrieroffear.Forinstance,thewordpiececanbetaughtlikethis.Firstofalltheteachercantellthestudentsthejoke:“Mother:Ilefttwopiecesofbreadintheboxthismorning,andnowthereisonlyonepiecethere.Canyouexplainthis?Son:Itwasdark,Ididn’tseetheotherpiece.”Thentheteacherlaysstressesontwopiecesofbread,onepieceofbreadagainandagainusingpictureflashcardsorrealobjectstomakethestudentsknowhowtouseonepieceof,twopiecesof.InthiswaytheteachercanguidethestudentstoenterintothespiritofacharacteranddevotethemselvesintoEnglishcommunication.“Happyandrelaxedmoodandmind,vigorousself-consciousness,interestinglanguageenvironmentandhighemotionsmakethestudentsgainthemostinformation.”Teachers’attitudestowardsstudentscanalsoaffectthequalityandquantityofthelearning.Theteachercaneithertransferhisorheremotionstothestudentsorletthestudents’emotionsinfluencehimorher.“Teachingisanemotionalbusiness.”Highemotionsservewellinteachingwhilelowemotionscan’t.
Researchshowsonlywhenthestudentsareinmildorhigherinterestmighttheypayattentiontowhattheteachersays.Soononehandateachershouldbeexpertincontrollinghisownemotionsandavoidputtingonasternexpressionandkeepingastraightface.Ifateacherisalwayskeepingastraightface,toostrictwiththestudents,hewilljustcreateaboringandnervousatmosphere,makethestudentsofenthusiasm,thestudentswillfeelsubstantialinknowledgeandsatisfied.
III.Moresuggestionsformotivatingstudents’interest
A.Teacher’sphysicalappearance
Teacherscanneverbequitesurewhattheirstudentsthinkofthem.However,theteacher’sphysicalappearanceplaysanimportantpartinhisorhermanagementoftheclassroomenvironment.Inmostcases,studentsliketeacherswhohavedresssense－notalwaysthesameoldboringsuitesandties.“Theywillhavebeenstimulatedbythefactthattheteacher(whonormallydressesveryformallyandalwaysstaysinthesameplaceinclass)suddenlyarrivesinclassdressedcasuallyandmovesaroundtheroomwithunaccustomedease.”
B.Tomakeaforty-minutelessonmorecolorful
Oneofthegreatestenemiesofsuccessfulteachingisstudents’boredom.Sotheneedfororiginalityandvarietywithinaforty-minutelessonisalsooverwhelming.Forinstance,ifstudentsspendallofthattimewritingsentences,theywillprobablygetbored.Butifinthosefortyminutes,thereareanumberofdifferenttaskswithaselectionofdifferenttopics,thestudentsaremuchmorelikelytoremaininterested.Thiscanbeseenmostclearlywiththechildrenatprimaryandsecondaryschool.However,varietyisnotthesamewithdisorder.Studentstendtoappreciateasafestructurewhichtheycanrelyon.
Activitiesandmaterialswhichfrequentlyattractstudentsinclude:games,music,discussions,stimulatingpictures,dramaticstoriesandsoon.Theteachermayaskstudentswhattheythinkofatopicbeforeaskingthemtoreadaboutitorgivestudentsapictureofapersonandletthemguesswhathisorheroccupationisbeforetheylistentothatpersonontape.
Ateachershouldmakegooduseofeverysecondoffortyminutes.Whenthestudents’moodsarelow,theteachercantellastory,singasongorguessariddle.Whateverwayssuitthestudents’tasteisok.Theaimistomotivatetheirinterest,developthestudents’abilityofsolvingproblemsandmakeourlessonmorecolorful.
IV.Conclusion
Inaword,interestistheembodimentofthestudents’internalmotive.Motivatingstudents’interestiswhattheteacheremphaticallycultivatesinteaching.Interestisconnectedwithemotions.MiddleschoolteachersofEnglishmustknowthestudents’psychologicalcharacteristics,letthestudentshaveaclearstudygoal.Theteachershouldavoidbringinglowspiritsandtoomuchcriticismintotheclassroom.It’simportanttokeepalivelyandinterestingclassatmosphere,tomotivatethestudents’stronginterest,toencouragethemtodomorepracticeandtocreateahappyandrelaxedenvironmentoflanguagelearning.Itisclearthathighlymotivatedstudentsdobetterthanoneswithoutanymotivationatall.Inmostcases,highlymotivatedlearnersareactiveinEnglishlearning,andtheyareeasytogetconfidencebecauseoffrequentlearningachievements.Themorethestudentsfeelthattheyaregainingfromlearningthelanguage,themoremotivatedtheyarelikelytobe.FactshaveprovedthatmotivatinginterestcaneffectivelyhelpthestudentslearnEnglishwellandmakesourEnglishteachingeasierandmoresuccessful.