Some suggestions for English teachers in building students' motivation at Ha Van Mao highschool

1. INTRODUCTION 
1.1. Rational 
In Vietnam, English has become a compulsory subject from Primary Three in Vietnam since 2010 and is gradually being introduced even earlier into the curriculum in many schools. This highlights the official importance of English in both education and society. Nevertheless, students who are generally weak in English language learning were found in many parts of the countries especially in the mountainous areas. 
Ha Van Mao high school is one of the highschools locating in Ba Thuoc district that is in the poor religion with special difficulties in Thanh Hoa Province. According to a survey of result of English in the National Examination, I have conducted in this school for many years, the number of student choosing English as a subject to offer for university is few. Morever, students score very low in English. The average mark they get is only under mark 2. Most students only hope to get mark above 1 to pass the exam.
Many factors contribute to these problems and lack of motivation on the part of learners or demotivated learners is one of the most common problems faced by the teachers which affects both teachers and learners in negative way. The importance of motivation in English learning process in the classroom has always been recognized and recommended. Without motivation in classroom, students can not achieve the goal of learning foreign language like English. Moever, according to Ellis (1994), "Tapping into motivation is crucial for language teachers because we know that motivation is one of the key factors driving language learning success". Therefore, the teacher has the central role in this crucial aspect of foreign language teaching and learning processes.. 
As an English teacher, I myself had to face various problems of demotivation among Ha Van Mao highschool learners. The thought of what strategies and techniques can be utilized to motivate the learners to learn English, what we can do to better the quality of learning English at HaVan Mao highschool led me to choose the topic for my thesis namely “Some suggestions for English teachers in building students' motivation at Ha Van Mao highschool”. I hope that this research can give a few benefits to teachers, students and related others. 	
1.2. Objectives of the study
The main objectives of this study are as follows: 
To identify the important effects of motivation to students' English learning 
To explore the role of teacher in building students'motivation 
To suggest some solutions for teacher with the aim of developing students' motivation which could be useful to raise the result of teaching and learning English at Ha Van Mao highschool 
1.3. Scope of the study
For the limitation of time, conditions, and materials, this study only focuses on finding the importance of teacher, one factor affecting to students'motivation in learning English. From that, some solutions are suggested to improve it. This thesis is also carried out on some English teachers and 176 students of 4 classes which I was in charge for English in school year 2017-2018
1. Class 10A2 (44 students)
2. Class 10A3 (45 students)
3. Class 12A5 (43 students)
4. Class 12A6 (44 students)
1.4. Methods of the study
Carrying out this research, the following methods have been used:
Theoretical study
Survey (questionaire)
Interview
 Class observation
1.5. New aspect of the study
This study finds out the importance of motivation which direct affects to students' English learning at Ha Van Mao highschool that has not been caried out before. 
The suggested solutions linking real situation have been applied and have shown their effectiveness
2. CONTENT
2.1. Theoretical background
 “Many of us believe that learners have certain characteristics which lead to more or less successful language learning”, (Lightbown, P.M & Spada, N. 1999). There are many factors affecting language learning of the learners.
Spolsky, B. (1998) shows us many other factors: attitude, intelligence, aptitude, learning strategies, personality, material, motivation, memory, training strategies, social context. 
According to ZHANGHAO: "only need motivation does everyone learn foreing language well "
2.1.1. Motivation 
2.1.1.1 Definition
The concept of ‘motivation’ is very difficult to define due to complex nature of it. Different scholars have defined it differently focusing on various aspects related to it.
 According to Ryan & Deci (2000), "to be motivated is to move to do some thing" (P.20). To put it simply, motivation is something which makes us act; it is a desire to work towards a goal or to reach an objective. This implies that if motivation is present, learning can be facilitated; but without it, effective learning becomes difficult. 
Being more specific, Clement (1994) defines language learning motivation into three levels: the language level, the learner level and the situation level. These three levels get together with the three fundamental elements of any foreign language learning process which include- the target language, the language learner, and the language learning environment, also mirror the three different facets of language: the social dimension, the personal dimension, and the educational subject matter dimension. 
However, for Williams & Burden (1997) motivation is "a state of cognitive and emotional arousal, which leads to a conscious decision to act, and which gives rise to a period of sustained intellectual and/or physical effort in order to attain a previously set goal or goals" (P.120). 
All these definitions affirm that the motivation is consequence of combination of different influences which lead to different types of it.
2.1.1.2 Types of Motivation
Many scholars such as Tudor, (1994), Arnold and Brown (1999), Littlewood (1996) have suggested two very general types of motivation (integrative and instrumental). The integrative motivation refers to the learner's desire to integrate with the speakers of second language, and even become part of the second language culture. It is very similar to intrinsic motivation. On the other hand, the instrumental motivation, which occurs when the learner need to get, for example, a job or to pass his examination, it is very similar to the extrinsic motivation (Gardner & Lambert, 1972). These types are discussed below.
2.1.1.2.1. Extrinsic motivation(instrumental)
Extrinsic motivation refers to the pressure or reward from the social environment to learn a language. Extrinsically motivated learners aim to obtain a better career opportunity, a teacher’s praise or recognition or even to prove that one is a good learner. However, a characteristic of external motivation is that it implies some kind of external pressure which, once removed, may result in the language learner quitting the second language learning (Noels, Clement, & Pelletier, 2001). 
2.1.1.2.2. Intrinsic motivation(integrative)
Intrinsic motivation, on the other hand, is more self-determined and refers to internal factors such as enjoyment and satisfaction for oneself. Intrinsically motivated learners perform an activity for the feelings associated with exploring new ideas and developing knowledge, the sensations related to attempting to master the task or achieve a goal. According to Ryan and Deci (2000), the feelings of satisfaction in intrinsic motivation come from a sense of competence, autonomy, and relatedness.
2.1.1.3. Importance of Motivation
The importance of motivation in English learning process has always been recognized due to the fact that it is one of the most important factors which decide the success or failure of the process. Allwright and Bailey (1994) state that "the motivated learners are more receptive than those who are not motivated” (p.182). Ellis (1997: 76) points out that sometimes learners do not have especial attitude but motivation can involve curiosity and interests so that they feel that they are involved in learning activities. It is easy to say that the learner who has strong motivation will gain great success more than one who has not, and s/he will get the best chance to overcome difficulties when trying to communicate in second language. Yule (1996) believes that "Obviously motivation to learn is important. Indeed, we could say that motivation is necessary for learning. 
2.1.2. The role of teacher in motivating learners in language classroom
The role of teacher in motivating and engaging students in learning language is very difficult and complex, in which it concerns all academic and social aspect of classroom environment. The language teacher also has some of responsibilities in the language learning to keep the language learning process a more motivating. Therefore, an experienced teacher needs to put a great deal of consideration into developing programs which can keep student interested and have obtainable short term goals.
2.1.2.1. Creating the basic motivational conditions 
We have seen above that teachers play a significant role in affecting learners’ motivation; teachers’ actions and behaviors in the classroom have motivational influence on students. Dörnyei and Csizer (1998) confirmed this claim through their study of 200 Hungarian teachers. 
2.1.2.1.1. Teacher's behavior
They argued that teachers’ behavior is a powerful tool of motivation in classroom. It is argued that teachers’ behavior can influence the students’ engagement in class. Therefore, it is crucial to establish a class atmosphere of mutual trust and respect with the learners (Alison & Halliwell, 2002). Teachers can promote such respect and trust through interacting with students on a personal level and show that they care about their students’ personal issues or challenges that they face in the classroom or even outside. Enthusiasm is another factor that can impact learners’ motivation. Enthusiasm is contagious in classrooms; therefore, if students recognize their teacher’s enthusiasm to the task, they, too, will be enthusiastic (Dörnyei & Ushioda, 2011).
2.1.2.1.2. Creating classroom atmosphere
Students’ anxiety is one of the most recognized factors that undermine learning effectiveness and second language motivation (Dörnyei, 2007; MacIntyre, 2002; Young, 1999). Safe classroom environments are the most productive in involving the learner in the learning process. In such environments, students are encouraged to express their opinions and perspectives on different issues because they feel safe and protected from embarrassment and sarcasm. Creating a safe teaching environment also includes developing a sense of community and promoting “a palpable sense of belonging” (White, 2007, p. 104). 
2.1.2.1.3.Building Cohesiveness
 Cohesiveness among learners has an influential motivational impact on learning. Uncooperative groups can have ineffective results in learning. Effective group norms are those developed by both teacher and learners. Group norms that are mandated by teachers have been proved to be ineffective unless the majority of the class agrees that they are appropriate and right (Ehrman & Dörnyei, 1998). Another important norm that contributes to cohesive groups is the tolerance of learners’ mistakes and viewing them as something positive which may contribute to improvement and an indication of learning new information.
2.1.2.2. Generating Students’ Motivation
 Teachers can achieve this aim of generating students’ motivation through implementing various strategies. First, teachers should enhance learners’ values and attitudes toward the language, including their intrinsic, intercultural, and instrumental values. Generating learners’ interest and enjoyment to study is a key issue here. Teachers should know how to “whet the students’ appetite and attract their attention to learn the language (Dörnyei & Ushioda, 2011, p. 114). The target culture is also a useful tool to generate the integrative orientation of the learners through introducing authentic materials which reflect the target culture and community of the target language. However, for some learners, learning the language is a means to an end, and teachers should be aware of that and try to pay attention to the instrumental value of learning the language. For instance, some learners study the target language in order to gain a rewarding career. Therefore, teachers should draw the students’ attention to the fact that speaking the language fluently is crucial to their achievement of their ambitions.
Second, teachers should promote the learners’ expectations of success in the secnd language. This notion is based on Atkinson and Raynor’s (1974) achievement motivation model. The theory conceptualized that students will have a greater tendency to do an activity if they feel they will succeed in that particular activity. Hence, it is unlikely to aim for something if we know that we will eventually fail. Brophy (1998) states that, “the simplest way to ensure that students expect success is to make sure that they achieve it constantly” (p. 60). Other ways to increase students’ expectancy of success include assisting them and giving them time to prepare for tasks, explaining to them what success is involved in the task and how to achieve it, and help them overcome any obstacle they may face (Dornyei, 2011).
Third, teachers should orient the students toward particular goals and work together to realize these goals. In fact, in many teaching situations, teachers work with a pre-determined syllabus and already planned goal of the course, but many research studies have found that these goals most often do not match the students’ goals. More importantly, many students have been reported that they do not understand why they are given a particular activity. As a result, it is the role of the teacher to steer the class towards a particular goal and explain to the students the purpose of each activity and help them achieve that goal. One of the problems that may face both teachers and learners is the diversity of learners’ goals in the sense that every learner may bring a distinct goal, and some of them are in the classroom because not that they have a goal but rather they have to be there. “It is fundamental to the successful working of a group to have a sense of direction and a common purpose. Defining and agreeing aims is one of the hardest tasks that the group has to undertake together” (Hadfield, 1992, p. 134, as quoted by Dörnyei, 2001, p. 60). The implication here is that teachers should understand each learner’s goals and with the learners create a set of goals for the whole group and work to fulfill these goals.
The fourth strategy to generate motivation is to make the teaching materials relevant to the learners. Brophey (1998) argues that schools build their curriculum on societal norms and what the society thinks students should learn rather than giving students a choice to learn what they think is relevant to their needs. So, the motivation to learn decreases dramatically when the learners learn something they do not see any relevant to their lives. Dörnyei (2001) suggests that teachers should make materials as relevant as possible to the students’ lives and, if necessary, teachers should supplement some activities in textbooks with more relevant materials that can motivate students to learn because they can apply it to their own experiences.
Finally, teachers should help students create realistic beliefs about language learning. Some learners bring some unrealistic learning beliefs about how much progress or learning they can achieve in a particular class. If they do not see that their beliefs or expectations are not achieved, they will become disappointed and lose interest in the course. Teachers, therefore, should explain the complexity to learn an second language and develop students’ understanding of the nature of the process. Moreover, teachers should help students realize that there are various ways to achieve success in the learning process and encourage each learner to find his/her distinct ways of learning.
2.1.2.3. Maintaining and Protecting Motivation
2.1.2.3.1.Teaching methodology
One way to maintain motivation is to make the learning experience enjoyable and stimulating. This can occur in variety of ways. For instance, teachers can make teaching more interesting through varying their teaching styles, presentations, different materials, and learning tasks. Interesting tasks have been viewed as one of the greatest components of motivation (Anderman & Anderman, 2010). Teaching can also be interesting if teachers introduce novel techniques and make the task challenging but achievable. The way teachers present tasks can be either motivating or demotivating depending on teachers’ will not be able to progress if they have any doubts about their abilities (Dornyei & Ushioda, 2011). Teachers can promote learners’ self-confidence administration of the tasks. This includes clarifying the aim of the task, arousing learners’ anticipation toward the task, and offering suitable strategies for doing the task. 
2.1.2.3.2.Promoting learner's selfmotivation
Most of the discussions on maintaining motivation emphasized the teacher’s role, but if we also give the students the opportunity to share this responsibility, it will be beneficial. Learners who motivate themselves exhibit more success in pursuing their goals. Teachers can promote their students’ self-motivation by using useful strategies
Having high expectations: teachers should strive to motivate and engage all their students in learning rather than simply accepting that some students cannot be engaged and are destined to do poorly. Moreover, they should have high expectations of themselves and their own learning!
Acknowledging individual differences: What is highly important here is the fact that teachers should bear this in mind that personalizing the learning for their students as well as knowing that students develop at different rates can help them up to a great deal. 
Using a range of pedagogies: this mainly centers on the fact that teachers should use techniques that best serve the learning needs of their students so that they can learn on themselves through discovery. Besides, effective teachers know that students learn best if they are provided with opportunities to learn not only from the teacher but also from other students and from sources outside the school that are now more readily accessible through various forms of technology.
Encouraging student responsibility: teachers had better teach in a way that encourages students to take greater responsibility for their own learning so to make sure their students know what the goals of the learning program are and therefore it results in Students being actively involved in evaluating their own learning.
Having Mastery over Their Teaching Content: this mainly highlights the fact that teachers are to have thorough knowledge of their subject content and skills and accordingly use their knowledge of learning processes to determine which will be most effective to help the particular students in their classes learn successfully.
Monitoring progress and providing feedback: for teachers to be effective ones, it is absolutely necessary to closely monitor each student’s achievements mainly because this gives them valuable information to assess the impact of their teaching. Effective teachers are also in the habit of constantly reflecting on how well they are getting through to their students and searching for better ways of teaching those who are not responding as well as extending those who are achieving well.
 2.2.Practical background
The control charts were delivered to 176students of classes (12A5, 12A6, 10A2, 10A3) to gather actual affairs of teaching and learning English at Ha Van Mao highschool
2.2.1.For the teachers
Note:
A:teacher
B: short of reference
C:lack of basic knowledge 
D: other ideas
Figure1: Factors affecting to stud