Maintaining and Increasing Student and Teacher Motivation in the L2 context of Japan

Essay from the year 2016 in the subject Didactics for the subject English - Pedagogy, Literature Studies, course: ESL/EFL, language: English, abstract: BIG (background, interests and goals), one of the main features of the communicative approach, is highly useful in maintaining and increasing the motivational levels of L2 learners in EFL context of Japan. BIG is primarily student centered. Participants of this study were all adult L2 learners observed in various settings. Qualitative action research was also undertaken. In relation to instructors, based on my own and the experiences of other instructors, the importance of organizational membership is stressed for increasing satisfaction/motivation. Learning Japanese, an awareness of cultural values and norms, the exercise of patience, and an emphasis on the positive, are also strongly recommended. Alternative explanations for low student/teacher motivation were also examined. This study emphasizes that teachers naturally seem to favour teaching methodologies in which they have been matriculated; in this case, the communicative approach.

I am an English-speaking Canadian, who has been teaching for the past 20 years, 16 of which have been in Japan. After receiving a B.A. from the University of Toronto (1994), I obtained a TESL certificate (1995) and a Masters in Applied Linguistics (2005). I have taught at a wide variety of businesses, jr. and sr. high schools, vocational colleges and universities in the Tokyo area. I have extensive experience teaching conversation; from absolute beginners to advanced levels, as well as listening and academic writing. I also have experience teaching Business English as well as TOEFL, TOEIC and SAT. My teaching style is based on the communicative approach to L2 instruction.