Maintaining the Motivation of Japanese University Students

by Kevin Burns

"Maintaining learner motivation is a challenge faced by most teachers in the classroom. In an EFL context, one way of meeting this challenge is trhough proper application of CALL technologies in support of pedagogically-sound approaches to language learning. In recent years, researchers have demonstrated how CALL, can positively affect L2 learner motivation (Egbert, 2003; Fotos, 2004; Warschauer, 1996);moreover, other research has examined how Web 2.0 technologies, in particular, have helped to create motivating learner environments (Alm-Lequeux, 2004). For example, the inclusion of Blogging software into an L2 writing curriculum can help stimulate and narrow subjects of discussion into appropriate topics for writing assignments. Video posting sites, such as You Tube, can help showcase students` original work, as well as create an opportunity to dialog with others about their work; thus as Alm-Lequeux has argued, these technologies can help balance and promote notions of learner relatedness, competence and autonomy to create a more motivating learning experience."

--Charles E. Robertson, Veteran English Teacher in Japan

Increase your success by using a diary about what motivates Japanese students. Almost everyone enjoys music, movies, reading books, drawing,or playing and watching sports (or any one of these). I try to bring some of these activities to the classroom. I do it in ways as outlined by Robertson above and other low tech ways, such as simply bringing in an English boardgame into the classroom.

At the start of the class term, I ask all of my university students to write a self-introduction. In it they write about their favourite hobbies, sports, and other activities. This gives me an idea of which activities to do in class.

Sports Newspaper Project -- The Classroom Olympics

Once per term in a classroom full of students who enjoy sports,I bring in various table top sports games such as: table hockey,table top baseball, electric football, foosball (table soccer) and I even have a table top bowling game. The students love it! We have a tournament in which I divide them into teams of 2-4 students depending on class size and how much time we have to get through the tournament. As they play they take notes on the results of the games and important events that happened, ie) Who scored, or what interesting things occurred during the tournament.

I pre-teach sports related vocabulary and give them a list of sports related words with Japanese translations. Dictionary use is encouraged as well.

It is amazing to see previously unmotivated serious faced students come to life, with smiles as they see the Tokyo Giants on the field of the table top baseball game. They enthusiastically take notes about what happened in the third inning. The quality of writing they produce about this tournament is surprisingly good. Enjoyment does seem to stimulate and lead to better quality work.

If your students are advanced enough you could turn this activity into a TV broadcast with students filming the sports and reporting live (while recording) the broadcast. They could interview the players. Or if not advanced, you could scaffold the activity with pre-taught phrases the students could use in the broadcast.

Class Art Project

Some of my students are not so skilled at speaking nor writing in English, but they are artistic. I try to find some way of motivating and rewarding the less skilled students. Repeatedly getting a "C" is pretty demotivating and bringingout some of the other ways people learn is always a good idea.

I send the students outside to draw something they think is beautiful. I usually do this in my writing classes, but you could do it as a pairwork activity after they draw their pictures.

I want them to know that studying English isn`t just studying from some boring textbook. We can do interesting things.

The students write about why they picked the scene they drew. Where is it? Why do they like it? What feelings does it bring out in them?

This activity like others I feel, helps students to realize that nglish isn`t about textbooks, it is about communicating feelings. It is a way of sharing with others.

Group Music Project

Almost everyone likes music.

I put the students into groups of 5 or 6 and they write about some of the singers and bands they enjoy listening to. Once finished their writing, they make a presentation to the class.I do this activity in both speaking and writing classes.

Each group member takes a turn telling us about their favourite singer. Then we listen to one song from each band (timepermitting).

Graded Readers Activities

Many publishers including Penguin, Oxford and Cambridge offer graded readers for students. I have slowly built up my own collection for students to borrow. As well, the university and high school I work for have large collections of them in their libraries.

The students borrow and read a book that interests them. I try to emphasize that the book should be interesting and easy to read. The students (hopefully) will comprehend that reading English books is fun, and not so difficult. It is a real thrill for some students to finish a book and realize they have read their first English book!

I have found in over twenty years of teaching English to Japanese that the students that enjoy reading English books are the best in all skills of English. They are always the best speakers!

15 fun ways to switch students on to graded readers (easy readers)

Read more about teaching at Japanese universities at our university teaching page.