The Questionnaire of Motivational Strategies—students’ version
Below is a list of motivational strategies that your teachers may use in class. We would like to ask you to think about each strategy how helpful for you if your teacher uses it in your class.
Please mark a tick ( ) in the appropriate blank on the continuum between ‘Not helpful’ to ‘Very helpful’ (e.g. ___:___:___:___:_:___). Please only tick one space and answer all the questions.
1. Bring in and encourage humor and laughter
frequently in your class. Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful 2. Show students that you respect, accept and care
about each of them. Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful
3. Create opportunities so that students can mix and get to know each other better (e.g. group work, game-like competition).
Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful
4. Familiarize the learners with the cultural
background of the English language. Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful 5. Explain the importance of the ‘class rules’ that you
regard as important (e.g. let’s not make fun of each other’s mistakes) and how these rules enhance learning, and then ask for the students’ agreement.
Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful
6. Give clear instructions about how to carry out a task by modeling every step that students will need to do.
Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful
7. Invite senior students who are enthusiastic about learning English to talk to your class about their positive English learning.
Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful
8. Monitor students’ accomplishments, and take time
to celebrate any success or victory. Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful 9. Regularly remind students that the successful
mastery of English is beneficial to their future (e.g.
getting a better job or pursuing further studies abroad.)
Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful
10. Encourage students to select specific, realistic and short-term learning goals for themselves (e.g.
learning 5 words every day.)
Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful
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11. Design tasks that are within the learners’ ability so
that they get to experience success regularly. Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful 12. Introduce in your lessons various interesting
content and topics which students are likely to find interesting (e.g. about TV programmes, pop stars or travelling.)
Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful
13. Make tasks challenging by including some activities that require students to solve problems or discover something (e.g. puzzles.)
Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful
14. Teach the students self-motivating strategies (e.g.
self-encouragement) so as to keep them motivated when they encounter distractions.
Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful
15. Make sure grades reflect not only the students’
achievement but also the effort they have put into in the task.
Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful
16. Ask learners to think of any classroom rules that they would like to recommend because they think those will be useful for their learning.
Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful
17. Show your enthusiasm for teaching English by
being committed and motivating yourself. Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful 18. Break the routine of the lessons by varying
presentation format (e.g. a grammar task can be followed by one focusing on pronunciation; a whole-class lecture can be followed by group work.)
Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful
19. Invite some English-speaking foreigners as guest
speakers to the class. Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful 20. Help the students develop realistic beliefs about
their learning (e.g. explain to them realistically the amount of time needed for making real progress in English.)
Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful
21. Use short and interesting opening activities to star
teach class (e.g. fun games.) Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful 22. Involve students as much as possible in designing
and running the language course (e.g. provide them with opportunities to select the textbooks;
make real choices about the activities and topics they are going to cover; decide whom they would like to work with.)
Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful
23. Establish a good relationship with your students. Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful
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24. Encourage student participation by assigning activities that require active involvement from each participant (e.g. group presentation or peer teaching.)
Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful
25. Give good reasons to students as to why a
particular activity is meaningful or important. Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful 26. Try and find out about your students’ needs, goals
and interest, and then build these into your curriculum as much as possible.
Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful
27. Allow students to create products that they can display or perform (e.g. a poster, an information brochure or a radio programme.)
Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful
28. Encourage learners to try harder by making it clear
that you believe that they can do the tasks. Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful 29. Give students choices in deciding how and when
they will be assessed/evaluated. Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful 30. Create a supportive and pleasant classroom
climate where students are free from embarrassment and ridicule.
Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful
31. Display the ‘class goals’ on the wall and review them regularly in terms of the progress made towards them.
Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful
32. Bring various authentic cultural products (e.g.
magazines, newspapers or song lyrics) to class as supplementary materials.
Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful
33. Make clear to students that the important thing in learning a foreign language is to communicate meaning effectively rather than worrying about grammar mistakes.
Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful
34. Notice students’ contributions and progress, and
provide them with positive feedback. Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful 35. Include activities that require students to work in
groups towards the same goal (e.g. plan a drama performance) in order to promote cooperation.
Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful
36. Teach students various learning techniques that
will make their learning easier and more effective. Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful 37. Adopt the role of a ‘facilitator’ (i.e. Your role
would be to help and lead your students to think and learn in their own way, instead of solely giving knowledge to them.)
Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful
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38. Highlight the usefulness of English and encourage your students to use their English outside the classroom (e.g. internet chat room or English speaking pen-friends.)
Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful
39. Motivate your students by increasing the amount
of English you use in class. Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful 40. Share with students that you value English
learning as a meaningful experience that produces satisfaction and which enriches your life.
Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful
41. Avoid ‘social comparison’ amongst your students (i.e. comparing them to each other for example when listing their grades in public.)
Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful
42. Encourage learners to see that the main reason for most failure is that they did not make sufficient effort rather than their poor abilities.
Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful
43. Make tasks attractive by including novel or fantasy
elements so as to raise the learners’ curiosity. Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful 44. Encourage student to share personal experiences
and thoughts as part of the learning tasks. Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful 45. Enrich the channel of communication by
presenting various auditory and visual aids such as pictures, realia, tapes and films.
Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful
46. Show students that their effort and achievement
are being recognized by you. Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful 47. Try to be yourself in front of students without
putting on an artificial ‘mask,’ and share with them your hobbies, likes and dislikes.
Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful
48. Give students opportunities to assess themselves (e.g. give themselves marks according to their overall performance.)
Not helpful ___:___:___:___:___:___Very helpful
Finally, would you please answer the following short questions:
6. What’s your gender? Male _____ Female _____
7. Which region do you come from?
A. Capital B. North (without capital) C. Center D. South 8. In what sort of place is the school you teach?
A. City B. Town C. Village