The Motivation of English Language Teachers in a Language Centre

Abstract

Abstract-A teacher's motivation is basically the character of the teacher's personal enthusiasm and commitment towards teaching and is influenced by the working environment that consist of students, colleagues and managerial staff. Although researchers have argued that the factors that motivate teachers are the same factors that motivate students, the fact that teacher motivation is an area that is frequently overlooked in the domain of second language acquisition still remains. It also appears that few studies that have been done on teacher motivation in the Malaysian context especially in the context of English language centres. Most studies on teacher motivation have been centred in institutional settings, primarily in public schools. Hence, it would be of interest to investigate teacher motivation in a privatised setting such as in an English language centre. This study examines the motivation of language teachers teaching in a language centre in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur. It aims to determine the current degree of motivation among the English language through survey. A review of the literature showed that similar studies from researchers such as Dweik and Awajan (2013) and Yau (2010) have been done on teachers' motivation. Both studies employed quantitative methodologies. Similarly, the current study draws on a quantitative approach in which fifteen 30-item-questionnaires are distributed to the teachers in the English language centre. The findings indicate that the teachers are motivated and strongly motivated because of work autonomy, good work relationships, support from colleagues, superiors and students and also their own intrinsic motivations.

EFL Teachers’ Work Tasks Motivation towards Class Preparation, Teaching, and Evaluation of Students

“…It is widely acknowledged that motivation plays a crucial role not only on the part of the learning processes of students but also for teachers in language teaching to conduct a number of work tasks for effective teaching. Teachers' motivation is principally represented by their enthusiasm and commitment towards teaching (Fen Ng & Kiat Ng, 2015). As it is the case for all human beings, teachers' motivation demonstrates both stability and variability (Hiver et al, 2018).…”

“…Nevertheless, regardless of their competence, teachers may perform some tasks due to internalizing the values of them, whereas some may undertake a task just because of external pressure or benefits (Fernet et al, 2008). Teacher motivation-related research has also proliferated in the field of language teacher education recently (Fen Ng & Kiat Ng, 2015;Hiver, Kim, & Kim, 2018). This growth of interest has also been observed in Turkey, where 65000 English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers in different levels of state schools are employed (TÜİK, 2019).…”

The Need for a Bilingual Mode of Instructional Design for Higher Education

“…Motivation is acknowledged as one of the main factors that influence success in second and foreign language acquisition. Even the most able learner will not be able to achieve language skills successfully if they are not driven by motivation (16). Learners' attitude towards language learning influences motivation to a greater extent.…”

The Teachers’ Motivating Factors in Teaching Toefl and Ielts Test Preparation in a Private Institution in Pekanbaru, Indonesia

“…Despite some studies suggesting that the same elements that motivate students also motivate teachers, the fact is that teacher motivation is a topic that is commonly disregarded in the field of English language teaching (Ng & Ng, 2015). Dweik and Awajan (2013) say that teachers' motivations in teaching should be supported so that they will also encourage the students to learn and achieve more, which will subsequently have a positive impact on the educational process.…”