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Motivation in the classroomIn countries where english is not the spoken language, many private english institutions exist. Many of these will teach students at the kindergarten or preschool age, so they lack not only proficiency in their native language, but as students as well. These students can either be great to teach or a nightmare for some teachers. The biggest obstacle in these classes is learning to motivate the students in a classroom environment and to teach them appropriate behaviour alongside a new language. Teachers know that whatever classroom they are in, there will be students or a student that requires motivation to learn and work. In teaching young students, motivation from the teacher is a requirement. According to Maslow?s (1954) Hierarchy of Needs, students learning at this age need to obtain a level of Esteem to learn well. ?Children will be ready to learn, learn and pursue their needs for growth if their deficiency needs are met? (Maslow, 1943). A teacher has to motivate young students to make them want to achieve something. When we use Maslow?s Hierarchy of Needs to understand students' motivation to learn, each level must be fulfilled to advance to the higher level. For learning to occur in the classroom, a teacher or manager of a private institute for young students needs to think of the five levels (physiological needs, personal safety, love/belonging, self-esteem and self-actualization) when making plans for their school, be it individual lesson plans or courses towards a greater learning objective. Let?s look at each level in turn. Physiological needs ? Parents will provide a young student with clothing and shelter, but in the morning a snack should be handed out to young students in order to fill their need for food. Personal safety ? Students need to feel safe in their learning space or classroom. Students need not be in a state or mental or physical fear to learn and focus on their studies. For example, a child learning about grammar can?t concentrate on the class if they are worried about a ceiling coming down or being bullied by someone else in the class. When this is achieved, only then can they move up the learning hierarchy. Love/belonging ? Students need to feel like they are part of the class. If a student has a sense of belonging, they will learn more as they will be more inclined to participate in group work, pair work and games to practice language. Interaction in a classroom helps students feel more relaxed and involved. They will also not feel shy about speaking in front of the class. Self-esteem ? Praise needs to be given to the students by the teacher, peers or fellow students. This will make them feel valued as people and commended for making a contribution. E.g. great job/ well done. Children that do not achieve this level sometimes have the fear of failure and instead of being committed to learning, they act disinterested to protect themselves. This is why it is extremely important for praise and encouragement to be given in a classroom. Self-actualization ? Students can activate the language they have learned autonomously. These students are doing what they are capable of and have the desire to reach their potential. They are able to help weaker classmates or do class activities, tasks and projects on their own. Self-actualization is the goal that the teacher must aim for, for the students to become great learners. When young students? basic needs are met (physiological needs, personal safety, love/belonging) they will be motivated learners. With help from home and a good class atmosphere, a teacher can help students learn and grow as individuals. If a student is showing signs of behaviour issues and not displaying any motivation to learn, a teacher should assess the student and try to understand if their basic needs are being met. The teacher should refer to Maslow?s Hierarchy of Needs and look at each stage individually. Then the teacher should be able to determine what is wrong then act and respond appropriately. By the teacher achieving this in the classroom and creating a space that meets the entire student?s needs, any student should be able to freely learn without constraints, grow as a person and reach their potential as a learner. References http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs http://www.businessballs.com/maslow.htm
