The Role of Motivation in SLA Among The Students of School of Education at Khazar University

Abstract

The thesis deals with the issue of motivation among the students of School of Education at Khazar University. Motivation plays a great role in the learning process, especially in the acquisition of the second language (SLA).

The issue of motivation is exceptionally important in the process of learning a foreign language . Motivation bears a special significance for any human act, as well as for knowledge. It is noteworthy that in the first stage of learning a foreign language, as a rule, high motivation is important. The students are willing to express their thoughts in English, to read and know about other English speaking countries. However, in the process of acquiring a foreign language the relationships among students change due to difficult and hard work. As this process supposes the period of mastering knowledge, habits and abilities; overcoming of difficulties that stimulates achieving goals. Motivation can be reduced, interaction disappears, willing weakens, participation decreases and all of these, in its turn, negatively influence on learning motivation. The theoretical and methodological basis of the research is the activity approach, according to which the human psyche and its needed motivational sphere do not only manifest themselves, but also are formed in activity; the theory of contextual learning of motivation; ideas for the development of the motivational sphere of an individual; theory of the role of motivation in learning a foreign language; Western concepts of studying motivation (R. Gardner, M. Williams, J. Harmer); theory of teaching English (I.A. Zimnyaya, I.L. Kolesnikova, E..N Solovova); theory of active learning.