Coordinates Of Establishing An Optimum Classroom Climate For Students’ Motivation

Chapter 2: Coordinates of Establishing an Optimum Classroom Climate For Students’ Motivation

Objectives:

The first subchapter aims at presenting and describing some factors that can be useful in creating an appropriate learning environment for students’ motivation. This should be relaxing, informal, visually appealing, supportive, stimulating students’ interest and pleasure in learning English. The second subchapter offers a presentation of a teacher’s behavior, who should empathize with the pupils and be able to whet the students’ appetite for EFL. The purpose of the last sub-chapter is to encourage students to take risks, to accept challenges, which leads to personal growth, develops new skills and increases self-esteem.

2.1 Creating a Positive Learning Environment

English language learning is one of the most face-threatening school subjects because of the pressure of having to operate using a rather limited language code. Learners are forced to ‘babble like a child’ which might just be the last straw for some whose personal identity is already unstable or damaged. “In a language class learners need to take considerable risk even to produce relatively simple answers/statements because it is all too easy to make a mistake when you have to pay attention to pronunciation, intonation, grammar and content at the same time. No wonder that language anxiety has been found to be a powerful factor hindering EFL learning achievement” (MacIntyre; Young 1999:76). The solution, according to the general consensus amongst motivation researchers, is straightforward: we, as teachers need to create a pleasant and supportive classroom atmosphere. This will allow the students to feel comfortable, safe and engaged – something that all students deserve. In a classroom where values and roles remain constant and focus is placed on the positive aspects of learning, students will be more open to actively participating in class. If students are given the opportunity to become responsible for their own learning, students will be more likely to benefit from the lesson, and thus more likely to be self-motivated. This should be a primary goal for all teachers, since lack of motivation is often the root of disciplinary issues.

Below I have listed some factors that have an important role in effective learning, as Gavin Reid mentioned in Motivating Learners in the Classroom: Ideas and Strategies (2007: 40-42)

1. Classroom design and desk layout:

Classroom design is an important element by trying to accommodate for the diversity of students. Some learners need space and can feel confined if desks are too close together. There are many different types of furniture and classroom layout. Some desk arrangements however are fixed – for example when they are attached to chairs or they are stuck to the floor. Ideally the type of the classroom furniture should offer some flexibility so that it can be moved and rearranged.

2. The position of a teacher’s desk in relation to their students

Traditionally the teacher’s desk is located at the front of the room and often in a prominent position. This however does not need to be the case. Ideally in a classroom the teacher’s desk should not be obvious, yet in reality in most classrooms it occupies a central position.

3. The colour and design of a room

This is an important factor and there is a great deal of research on the effect of colour on individuals’ moods and performance. Pastel colours tend to be soothing and this can be beneficial if students have a tendency to be hyperactive or distracted. Bright, bold ones such as orange and red can be stimulating but may over-stimulate in some cases. They can have a profound effect on learners and can influence not only the learning experience but also people’s moods and attitudes.

4. The amount of light

Lighting in the classroom is important as there is now considerable evidence that learners can be sensitive to different ranges and types. It is generally agreed that fluorescent lighting is not the most effective for the majority of learners. The natural one is the best for most children but at the same time too much can be distracting and ideally there should be a combination between natural and artificial light.

5. Floor covering

The type of floor covering can be important as it can either minimise or maximise noise – ideally they should be soft enough and also comfortable enough for children if they wish to opt to sit on the ground while reading or when engaged in learning activities. This can reduce the restrictions often imposed by desks. In fact some children find it very difficult to sit at a desk. Thus, in these situations, the floor can offer an alternative. I have once experimented the Suggestopedia method and it was indeed a success and all my students took part in it with a lot of interest. I asked my sixth graders to sit on the floor and played some relaxing music. Then I invited them to create an imaginary biography about their new identity, name, occupation etc.

6. Sound

Sound can be one of the most distracting elements in learning. At the same time it has the potential to stimulate, invigorate and create.

7. Music

It is worth allowing some children to use headphones and monitor the output of their work when using background music. It is also important to experiment with different kinds of music, thereby ensuring that the right type of music is used for different activities so that it can enhance learning. It can create a positive and stimulating yet tranquil atmosphere in a school. Playing it in the corridors and in all classrooms can be an indication of a warm and learning-focused school ethos.

8. Student space

Students spend a vast part of their day in school – they need to have a feeling of belonging and this can be accomplished more easily if they have their own sense of space. Some children need a safe place to withdraw to and often schools do not have this. If this is not possible there are a number of other ways that can contribute to a sense of belonging. For example, displaying students’ work in the corridor; ensuring they are involved in some of the decision-making activities of the school; getting them to show visitors round the school and being involved in some way in parents’ evening and other school social occasions.

9. Predictability and routine

Children often obtain security from routine. It is therefore necessary to introduce some routine and sameness into the classroom environment. But at the same time children often become more stimulated by the unexpected and many can get quite excited about changes. While it is a good idea to have a settled and reasonably predictable classroom environment, it is also advisable to make some changes from time to time.

10. Class norms

Every classroom has routines which are normal for that classroom. At the same time, routine can cause some anxiety for new members of the class and for children who have difficulty adjusting to different classrooms, particularly in secondary school. It is a good idea to have the classroom rules or habits clearly displayed so that children can refer to them periodically. It is also an idea to develop these rules/habits in conjunction with the children.

11. Degree of choice

The environment should be tailored to meet the pupils’ needs. It is important therefore that a degree of choice is provided so the children can select for themselves the kind of atmosphere they want.

12. Informal learning environment

Some learners, and particularly those who find conventional learning challenging, often learn best in an informal milieu. This means that seating arrangements should be in groups or in any other way than that of conventional rows. Often children who prefer an informal learning atmosphere prefer sitting on the floor. There should be ample space for mobility within the classroom and opportunities for discussion should be available as informal learners often prefer to learn through discussion.

13. A visually appealing classroom to work in

The effects of a classroom environment can make an impact almost as soon as one goes through the door. This first impression is very important and can often be determined by the visual appeal of a classroom, not only for the children but also for any parents and visitors.

14. Provide students with a sense of ownership

There are a number of different ways of doing this. One way is to give groups of students their own space – either a wall space or study space – and get them to organise it the way they wish. It is their responsibility to monitor and change it from time to time. It is crucial that the children see the learning environment as their own and that they feel responsible for it in some way.

15. A stimulating and supportive environment

A stimulating environment is also one in which the children feel at home and are motivated to work in a stress-free and constructive manner. This would allow a child to use the classroom as a place for finding out information and for exploratory work, implying a degree of freedom for them to work and move around.

16. An atmosphere free of pressure and stress

Irrespective of the type of classroom environment available it is crucial that it is free from stress. Children can be very sensitive to stress in learning situations – many with specific difficulties can find a great deal of learning tasks stressful so it is important that the environment is as stress-free as possible.

17. Promote the development of a broad range of skills and interests – intellectual, physical, aesthetic, social and emotional

This can be reflected in wall displays and in the resources available within classrooms. The following categories must be considered: intellectual – the classroom should stimulate enquiry; physical – there should be opportunities for movement; aesthetic – music is available and the wall displays should be visually appealing; social – there should be opportunities for group work and emotional – the environment should be supportive of each child’s learning preference.

18. Learning environments

Some learning environments may be more suited to left hemisphere learners while others may be more suitable for right hemisphere learners. Left hemisphere learners generally prefer a quiet, formal and predictable environment, whilst right hemisphere learners prefer a more random, informal and usually visually and auditory stimulating environment.

19. Use of humour

A further tool to improve the classroom atmosphere is the use of humour. I consider that the main point about having humour in the classroom is not so much about continuously telling jokes but rather having a relaxed attitude while teaching EFL.

20. Stimulate all the senses

Learning is always more effective if it is multisensory. That means the learning environment should accommodate visual, auditory and kinaesthetic learning preferences. This can be done through wall displays, tapes and headphones being available for use, and giving the freedom to move around the classroom and explore different learning situations.

In addition, the teachers should remember to celebrate success. It can be celebrated through individual achievements but also through whole-school activities. This can help students develop a school identity and contribute to the sense of ownership that is so important for a positive school climate. Success can be celebrated through any aspect of school life – it does not have to be a titanic achievement – and it can be something that may be of little significance outside of school.

Last but not least, the teacher should value the individual. It can be too easy to become absorbed in developing the good reputation of a school and doing things for the good of that school. It is worthwhile however to ensure that individual needs are not overlooked. Doing something special one afternoon of the week can be both stress reducing and team building. What is important to mention here is that in a safe and supportive classroom the norm of tolerance prevails and students feel comfortable taking risks because mistakes are a natural part of learning.

The classroom environment has a key role to play in facilitating effective EFL learning. It is important to acknowledge all its aspects and to attempt to provide a range of environmental choices in relation to lighting, noise and seating arrangements. Although it is appreciated that often space is limited in a classroom, it is important nevertheless to be aware of how the learning space can impact on learners. It is also important to convey this to the learner so that at least he/she may be able to use this self-knowledge to create their optimum learning environment.

In conclusion, it is easy to tell when there is a warm and welcoming atmosphere- you can feel it after only a few minutes’ stay in the particular class. There is no tension in the air; students are comfortable; there are no adverse comments made to ridicule each other. Instead, there is mutual trust and respect, in which nobody feels anxious or insecure. Scheidecker and Freeman (1999:138) have summarised very expressively the essence of the classroom with a motivational climate for learning: “When one watches students enter such a classroom, ‘one gets an overwhelming sense that the students shed emotional baggage at the doorway. This is an emotional safe zone”.

2.2. Appropriate teacher behaviour

It is widely known that a teacher in the classroom has a motivational influence on students. Because this subchapter is primarily about what we as teachers can do to motivate our learners, four general points should be mentioned in connection with the teacher’s:

enthusiasm;

commitment and expectations for the students' learning;

relationship with the students;

relationship with the students’ parents.

1) Enthusiasm

Everybody remembers a teacher who has made a difference to our lives, who loved their subject matter and who showed by their dedication and their passion that there is nothing else on earth they would rather be doing. Students might make fun of this dedication but deep inside, they admire that passion. Such a commitment towards the subject matter then becomes ‘infectious’, instilling in students a similar willingness to pursue knowledge: “Young people are more intelligent than adults generally give them credit for. They can usually discern, for instance, whether an adult they know likes or dislikes what he or she is doing. If a teacher does not believe in his job, does not enjoy the learning he is trying to transmit, the student will sense this and derive the entirely rational conclusion that the particular subject matter is not worth mastering for its own sake”. (Csikszentmihalyi 1997:77)

Many scholars share Csikszentmihalyi’s belief that enthusiasm for one’s specialization area and the ability to make this enthusiasm public rather than hiding it is one of the most important ingredients of motivationally successful teaching. Projecting enthusiasm is related to the more general process of modelling, which is a very effective method of teaching various things by setting an example, and there is no reason why this example could not involve motivational factors such as effort, positive attitudes and interest in the subject.

It is also important to stress that projecting enthusiasm does not mean nice talks, theatrical performance or tears in our eyes when we utter the words ‘Shakespeare’ or ‘past conditional’. Rather, as Good and Brophy (1994:36) argue, it means that we clearly identify our reasons for being interested in the topic and then share these with the students.

2) Commitment and expectations for the students’ progress

The teacher embodies the class spirit. It is a known fact that if a teacher shows commitment towards the students’ learning and progress, there is a very good chance that they will do the same thing. It is important that everybody in the classroom should be aware that we care; that we are not there just for the salary; that it is important that our students succeed; that we are ready to work just as hard as the students towards this success.

There are many ways of expressing that the students’ learning matters to us. They include:

offering concrete assistance;

offering to meet students individually to explain things;

responding immediately when help is requested;

correcting tests and papers promptly;

arranging extracurricular instructional programmes;

encouraging extra assignments and offering to assist with these;

showing concern when things aren’t going well.

If students sense that the teacher does not care, this perception is the fastest way to undermine their motivation. The spiritual (and sometimes physical) absence of the teacher sends such a powerful message of ‘It doesn’t matter!’ to the students, that everybody, even the most dedicated ones, are likely to be affected and become demoralised.

Brophy (1998:170) adds a further important ingredient to the commitment issue. He emphasizes that in our communication with the students we should take it for granted that the students share our enthusiasm for learning. In this way, as Brophy argues, “To the extent that we treat students as if they already are eager learners, they are more likely to become eager learners”.

Teacher expectations

The need to expect learners to show interest in order for this to really happen is an example of the more general issue of teacher expectations. It has been shown by a convincing amount of research that it is not enough to be merely committed to the students’ progress, we also need to have sufficiently high expectations for what the students can achieve. For example, in one of the most famous experiments in educational psychology, Rosenthal and Jacobson (1968:47) administered an intelligence test to primary school children at the start of the academic year. Teachers were told that the purpose of this test was to predict which students would ‘bloom’ intellectually during the academic year. The researchers, however, deceived the teachers because instead of providing them with the true test scores, they identified 20 per cent of the sample as potential ‘intellectual bloomers’ randomly, that is, regardless of their actual intellectual potential. The results of the experiment were quite remarkable: by the end of the year there were significant differences between the ‘bloomers’ and the control students whereas at the beginning of the year they were similar in every respect except in the way they were labelled by the researchers.

3) Good relationship with the students

It is indeed important for a motivating teacher to have a positive relationship with the students on a personal and not just on an academic level. In fact, we could simply replace the phrase care for the students’ learning with care for the students as real people. Teachers who share warm, personal interactions with their students, who respond to their concerns in an empathic manner and who succeed in establishing relationships of mutual trust and respect with the learners, are more likely to inspire them in academic matters than those who have no personal ties with the learners.

“Building trust in a classroom is a slow process and results from many small incidents in which the teacher has responded honestly and dependably. It is easy to trust ‘trustable’ students, but it is the ‘untrustable’ students who need systematic trust-building experiences. While some students may occasionally abuse their trust, they need repeated opportunities to learn and practise this character trait.” (Raffini 1993:145)

Developing a close relationship with the students and achieving their respect is a gradual process built on some components which include the teacher’s, according to Wlodkowski (1986: 27):

Acceptance

This is not to be confused with approval; we may accept a person without necessarily approving of everything he/she does. It is a bit like ‘loving the sinner, not the sin’.

Ability to listen and pay attention to students

According to Wlodkowski, listening to a person is the “single most powerful transaction that occurs between ourselves and another person that tells that individual that we accept him as a human being. The way we listen tells learners more than anything else how much consideration we are really giving them” (1986:28). That is, students need to feel that you pay personal attention to them. Here is a variety of small gestures that can positively affect the lives of every student in some way, suggested by Wlodkowski (1986: 28):

Greet students and remember their names.

Smile at them.

Notice interesting features of their appearance (e.g. new haircut).

Learn something unique about each student and occasionally mention it to them.

Ask them about their lives outside school.

Show interest in their hobbies.

Include personal topics and examples about students in discussing content matters.

Availability

It is difficult to be available nowadays, when most teachers around the world are overburdened and pressed for time. Even if we do not have much extra time, Wlodkowski states that we might be able to do some of the following:

Join students for lunch in the school canteen (if there is one).

Join students in the playground.

Chaperone school events.

Give them your e-mail address and encourage them to write to you.

Set a meeting when you are in your office/staff room in case someone wants/needs to talk to you.

Pay attention and listen to each of them. (1986: 28)

4) Good relationship with the parents

There is no doubt that our good relationship with the students also depends on our good relationship with their parents. For most children their parents’ opinion matters, and therefore they can be powerful allies in any motivational effort. Brophy points out that “one of the most distinctive features of teachers who have been successful with hard-to-reach, at-risk students is that they reach out to these students’ families, get to know them, keep them informed of what is going on at school, and involve them in decision-making”. (1998:23)

Thus, we as teachers should develop a collaborative relationship with the students’ parents, by keeping them regularly informed about their children’s progress.

The roles a teacher plays and the styles he/she develops will merge to create a classroom climate that is positive, stimulating, motivating and energizing. Brown (2001:202) offers some advice to do this:

1) Establish rapport:

Rapport is the relationship a teacher establishes with his/her students, a relationship built on trust and respect that leads to students feeling capable, competent and creative. He/she can do this by showing interest in each student as a person, giving feedback on each person’s progress, soliciting students’ ideas and feelings, valuing what students think and say, laughing with them and not at them, working with them as a team, and not against them.

2) Balance praise and criticism

Too much of either is inefficient. Genuine praise, appropriately delivered, enables students to welcome criticism and to put it to use. In the table below there are presented differences between effective and ineffective praise:

Table 1: Effective vs. ineffective praise (Brown 2001: 202)

3) Generate energy

“Classroom energy is a force that is unleashed in a classroom, perceivable only through a sixth sense. Energy is the electricity of many minds caught up in a circuit of thinking and talking and writing. It is an aura of creativity sparked by the interaction of students.” (Brown 2001: 203)

A modern teacher, in order to motivate the students, should have the following roles, according to Harmer (see Table 2 below):

Table 2: Teacher’s roles and duties (Harmer 2007:63)

In conclusion, I do think that an ideal teacher should not only be a scholar, holding a lot of knowledge of English, but he/she should also make the students really interested in their subject, who should feel that their minds grow under his/her teaching and who enhances the students’ creativity.

2.3. Encouraging risk-taking

Another motivational strategy is students’ taking responsibility for their own learning and personal growth. The teacher as motivator creates opportunities that draw out students’ natural tendencies to learn, grow. Risk-taking prevents potentially negative consequences, such as boredom, fear of failure or withdrawal. In order to encourage it, a teacher needs to genuinely respect and appreciate students’ individual differences and unique accomplishments and also help students identify appropriate rewards and help them systematically and realistically reward themselves for their accomplishments. In the chart below (see Figure 8 ) there are presented some of the activities that may be performed in order to encourage risk-taking.

Activities to Encourage Risk Taking

Figure 8

Strategies for Encouraging Risk Taking Through Modelling

The classroom is a safe environment in which a teacher shares new knowledge by either valuing each student’s unique accomplishments or setting a tone that should discourage negative comments from other students. There are situations when teachers are asked a question about which they are unsure, and they may feel comfortable (a) admitting that they don’t know the answer and (b) asking the students to give their opinions, thus modelling an effective way to deal with the situation. If they are comfortable with sharing this lack of knowledge with the class, everyone will gain by researching the real answers, and the process will model an effective way of dealing with the classroom when it becomes the students’ turn to share what they have learned about their topic of interest. These modelling strategies for encouraging risk taking impact both students and teachers. Both will be teachers and learners, learning to take risks in the process. Students can be given a sample of a speaking Cambridge test given by someone who failed and be asked to correct it. Later, they are asked to do it between themselves.

Strategies for Encouraging Acceptance of Success

Students need to develop skills in sharing their knowledge and presenting their findings to others in ways that value each student’s unique talents and contributions. The teacher, along with his/her students, needs to develop techniques that allow sharing in a positive and constructive environment.

Strategies for Helping Students Choose Appropriate Rewards

Grades still motivate students nowadays, but for those who do not see traditional grading scales as relevant, new systems of rewards must be developed. Students are the best source of information about the kinds of rewards that are personally meaningful. When students have had positive learning experiences, they feel valued and respected, and have some control over their own learning, the rewards they choose tend to be those that further their learning or that provide recognition for their accomplishments. For example, students may choose rewards such as opportunities to perform projects with people they admire in their communities, go on summer language camps in UK and be chosen for Comenius mobilities or for younger ones a day off from homework, extra points, and semester end parties, sweets etc. In what follows, ………………………suggests other encouraging risk-taking strategies:

1. Demonstrate risk-taking

I myself once tried reciting some tongue-twisters in front of my students. I told them I had a choice: I could do it slowly and perfectly forever, or I could try to improve my performance and recite them faster and faster and risk making a mistake. Eventually, I messed up, but it was an opportunity to learn and make progress .

2. Be willing to fail

Again I offered myself as an example: I was willing to try something at which I was terrible: I brought an old harmonica to play ‘Happy Birthday’. It was an awful, humiliating experience. But the students loved it. During the year, when a student was afraid to give a verbal presentation, sympathize in a group, write a composition or design something on the board, I reminded them of my performance, showing that we all must be willing to try.

3. Build risk-taking into your classroom

I once came in the classroom with a pile of English newspapers and my students were rather intimidated and reluctant to try reading new things. However, I encouraged them to work on articles (discover instances of passive voice, reported speech, adjectives created with negative prefixes, articles, compound nouns etc.) and they eventually liked those activities and they were even looking forward to repeating the experience.

The students know that trying new skills and learning new material can be intimidating, especially when so many of those efforts are taking place in a classroom that is full of their peers. Somehow, I try to let them know that I appreciate and support all of their efforts and I insist that their classmates demonstrate that encouraging attitude as well.

Finally, I also tell them that this effort will lead to improvement and I will be there to encourage, guide and help them recover from missteps, but at the same time celebrate the accomplishments born of their courage and work.

Risk-taking is thus a strategy designed to develop skills and increase self-esteem, confidence and courage in gifted youth. “Taking chances is essential to a rich and rewarding life, and risk taking elevates people to greater psychological maturity”. (Ilardo 1992: 10) All children benefit from learning to do this, and risking can be an important skill for gifted children to learn because if they are unable to take this challenge, they may severely compromise their potential for high achievement or strong leadership. It is not uncommon for the gifted to avoid situations in which they are not guaranteed success. Gifted children can sometimes expect so much of themselves that they won’t risk making a mistake at all. They develop the misconception that failing at something important means they are less of a person and they retreat from activities that might not succeed.

Another affective principle is the importance of getting learners to take calculated risks in attempting to use the EFL – both productively and receptively by recognizing their own ego fragility and developing the firm belief that they can do it, finally being ready to take those necessary risks, to try out their newly acquired language, use it for meaningful purposes, ask questions and assert themselves. “Successful language learners, in their realistic appraisal of themselves as vulnerable beings yet capable of accomplishing tasks, must be willing to become ‘gamblers’ in the game of language, to attempt to produce and to interpret language that is a bit beyond their absolute certainty.” (Brown 2001: 63)

Challenge definitely contributes to engagement. In fact, it motivates students to try to do hard stuff, and it is this that engages them in the experience. Csikszentmihalyi explains why challenge is vital in motivation and engagement: “we enter into the state of flow when the level of challenge matches our current set of skills. However, any mismatch between the two reduces the level of engagement. For instance, when students’ skills surpass those needed to complete an assignment, there is a mismatch” (1997:23).

On the other hand, when students face a task with a high challenge and level of difficulty, and they do not have the requisite skills, they are anxious, and there is a good chance that they may fail. A teacher’s goal is to teach just slightly beyond where a student is (Vygotsky 1989:15). This is where engagement is most likely to occur.

In conclusion, if a teacher does not believe that her/his students can do tough work even with support, it is unlikely that she/he will offer them appropriately challenging work. Although taking risks can sometimes result in failure, it should not be seen as discouraging and disappointing. Experiencing failure in a supportive environment, with a teacher who provides guidance and support, helps children learn how to cope with failure and to move on.