Abstract:

Motivation is a complex, but very important aspect of teacher efficacy and an individual characteristic that accounts for all the different degrees of commitment to the profession. Motivation plays an essential role in any learning situation but the specific aim of this report is to investigate the concept of motivation within the context of foreign language teaching and determine the factors that affect English teachers’ motivation in schools.

First the term ‘motivation’ was presented as well as the different approaches that explain it. The types of motivation were also defined. The study was carried out during an educational seminar for English teachers in Budva, Montenegro. Thirty-six teachers from eighteen countries took part in it and participated in 3 focus groups. The aim of the discussions in the focus groups was to gather information about what motivates English teachers to devote to their profession, do better than other colleagues and persist in doing so.

The factors that determine teachers’ motivation are distributed in two groups – contextual and individual. The factors that could be outlined as undermining teachers’ motivation were also discussed.

Teachers’ motivation is very closely linked to students’ learning and therefore very important both for the educational system and the economic well-being of a country. Modern students require the use of all the available technologies in the educational process. The constant emergence of new applications, teaching resources and devices makes the task of the English teachers even more demanding and stressful which can additionally undermine their motivation for good performance and professional development. Therefore, policymakers have to take into consideration the factors that determine teachers’ motivation and promote policies that will strengthen teachers’ willingness to persist in their classroom efficacy and professional growth.

Keywords:

English teachers, motivation, factors, student learning.