A systematic approach to working with motivation in language classes – supporting students who fear speaking out loud in class

Colloquium Day 1 Aud 2

A systematic approach to working with motivation in language classes – supporting students who fear speaking out loud in class
Convenor: May Olaug Horverak, Birkenes Learning Centre

Learning a foreign language is more difficult for some students than others, and particularly speaking out loud in class may be a challenge. Many students even suffer from what is called «foreign language anxiety». In the studies that are presented here, we have applied a fivestep mastery and motivation method in different language learning contexts. This method is based among others on Deci and Ryan’s self-determination theory, stating that one develops intrinsic motivation if the basic needs for competence, autonomy and relatedness are met, and this may help the students overcome their fear of speaking a foreign language in class.


 

Abstract 1: Relieving anxiety through collective efforts and individual reflections - a multiple-case study from vocational classes
Lektor Gerd Martina Langeland and Lektor Agnete Løvik, Lillesand upper secondary school

Many students who choose vocational studies in Norway do this because they have better practical skills than theoretical skills, and many of these students even dread theoretical subjects. For this group of students, English is one of the more challenging subjects, partly because the requirements are really high in the curriculum and in exams, and partly because they struggle with understanding English and dread speaking out loud. In this study, we investigate some cases in classes where many of the students struggle with anxiety for speaking in English. We look at how working with the fivestep approach in class, both through discussions and individual reflections, influence the students’ development.

Learning to cope with stressful situations is one of the skills students need to learn, and in the new curricula in Norway, there is specific focus on the need to develop life mastery skills. The approach outlined in this study is one example of how one can integrate strategies for mastering life in language learning contexts. The fivestep method builds among others on Antonovsky’s health-promoting theory, stating that in order to cope with stress, it is important that one develops a sense of coherence. This means that one finds different situations comprehensible, manageable and meaningful. If this is the case, one develops resilience to deal with stress, such as speaking a foreign language one does not feel confident in, which is what we aim for when applying the fivestep motivation method.

Abstract 2: “In year 8, the students are eager to learn- it’s a new language! But in year 9, their motivation drops…”
Associate Professor Sigrunn Askland, the University of Agder

Many Norwegian students struggle with learning Spanish, and the more advanced level they reach, the more demotivated they become. Many students start learning Spanish in year 8, but give up already before they reach upper secondary school. As all students attending general studies in upper secondary school must learn a foreign language in addition to English, many end up attending Spanish classes with very low motivation, and they may not make an effort to do the extra work it takes to learn a foreign language. The result is that they struggle with the subject, dread speaking Spanish and are anxious about having an oral exam in this subject.

In this study, we applied a fivestep motivation method in two Spanish classes in upper secondary school. In this approach, the students identify 1) what is important for me to learn speaking in Spanish, 2) what do I already master, 3) what prevents me from speaking Spanish, 4) what do I need to focus on and 5) what specifically will I do to succeed with speaking in Spanish. This approach is much in line with the new curricula that are currently being implemented in Norway, which focus on life mastery skills. The students are to identify and find solutions to problems, and deal with emotions and thoughts, and this is exactly what we do when applying the fivestep motivation method. The results presented are based on the students’ reflections, in addition to evaluations filled in after the sessions.

Abstract 3: Anxious to speak or anxious about speaking? Learning to speak English as a foreign language in Poland
University professor Paweł Scheffler and University professor Aleksandra Wach, Adam Mickiewicz Unitersity, Poznań

Speaking is an essential communicative skill and thus a crucial element of L2 education. However, learners’ inhibitions and negative emotions associated with speaking in the classroom, referred to as speaking anxiety, are a serious obstacle to effective L2 learning. Also in Krashen’s language acquisition theory, the role of the affective filter is emphasized – if a language learner feels anxious, the learning will not progress. Recognizing this problem in the context of teaching English as a foreign language in Poland, we implemented a series of discussion sessions in the form of the “five-step motivation method” as part of English instruction in a Polish secondary school.

The essence of the approach is that the students identify what is important to them and what hinders them from speaking in a foreign language, and discuss in class possible solutions to obstacles. In this way, the students learn to take responsibility themselves for their own learning and development, and they also support each other to overcome the fear of speaking in a foreign language. Our main focus was on the investigation of anxiety-provoking factors, on the strategies that learners can use in order to overcome speaking anxiety, and on their evaluation of the effectiveness of the sessions. In the presentation, we report on the data elicited through participants’ reflection logs.

Abstract 4: «I would like to sound like an Englishman or American instead of an insecure Norwegian»
Dr. May Olaug Horverak, Birkenes Learning Centre

In a pilot study we carried out as part of the project «A systematic approach – the fivestep motivation method», we found that many students are concerned with becoming better speakers of English. Many students feel nervous about not speaking English fluently enough, or sounding «English», and this may be a problem in a culture where English is a very popular language which many students master perfectly well. In this study, we have applied the fivestep motivation method in a year 1 English class, general studies, in a Norwegian upper secondary school with a focus on developing speaking skills.

In this approach the students identify 1) what is important to me when learning to speak English, 2) what do I already master? 3) what hinders me from speaking English, 4) what do I need to focus on and 5) what specifically will I do to keep this focus. The students discuss the questions in class, and give examples to each other about how they could work with improving their speaking skills, and then they write anonymous individual answers to the five questions in books that the teacher collects at the end of the session. The next session, the teacher sums up the anonymous reflections, and the class discuss what they could do about possible obstacles to succeed with becoming better speakers of English. The results presented here are partly based on the students’ reflections from the sessions and partly on students’ evaluations of how the approach works for them.

Published June 1, 2021 1:12 PM - Last modified June 1, 2021 2:12 PM