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Home / Issues / № 2, 2014

ABOUT A ROLE OF INDEPENDENT WORK IN MOTIVATION PRESERVATION TO STUDYING ENGLISH
Stukhalenko N.M., Vachugova M.V., Koptelova V.S.

The last years testify to substantial increase of interest to learning English.  English is recognized as language of professional communication in different fields of activity.  The most important task of the teacher is to increase motivation to studying English.  It should be noted also that at preservation of rather high motivation there is a decrease in cognitive interest to foreign language learning.  This phenomenon occurs because students meet some difficulties which seem to them insuperable.

Motivation plays a crucial role in foreign language learning. It can influence the rate and success of learning. Motivation is what drives learners to achieve a goal, and a key factor determining success or failure in language learning.

A relatively small number of students get a sense of intrinsic satisfaction  from learning English. For the vast majority of people, language is not very interesting, and it is unlikely to spark and to sustain motivation. Using games, songs and puzzles in the class for younger students have a positive impact in raising the motivation of the pupils – but the effect is usually temporary, and once they return to normal classroom work, the effect wears off.  In general, the learner’s natural interest is not, therefore, something which we can rely on to generate sustained motivation in language learning.  Aware of these facts, many teachers, and whole educational systems, turn to a second source of motivation, extrinsic reward, as a means of motivating students. For the failing student to get rewards, it does not take long to work out because there is always someone else who gets the rewards – no matter how hard he or she works. In this case, the reward system itself can be demotivating for the weaker students. The increase in the motivation of the better students is more or less proportional to the decrease in motivation of the weaker students. 

That the motivation didn't die away over time, it is necessary to work constantly in this direction. And one of an effective kind of activity is independent work of students.

In modern world, in world of scientific progress and high technologies, the question of the younger generation’s independence is very acute. It is impossible to teach a young man for the whole life, it is important to strengthen his interest to renewal and accumulation of knowledge. The theory of self-education or autodidactic is an ancient science. Thomas Aquinas wanted to know if a student could be his own teacher at the same time. A pupil can be his own teacher, but a teacher should help him and show him the way to this aim.

Fridman L. M. in his research “Pedagogical experience in psychologist’s eyes” marks that if each person wants his work to get the form of spontaneous action all his previous life would take the forms of this spontaneous action [1].

Why independent work is so important? First, pupils improve their skills which they get at their school. For example, they learn a new grammar theme at school, then their teacher gives them some exercises to do on the theme and when they do the exercises at home they understand the grammar material better. Second, knowledge which pupils get independently they know better than those which a teacher gives them. For instance, when they prepare reports about countries they make themselves familiar with culture, customs of these countries. Third, independent work helps pupils to develop their inner potential. For example, home reading is very significant when we learn foreign languages, for when we read we are at the atmosphere of a language, pupils communicate to an author, characters and develop their speech, inner speech. Also, when they read they know many interesting things about a countries culture. Besides, they learn new words when they read home reading.

Philip Candy, in “Self-direction for lifelong learning”, defines that independent study [2]:

1) ‘independent study is a process, a method and a philosophy of education’: in which a student acquires knowledge by his or her own efforts and develops the ability for inquiry and critical evaluation;

2) it includes freedom of choice in determining those objectives, within the limits of a given project or program and with the aid of a faculty adviser;

3) it requires freedom of process to carry out the objectives;

4) it places increased educational responsibility on the student for the achieving of objectives and for the value of the goals’.

All the aspects, such as home reading, doing exercises, writing essays, preparing reports, are very important when we learn foreign languages. If pupils do independent work properly and regularly the results don’t make you wait for a long time.

Methodical administration independent work of students is the basis of the professional competence of the modern teacher.



References:
1. Fridman L. M. ‘Pedagogical experience in psychologist’s eyes’ - М. 1987.

2. Candy, P.C. Self-direction for lifelong learning. Jossey-Bass Higher and Adult Education Series San Francisco, California, 1991.

3. http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/articles.



Bibliographic reference

Stukhalenko N.M., Vachugova M.V., Koptelova V.S. ABOUT A ROLE OF INDEPENDENT WORK IN MOTIVATION PRESERVATION TO STUDYING ENGLISH. International Journal Of Applied And Fundamental Research. – 2014. – № 2 –
URL: www.science-sd.com/457-24531 (29.03.2024).