Effective strategies for motivating Arabic students- TESOL 2013

Effective Strategies for
Motivating Arabic Students

TESOL 2013, Dallas, TX

Shira Packer
spacke@yorku.ca

Beata Piechocinski
beatak@yorku.ca

NOT FOR REPRODUCTION OR RECIRCULATION
WITHOUT THE EXPILICIT PERMISSION OF THE AUTHORS

1 York University English Language Institute
035 Founders College, Keele Campus Tel: 416.736.5353 Fax: 416.736.5908 Email: yueli@yorku.ca

Find our slides online

http://slidesha.re/10665co


Workshop Objectives
• to explain how motivation affects language
learning performance
• to explore how Arabic culture, particularly
Saudi culture, influences learning English
• to explore ways in which
a) Arabic speaking students are motivated
b) instructors can promote motivation to these
learners


Research Sources

• Secondary print sources
– Journal articles
– Previous TESOL Conference presentations
• Primary sources
– Student survey (n=22)
– Student interviews (n=7)
– Instructor interviews (n=7)
• Personal experience


Definition of Motivation

“is the extent to which you make
choices about
a) goals to pursue, and
b) the effort you will devote to that
pursuit”
(Brown, 2007)


Factors Influencing Motivation
a) Degree
b) Duration
c) Quality of contact
Contact theory: intergroup contact leads to positive perception, where
type of contact is more influential than length of contact
a) Source (intrinsic vs. extrinsic)
b) Type (Clement & Kruidenier, 1983)
Integrative Instrumental
• Travel •Attain a job
• Make friends •Pass an exam
• Acquire •Get promotion
knowledge
• Use in lives

Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation
• This dichotomy designates the continuum of possibilities of
intensity of feeling or drive, ranging form deeply internal,
self generated rewards to strong, externally administrated
rewards from beyond oneself

• Intrinsic motivation is clearly superior to extrinsic

• However, research suggests that one type of extrinsic
reward can indeed have a positive effect on intrinsic
motivation: positive feedback that learners perceive as
‘boost’ to their feelings of competence and self-
determination.


Intrinsic Motivation and Education
Extrinsic pressures Intrinsic innovations Motivational results
School curriculum Learner centered personal Self esteem, self
goal setting actualization
individualization Decide for self

Parental expectations Family solidarity, Love, intimacy,
negotiated agreements acceptance, respect for
wisdom

Society’s expectations Security of comfortable Community, belonging,
routines task teaching identity, harmony, security

Tests and exams Peer evaluation, self Experience, self
diagnosis, level-check knowledge
exercises

Immediate gratification Set long term goals, focus Self actualization
on big picture, patience
8
well rewarded York University English Language Institute

Intrinsic Motivation and Education
Extrinsic pressures Intrinsic innovations Motivational results
Make money! Content based teaching Cooperation harmony
ESL

Competition Cooperative learning Community strength,
Group work status, security
The class is a team

Never fail Risk taking Learn from mistakes,
Innovation, creativity nobody perfect, C’est la
vie!


The Relationship Between Motivation
and Language Learning Success

• Gardner & Lambert (1972)
– success in language attainment is dependent upon
learner’s affective predisposition toward the target la
• Gardner & Lynch (1990)
– Motivation is defined as a contract made up of certain
attitudes, the most significant of which is towards the
target culture and language
• Brown (1987)
– Attitude formation is the result of parents’ and peers’
attitudes


Intrinsic Motivation in ESL classroom
• Basic motivational strategies for ESL teachers (Dorneyei,
2001)
– Demonstrate and show the enthusiasm for the course
material
– Take students’ learning seriously
– Develop a personal relationship with your students
– Create a pleasant and supportive atmosphere in the
classroom
– Promote the development of group cohesiveness
– Formulate group norms explicitly, have them discussed
and accepted by the learners
– Have the group norms consistently observed


Comparison of US and Arab Culture Using
Hofestede’s Cultural Dimensions (1980-present)

• Power is more unequally distributed in Arab world (80) than
in US (40)
– Expect teacher-oriented education & requests for special
permissions

• Arab world is more collectivist (38) than individual as in US
(91)
– Expect Arab students to value cohesion, group harmony,
prestige, and avoid losing face

• Arab world feels less threatened by uncertain situations
(68) than in US (46)
– Expect students to adapt well to unstructured learning
situations & take some classroom risks

Survey Results:
Participant Background (n=22)


On a scale of 1 to 6, where ‘1’ represents ‘not at
all’ and ‘6’ represents ‘a lot’, how much do you
think that you are….


On a scale of 1 to 6, where ‘1’ represents ‘not at all’ and ‘6’
represents ‘a lot’, how much do you think that these factors
affect your interest in learning


Arab Student Interviews:
Motivation Factors
• Future plans/ Goals:
– need for English to study at an English university in the Middle East or
abroad (most majors)
– IELTS becomes a major focus
• Flexibility:
– Motivation decreases with lack of flexibility with studies (i.e. Class timetable,
workload, etc.)
• Student gender:
– While some Ss indicate that males and females are “pushed in the same
way” by Arab parents, the majority felt that girls were “pushed” more than
boys
  girls = responsible; boys = free
• Saudi Scholarships:
– Viewed equally as a motivator (with a 1.5 year deadline) and a demotivator
– For some, miscommunications with the Saudi Cultural Bureau led to
16 discontinued studies York University English Language Institute

Arab Student Interviews:
Student Suggestions for Instructors
• Instructors should…
– Communicate with students about non-academic
problems
– Learn more about Arab culture (“beyond shwarma,
camels, and oil”) See video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xe8tA6mcsU

• School administrations should….
– Accommodate personal needs (ie. change classes if
they don’t like their classmates, be exempt from
attendance policies if tired)


Instructor Interviews

Recurrent themes on successful motivational strategies

1. Establish personal connection
– ‘personal’ relationship with individual students
– show you are interested in them
– provide individual feedback (e.g. spelling)
– share other Arabic students’ stories (particular areas of
difficulties, we know your language difficulty)
e.g. My wife she is kind.



2. Develop cultural awareness
– allow space and time to talk about their culture (misunderstood,
dealing with facts)
Why do you wear that mask?
– create acceptance and understanding (bringing multiple stereotypes
from different cultures)
– cultural exchange

3. Set clear class rules (class behavior, social
conventions)
– set the rules for class behavior (with student input)
– teach about the code of conduct/social convections in Canada in a
softened manner when improper behavior occurs (saving face)



4. Create social connection in class
– significant for successful group work and pair work
– gender dynamics

5. Present information in multiple formats
– aural culture
– tired/demotivated when presented paper based materials


Our Personal Perceptions on
Arab/Saudi Acculturation
• Classroom conventions
– Absences & lates
– Privacy issues & revealing too much personal
information , trying to foster a personal connection
– Turn-at-talk

• Religious issues
– Prayer times and space
– Ramadan
– Diet and drink
– Hijab (headscarf) & niqab (veil)

• Personal independence
– Lifestyle (decision making, cooking, etc)
– Family ties & social connections York University English Language Institute
21
– Weather College, Keele Campus Tel: 416.736.5353 Fax: 416.736.5908 Email: yueli@yorku.ca
035 Founders

Our Personal Perceptions on
Arab/Saudi Acculturation (cont.)
• Family Life
– Marriage responsibilities
– Pregnancies
– Daycare
– High education allows postponement of marriage (for
women)

• Gender in the classroom
– Separate primary, intermediate, and secondary schools
(public universities) for boys and girls
– Gender request for teacher
– Husband-wife or brother-sister requests for same class
– Occasional problems with female completing outside
classroom assignments York University English Language Institute
22

Implications for ELT

Teachers should
– have some knowledge about Arab culture and linguistic
background
– validate Ss’ home culture by letting them discuss it in the
classroom
– establish both individual and group
relationships/connections with Ss, including feedback
– explicitly present rules for classroom conduct to Ss
– present new information in multiple formats (in writing and
orally)


Implications for ELT (cont.)
Teachers should also:
– use Ss’ oral communicative capacities to develop their literacy
skills
– tap into Ss’ intrinsic goals by
• making connections to future goals, especially with
homework
• using career groups/assignments based on Ss’ majors
– foster group harmony in the classroom

School administrations should
– provide opportunities for quick advancement
– educate teacher about Arab culture/language and Arab Ss’
needs
– follow up with successful Ss to determine factors for success

Find our slides online

http://slidesha.re/10665co


Q&A


Discussion

1. To what extent is it important for instructors and
administrators to make efforts to increase Arab
students’ motivation?

2. Based on this research, in what realistic ways
can instructors and administrators motivate
Arabic speaking student?


Works Cited
• Brown, H. D. (1987). Principles of language learning and teaching, 2nd ed.
Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall.
• Gardner, R. C. & Lambert, W. E. (1972). Attitudes and motivation in second
language learning. Rowley: Newbury House Publisher.
• Gardner, R. D., & Lynch, L. M. (1990). The role of aptitude, attitudes, motivation
and language use on second language acquisition and retention. Canadian Journal
of Behavioural Science, 22, 254-270.
• Hofestede, G. (1980). Cultures’ Consequences: International differences in work-
related values. Beverly Hills: Sage.
• Brown, H.D. (2007). Teaching by Principles. An Integrative Approach to
Language Pedagogy. NY: Pearson Education
• McAllister and Litvin K. (2012). Cultural Values of Gulf Arabs in the Classroom.
TESOL Conference Presentation
• Shafer J. and A. Walker. (2012). Beyond English III Saudi Arabian Students in
U.S. Higher Education: A case Study at the University of North Dakota. TESOL
Conference Presentation


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