LANGUAGE LEARNER MOTIVATION IN LANGUAGE AUTONOMY

Abstract

Background: The notion of independent, autonomous learners is the focus of modern teaching paradigm as the key to success in language learning. At the same time the analysis of students’ attitude to their learning process has shown that many university students are not ready to take the responsibility for their own progress. The research in the field of learners’ moti­vation proves that motivation is the basic ingredient of the promotion and development of the autonomous language learning environment which results in the shift from teacher-centered to student-centered approach in the language classroom.

Purpose: The purpose of the article is to discuss the nature of motivation of adults’ learners as a means of fostering learn­er autonomy and to outline the strategy of building up students’ independence in the language classroom.

Results: A learner’s desire to succeed which is based on his ability to control and influence the situation appears to be the major external force behind language learning. The interaction between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation has led to a wealth of practical implications such as providing students with a repertoire of learning strategies that can help them become better motivated and more autonomous learners. The result of this type of teaching is the understanding of the importance of self-control as the means of enhancing students’ motivation and, as a result, to provide opportunities for feedback improve­ment through reflection, planning how to proceed with a learning task, monitoring one’s own performance on an ongoing basis, and self-evaluation upon task completion. Self-control has a four-stage development framework of a different degree of a student’s subordination to a teacher. It is expedient to rely on a teacher’s coaching and students’ cooperation while creating an efficient learning environment to enhance students’ self-control skills.

Discussion: The discussion about intrinsic motivation has always been recognized as the primary impetus to initiate foreign language learning and later a driving force to sustain the self-directed learning process. Yet, “external” rewards such as passing grades or better employment opportunities, are essential for developing learner autonomy too. Thus extrinsic mo­tivation can be viewed as a stimulus to the degree of fostering the autonomous learning in case an adult learner lacks intrinsic motivation.