TEACHING FACTORS THAT AFFECT STUDENTS’ LEARNING MOTIVATION: BANGLADESHI EFL STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS

Abstract

Research literature consistently suggests that EFL (English as a foreign language) students’ motivation is affected by some teaching factors (Falout et al., 2009; Kim et al., 2018; Lamb, 2017). The main purpose of this study is to identify exactly which teaching factors adversely affect students’ motivation to study English at higher secondary (HS) level (grade 11 and 12) in Bangladeshi EFL context. To collect qualitative data an interview protocol was developed based on the teaching factors identified in some selected studies conducted in Asian EFL contexts (Kikuchi, 2009; Sakai & Kikuchi, 2009; Trang & Baldauf, 2007; Quadir, 2017). A total number of 40 grade 12 completers were interviewed to collect students’ perceptions. Miles and Huberman’s (1994) qualitative data analysis procedure was applied to analyze the data. From the analysis five distinct factors, which adversely affect students’ motivation, are identified in descending order: teachers’ instructional styles and teaching method, private tutoring, teachers’ personality and behavior, teachers’ competence and classroom management, and teachers’ attitude and commitment. Most of these factors comprise further sub-components which detect the underlying sources of students’ disinterest. For amelioration of the situations some feasible implications are discussed addressing the identified factors.

Keywords

• Bangladesh
• EFL context
• English teachers
• students’ de/motivation
• students’ perceptions