A Study on the Teacher Strategies of motivating students in EFL Speaking Lesson: Grade 11 at Nejo Preparatory School in Focus.

Abstract

The main purpose of this research was to study the Teacher Strategies of Motivating Students in EFL speaking Lesson: Grade 11 at Nejo Preparatory School in Focus. To conduct the study, descriptive design method was used. Classroom observation, questionnaire and interview for teachers, questionnaire for students were the tools used to collect data for the study. The sample of the study consisted of seventy-nine grade eleven students and three English language teachers. Students were selected using systematic probability sampling technique. Data were analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative methods. The closed-ended data were analyzed by counting frequency and percentage quantitatively and described qualitatively relying on the result. In addition, Semi-structured interview was also described qualitatively. At the end, the data was organized and presented thematically. Since a very good behavior was observed in creating basic motivational conditions, EFL teachers should sustain the strategies used for motivating the learners. Concerning generating learners’ initial motivation, partial (50%) behavior was observed that implies inadequate exposure of EFL teachers. This strategy encourages the learners to apply their efforts to learn successfully. It makes them curious since it creates intrinsic pleasure, Similar to the second motivational strategy, partial behavior was also observed in the third which is about maintaining and protecting learners’ motivation. Initiating learners’ motivation solely is not an end itself. For this reason, EFL teachers need to do a good job in sustaining the motivation of the already motivated ones. Half-done (50%) behavior was observed in the fourth which is about encouraging positive self- evaluation. Teachers should assist the learners to evaluate themselves in a positive way. In all instruments the highest frequency of motivational strategies employment was ‘’ Sometimes’. Then, teachers, department leader and school principals should solve the problem in harmony. Teachers used the motivational strategies differently for students of the same level. Therefore, English teachers assigned for that class should do cooperatively to consolidate their job. It is advisable that the English teachers of Nejo Preparatory School and others should get training opportunities on motivational strategies. Finally, the researcher recommends other researchers to conduct further studies in different schools in related topics to make the study complete and to improve teaching speaking skill using motivational strategies.