INFLUENCE OF MOTIVATION IN THE LANGUAGE LEARNING

Februari 17, 2008 · Disimpan dalam Musik, Racau, Uncategorized

Introduction

Motivation is one of the most important things in human life. Many life has been change because motivation. Ray Charles, a blind Negro from Brooklyn, become one of the best pianist in the jazz world. Django Reindhardt, in age of 15, half of his body and his left hand burned, when he tried to get into a burning caravan to save his guitar. Many people said that he can’t play guitar any longer. Yet, because of big motivation from himself to play guitar again, he did it. And he becomes the most famous and the most legendary guitarist in jazz music.

 

 

 

Joe Satriani and Yngwie Malmsteen, inspired and motivated to play guitar after saw Jimi Hendrix burial. Their life totally changed after that case. And now, they become 2 of the greatest guitarist in the world.

Those examples show us about how motivation can motivate someone, can push someone, and make someone do some action to reach their dream and their vision. Now, how about in language learning? Does motivation influence student in language learning?

1. Motivation

What is motivation? Many people try to describe the definition of motivation in their own ways. We can see one of them in Introduction of Psycholinguistic class. “Motivation is inner drive, impulse, emotion or desire that moves someone to a particular reason”.

I found any other definition from one web in internet. “Motivation is a mentality power that moves and pushes human behavior, including to study”. In motivation, there are many elements, which are desire, hope, aim, and incentive. (http://haveza.multiply.com).

In the book “Module Character Building I” published by Elex Media Computindo and Bina Nusantara University, it stated that “motivation is a ability which exist in every human being”. Motivation exists because every person wants to reach his/ her dream, so there will be a motivation inside.

1. Kind of Motivation

Many of Psychologists stated that motivation can be divided into two kinds. Based on Psychology note on Introduction of Linguistic class, we can divide it into :

1. Instrumental Motivation: Refers to motivation to acquire a language as means for attaining instrumental goals; furthering career, reading technical materials, translation and so forth.

2. Integrative Motivation: Is employed when learners wish to integrate themselves within the culture of second language group, to identify themselves with and become a part of that society.

Based on Abin Syamsudin Makmun (2000), motivation can be divided into two terms:

1. Intrinsic motivation: a motivation that comes from us, our self. Django Reindhardt and Ray Charles are the examples of someone who has moved by intrinsic motivation. In students, by having this motivation, usually, those students will learning the language for the best result, with our without price or punishment from the teachers.

2. Extrinsic Motivation: a motivation that comes from outside. Joe Satriani is the example of someone who has moved by extrinsic motivation. He wants to play guitar after see the funeral of Jimi Hendrix. For students, they usually learn language for some prices or afraid of teacher’s punishment.

From those terms of kind of motivation, which one is the most important? Brown (2000) affirmed that intrinsic motivation is more important than extrinsic motivation, especially for long term retention. By having intrinsic motivation, the students will realize that they need to learn and they must learn for their own succeed. They will do it with or without price, award or afraid of teacher’s punishment.

And how to stimulates the intrinsic motivation from the students? Zoltan Dornyei and Kata Csizor in Brown (2000) explain that there are many ways to stimulate the intrinsic motivation, examples that recommended are:

1. Optimize the application of study’s principle

– Knowing the basic aim of study

– Try to solving the student’s problems in language learning

1. Create a pleasant condition for study

2. Make a kind relationship between teacher and student

3. Improve the self confidence of student in language learning

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1. Conclusion

From the explanation above, we can know that motivation is so important in many ways. Anyway, every person, every human being having a motivation inside them. All we have to do is stimulate that motivation so it can moved us to get and reach our dream.

Anyhow, we can conclude that, basically, intrinsic motivation is more important and stronger than extrinsic motivation. And we can make that intrinsic motivation comes out by stimulate our self.

Yet, it could be better if we combined those motivation become one. By combined those motivation, it can make a great impact in how we supposed to do in language learning. A great motivation from inside will be nothing without support from our environment. Furthermore, great motivation from outside will be useless without motivation from inside.

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Bibliografi

1. Gea, Atoshoki Antonious S.Th., MM & Wulandari Panca S.Sos, Relasi Dengan Diri Sendiri, Elex Media Computindo, Jakarta, 2002.

2. http://haveza.multiply.com

3. http://www.pikiran-rakyat.com

4. Introduction to Psycholinguistic notes by Drs. Hadiri, MA and Agung Tri W., SS., Mpd.