AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE IMPACT OF EXTRINSIC MOTIVATION…….
Table of contents
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List of figures
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List of tables
Table 4.1: Students’ reasons for learning English Error: Reference source not found
Table 4.2 : Teachers’ difficulties in organizing communicative activities . Error: Reference
source not found
Table 4.3:Teachers’ ways of giving feedback for students’ correct answers Error:
Reference source not found
Table 4.4: Ways of giving feedback for students’ incorrect answers Error: Reference
source not found
Table 4.5: Negative effects of extrinsic motivation on high school students’ English
learning process. Error: Reference source not found
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ABTRACT
The research “An investigation into the impact of extrinsic motivation on the
process of learning English of students at some high schools in Hue” is performed with
an eye to providing high school teachers and students with a deep, comprehensible view
of the role as well as the positive and negative effects of extrinsic motivation on the
process of learning English of high school students. To fulfill the above purposes, the
research paper consists of five chapters .Chapter 1 provides background information,
rationale , the aim of the research and then states three research questions. In the chapter
2, the relevant theories and documents of the previous researchers on this filed are
selected carefully and cited appropriately for the content and scope of this study. Next, in
the chapter 3, the data for this research are gathered from the questionnaires, interviews
and observation sheets. Questionnaire is distributed to 100 students and 15 teachers. The

curriculum is divided into three majors which is quite equivalent to the majors of the
University entrance exams , which is helpful for students in choosing the majors, subjects
that they like to prepare University entrance exam and English subject maintains its
presence among chart- topping choices. Additionally, in the recent years, the text books
for high school students have a lot of remarkable changes. The text books in general, and
the English text books in particular are classified into the standard text book and
advanced text book, which partly meets the demands of boosting English skill of the
students who want to major in English in the future
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However, it was observed in reality that many students still can’t find out
motivation for learning English especially extrinsic motivation . “Extrinsic motivation
refers to motivation that comes from outside an individual. The motivating factors are
external, or outside, rewards such as money or grades. These rewards provide
satisfaction and pleasure that the task itself may not provide. ( Bainbridge , 2014) for the
following reasons
For one thing, apart from the considerable changes of text books, teacher ‘s
teaching method and still has not changed considerably yet.
Although the new text books focus on teaching and practicing the four English
skills including listening, speaking, reading, writing for students, most English teachers
still only concentrate on mainly teaching vocabulary and grammar. For this reason, most
students are considered as parrots because they only know to learn by heart vocabulary
and rigid grammar rules. This is the cause of the fact that more and more high school
students tend to feel bored and sleepy in English classes because most of them can’t
almost find out any motivation for learning English.
In addition, the content and format of tests and exams aren’t compatible with the
curriculum. As mentioned above, the curriculum revolves around four skills of English ,
whereas the content of test only concentrate on principally vocabulary, grammar, a little
bit writing skills for the entrance exam at University in 2014 . Because of this, to meet

motivation, especially extrinsic motivation plays a crucial role in students’ English
learning success.
Last but not least, although until now, there have been a number of studies
involving “ Learner Motivation” such as “ Factor influencing learners’ intrinsic
motivation in the process of learning” (Doan Ngoc Ai Phuong, 2010), “ An investigation
of the relationship between motivational strategies & Ss' success in learning English at
upper-secondary schools in Hue" (Ho Thi Ngoc Han, 2002) , so on ,in my hometown,
there has not study which provides updated information as well as investigates and
analyzes learner ‘s extrinsic motivation deeply yet.
For the above reasons, I decided to choose the topic “An investigation into the
impact of extrinsic motivation on process of learning English of students at some
high schools in Hue” to investigate
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1.2. Aim of research:
The research was conducted with the aim of investigating the perception of
teachers and students of the role as well as the impact of extrinsic motivation on teaching
and learning English process at high schools at Hue. From this, the research make an
attempt to raise awareness of teachers of the importance of extrinsic motivation towards
students’ success in learning English and find suggestions for motivating students in
English classes. Therefore, I have chosen the topic “An investigation into the impact of
extrinsic motivation on process of learning English of students at some high schools
in Hue”.
In order to fulfill the purpose mentioned above. I hereby
make an enormous effort to seek the answers for the following questions.
1. What is teachers’ and students’ perception of the role of extrinsic motivation in
the process of learning English of high school students?
2. What is teachers’ and students’ perception of positive effects as well as
negative effects of extrinsic motivation on the process of learning English of students at

increasingly concerned and investigated by ample experts. Nevertheless, the researcher is
still thirsty for exploiting deeply the impact of extrinsic motivation on the process of
learning English of students at high schools with the aim of enhancing the quality of
teaching and learning English in high school. To fulfill the purpose above, in this part,
the researcher will focus on gathering useful, reliable experts’ and researchers ‘
information, opinions, involving this topic from a variety of sources such as books, webs,
magazines with the aim of providing the foundations as well as valuable data for my
study.
2.1. Definition of motivation
Since the emergence of conception of motivation, it has grabbed special attention
of a lot of researchers, experts on this field. The major reason is that motivation plays an
indispensable part in English learning success. Until now, there have been some various
theories of motivation.
Geen( 1982) confirmed that motivation refers to the initiation, direction, intensity
and persistence of human behavior. Apparently, motivation is the desire, determination
and willingness to do something. According to Little Wood (1984) “ Motivation is the
crucial force which determine if a learner motivation centres on the task at all, how much
energy he devotes to it, how long he preserves”. However, there are opposing views of
theories of motivation. Dornyei (2001) confirmed “ There are over 20 internationally
recognized theories of motivation with many opposing point of views”. Kong (2009) has
contrasting opinion of concept of motivation. He believed that motivation is something
like the engine and steering wheel of automobile that can moves students from boredom
to interest. This means that motivation is inner power that pushes students forward,
encourages them to study harder. Cook (1996) stated the conception of motivation for
teachers “The meaning of motivation for the teacher is probably the interest that
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something generate in students such as participant exercises, or particular songs make
students involve in class”.

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motivation that is deprived from external factors.It is apparent that extrinsic motivation
comes from outside the individual.
2.4. Definition of extrinsic motivation
Extrinsic motivation comes from outward factors involving rewards,
success/failure, feedback, teachers’ methodology, personality, tests, etc. That is to say,
students make an enormous effort to study hard in order not to yearn for knowledge but
gain the satisfaction or compelling rewards ‘s their parents, win teacher ‘s love, belief
and receive friends’ admiration, respect. Obviously, the aim of learning is not for
understanding but for outward rewards with a view to gaining self- esteem, admiration,
recognition.
2.5. The role of motivation in the process of learning English of high
school students
So far, many researchers proved and clarified the importance of motivation in
teaching and learning process especially language teaching and learning process. Most of
them come to the conclusion that motivation is an indispensable factor in successful
learning English
Concerning this role of motivation, Brown (2000) proved that “ It is easy to
measure that success in the task is due simply to the fact that someone is “ motivated”. It
is easy in second language to claim that a learner will be success with the proper
motivation”
Sharing with common point of view, some researchers such as Brophy (1998)
have put forward the ideas that students learn best when being motivated. When students
are motivated, they will set proper goal, invest effort, persist in goal by studying hard,
attending activities enthusiastically and achieve the goal. Furthermore, Cook (1996) also
emphasized that some learners do better than others because they are better motivation. It
is clear that students who don’t have proper learning motivation will find it difficult to
attend the class, take part in activities in English classes. Truer ( 2002) also added that
apart from English knowledge, intelligence, skill, students need to identify proper and
positive motivation. Students are often motivated for ample reasons, but in many cases,

focus on interaction between student and student more than interaction between teacher
and student , which makes students feel equal roles to teacher and more comfortable to
express their capability. According to Littlewood (1981), teachers’ role are various as a
classroom manager, general observer, an instructor, a consultant, an advisor or a co-
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communicator. Sharing the same point, Baker and Westrup (2003) claimed that
“Teachers are a model, a prompt, an organizer, an encounter and a monitor”. Teachers
model the correct answer and then ask students to repeat until they are correct and
confident about the pronunciation of a new language, He/she is regarded as a prompt that
encourages students to think about how to use the new language in an appropriate context
during the practice stage.
To begin with methodology, teachers’ teaching method has considerable effects
on learner motivation. Students are really motivated if teachers use appropriate
methodology. Therefore, for subjects in the high school curriculum in general and for
English in particular, methodology renovation is really necessary. It is greatly essential
for teachers to find out the factors that influence students’ motivation and success, then
think and select suitable teaching methods to enhance their motivation. Ho (2002) and
Harmer (1991come to terms that teachers’ teaching method impact upon students’
learning motivation. The students can strengthen their motivation if teachers’ teaching
method is appropriate, interesting. Conversely, it is very easy for students to demotivate
if teachers have bored, repetitive methodology.
Besides, teacher characteristics play a crucial role in encouraging students’
effort and contribution in English classes. Firstly, teacher talk takes a very vital part in
teaching English for students including instruction, explanation, questions, speech
modification, type and number of questions asked and error correction.
Firstly, teacher s’ speech modification make language easier comprehend,
in turn help learner to acquire the target language. Also, “ It has been that teachers tends
to talk for about two-thirds of the available class time”. ( Nunan, 1989, p.25). Learners

know the answer, whereas, a referential question is one to which the person asking the
question doesn’t know the question. Virtually questions outside the classroom are
referential questions, while in the class, display questions are used much more. Questions
that teachers put play utmost important role in motivating students. In my view,
questions are selected carefully by teachers. Teachers should try to put forward the open
questions instead of taking the questions from the textbook. However, the questions need
to be related to the content of lesson in order that it is not difficult for students to think
and find out the answers.
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Furthermore, according to Nunan (1989), error corrections together with formal
instructions are language teachers’ function. The classroom interaction distinguishes the
interaction outside the classroom is the existence of error correction
Above all, teachers’ personality plays a prequisite role in motivating students.
Teachers need to practice the good dignity so that students take their teachers as their
example and follow. Additionally, a teacher having a good personality will make
students respect and more easily for students to follow their teachers. Furthermore,
teachers’ attitudes are very critical. Apart from teaching, teachers need to make an effort
to care students and understand them. Nunan (1989) advised teachers that “You may
find a small number who, whilst giving priority to their own subjects, are quite interested
in what the students are doing in their English lessons. If so you might be able to foster
this interest and use it to the advantage of your students”.That teachers remember
students’ name is a dramatical advantage. It is easy for teachers to create friendly
relationship with students, attract students ‘attention, speed up the organizing of pair and
group work. For students, it produces a secure class
As mentioned above, the teachers actually play utmost important in enhancing
students’ motivation, stimulating students to enthusiastically take part in activities in
English classes.
2. 6.2. Cooperative/ Communicative activities

In each group, students have duties to brainstorm, think about the task and finish it as
soon as possible. This means that students must know how to interact with another one
and achieve the common goal. It is obvious that group work helps students have
responsibility in their learning .Moreover, they can recognize their responsibility in their
peers’ learning. The reason is that through group work, the weaker students can learn a
lot of thing from the better ones. Thanks to the assistance of the good students, the weak
students can make considerable improvement. In addition, teacher can give useful
guidance and feedback with an eye to helping students learn better and self- assess their
progress in learning English because they can have ample chance to fill their knowledge
with support ‘s other people. The better students and teacher are actually motivation for
weaker students in English learning. At the same time, the good students can jump at
opportunity to help their friends and revise the lesson
Also, group work is considered as a type of social interaction, which helps
students establish and develop social skills, such as requesting, making suggestions for
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arguing, especially cooperative skills, increasing their confidence. In addition, the
students in the same class grab a lot of opportunity to be in collaboration with each other
and create good relationship between the student and the student. This makes enhance
higher level of students talking to communicate in English. For instance, to solve the
challenging and complicated tasks, students need to cooperate with each other.
According to Reid (2007) , “ A constructive and positive group working harmoniously
can be significant motivator. A motivated group will be able to pull the resources of all
the members of the group together and this can be a strong motivating force”. Teachers
should assign students to make group based their relationship in the class, interest.
Assigning students having the similar interest in the same group will motivate them so
much. Together with group work, pair work makes an important contribution towards
encouraging students to participate in activities in English class. Students working in
pairs or groups feel confident than students working alone. Working in pairs is the best

English teachers. The major reason is that room isn’t large, the design of table and chair
isn’t suitable. Additionally, the number of students in class is still crowded. This causes
the lack of efficiency of arrangement and organization these activities. It is obvious that
it is necessary to improve and enhance educational facilities to facilitate learning and
teaching process.
On the whole, using cooperative /communicative activities are actually effective
strategy in English teaching and learning process. It includes various benefits such as
promoting communication and social skills. The most important point is that they help
students foster English learning motivation.
2.6. 3. Feedback
As aforementioned, feedback plays an important role in motivating children.
However, there are still different definitions about feedback. According to Oxford
Advanced Learners’ Dictionary as (2000, p.487) feedback is “ advice, criticism or
information about how good or useful something or somebody ‘s work is” (page 487) .It
is different from correction . Wajnryb (1991) pointed out that “ how close their attempt at
English is to some form of standard English” .
Littlewood (1990) claimed that feedback as the knowledge that is provided for
students to let me know “ how successful their performance has been” . According to
Hattie ( 1993) “ Feedback is a part of the overall dialogue or interaction between teacher
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and learner, not a one way communication. It helps direct students to improve by
providing information involving students’ ability and inability. Ur (1991) “ Feedback, in
the context of teaching general, feedback is the information that is given to the learner
about his / her performance of a learning task, usually with the objective of improving
this performance”(p.242)
For this reason, feedback not only are given at the end of task but also can are
given to students during learning process. For the reason is that teachers provide
feedback for students about their personal progress.

testing is one of best ways which enables the teacher to predict how students performs or
how they are progressing.
There are a variety of tests. Teachers should try to design the tests in the different
periods (pre-test, while-test, and review-test). From this, teachers not only evaluate the
progression of students but also help students recognize their progression as well as their
strengths and weakness that stimulate students considerably. For teachers, pre-test is
designed to gain an overview of students’ level.
Test results support teachers to plan the review material and identify potential
issues to be faced. From this, teachers can find out suitable solutions to help weak
students equip with more knowledge as well as foster understanding for good students.
Moreover, test results are important devices to help students recognize not only their
advances but their shortcomings as well as with an eye to improving students’ scope of
knowledge. In addition, after finishing the test and getting the results of tests, it makes
easier for students to review the knowledge and evaluate their progress in each test. From
this, they can set proper learning goal.
2.6.5 . Learning environment:
Apart from these above factors, another factor playing a crucial role in capturing
students’ attention to lectures, arousing their enthusiasm, interest in taking part in
activities in English classes is class atmosphere. Dornyei ( 2001) stated that “ Classroom
are rather intricate microcosms where students spend a great deal of their life. Besides,
being the venue where students acquire skills and learn about the world. Classroom is
also where they make friends, fall in love, rebel against the previous generation”. This
has positive or negative effects on learning motivation together with the psychology of
students. In view of learning environment, a class needs to be equipped with full of
lights, suitable chairs and tables for age and weigh of students, clean and large class,
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fresh air. Moreover, it will make it easier for students to hear teachers’ lecture if teachers
know how to adjust their voice to suit the condition. Additionally, there are various

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resources and equipment available to us in the classroom, as well as the resources we can
bring into the class. Actually, teaching aids are only equipment supporting teaching and
learning activities. Most researchers come to terms that the teaching aids can be
classified into kinds including visual aids, auditory aids and audio-visual aids. Visual
aids are illustrated pictures, charts, maps, flashcards and other dimensional objects.
Auditory aids are equipment that supporting hearing and audio-visual aids are equipment
supporting hearing and sight such as film, television, video, projectors. To prepare the
teaching aids for a lesson, teachers need to spend much time and energy even money.
However, they are really so helpful and useful if teachers know how to use
properly. The reason is that the teaching aids help students follow the lesson easily, get
main points of lesson, limit the teachers’ talking time, create a lively, happy class
atmosphere. With the stimulating, relaxed class atmosphere, students are eager to
discover and acquire new knowledge and practice English skills. Wright( 1996)
emphasized the importance of visual aids especially pictures “ Picture can motivate
students and make them pay attention to and want to take part in the activities; can
stimulate and provide information to be referred to in conversation, discussion and story
telling.”(p.17). Sharing this view point, Bao and Phan
(2003) also agreed that visual aids motivate students especially flash cards “ Flash cards
are motivating and eye-catching. Flash cards are used mainly for presenting new lexical
items, though they may also used to teach grammar, structures or for review”. Regarding
teachers, by using these useful teaching aids for illustrating, clarifying and consolidating,
teachers can renew the lesson, teaching method, create a dynamic, supportive class
atmosphere.
In conclusion, it is undeniable that teaching aids really play an important role in
creating English learning motivation for students, enhance the efficiency of learning and
teaching English .
Besides, curriculum , homework, friends, parents play an important role in
motivating students.
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higher self-esteem and self-confidence than in other classroom structures. This kind of
activity gives them expectancy of success, sense of obligation, moral responsibility,
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autonomy. Because of this, the key successful of collaborative, cooperative work is
student autonomy. Specially, games are activities which are expected by students most.
“Games are by definition, fun, and nearly everyone would agree that if learning can be
made enjoyable, then students will learn more. “ (Celce- Murcia and Macintosh, 1979,
p.56)
Thirdly, positive, constructive feedback have an good influence on students’
learning English . “ Motivational feedback should prompt the learner to reflect
constructively on areas that need improvements and identify things that he/she can do to
increase the effectiveness of learning.”This kind of feedback is often termed “ positive
information feedback.” ( Raffini, 1993, cited in Dornyei, 2001)
Hadfield (2008) claimed that “Feedback can simply take the form of saying “
Well-done”. It is important to give positive feedback as it boosts the learners’ confidence
and motivates them for further activities” (p.150). As a matter of fact, it cannot only
reduce students’ anxiety, build students’ self-confident, competence but also motivate
them to continue their study with increasing effort and energy . The striking reason is that
it offers praise to increase learner satisfaction and lift learning spirit. Positive feedback is
invaluable source of encouragement for students. In practice, encouragement is the
positive persuasive expression of the belief that someone has the capability of achieving
a certain goal. It can explicitly make the learner aware of personal strength and abilities,
or it can indirectly communicate that we trust the person.
In short, extrinsic motivation help students recognize their success more easily.
Moreover, they can have chance to show their ability by receiving rewards, positive
feedback from teachers or getting high marks in English tests. Because of this, students
make an effort to study harder.
2.7.2 . The negative effects of extrinsic motivation on students’ English