Teacher–Student Relationships and L2 Motivation

Abstract

Positive relationships with teachers are important for students' second language motivation. However, little is known about how interpersonal interactions stimulate motivated behavior. Drawing on studies of teacher-student relationships, theories from positive psychology, and the psychology of unconscious selfregulation, this case study examines moments of teacher-student interaction and explores influences on students' engagement and motivation. Observations (N = 15) were carried out in 2 classrooms, and interviews with the focal teacher of this study and her students were conducted. Data were analyzed using a grounded theory ethnography approach. Findings indicate that moments of close personal contact and their influences may differ in emerging and mature teacher-student relationships. While in emerging relationships moments of contact can have immediate influences on engagement and motivation, in mature relationships influences on learning behavior may be less pronounced and involve unconscious motivational processes. The study's methodological limitations are discussed and proposals are made for future ethnographic and experimental work.

An Investigation into Undergraduate Students’ Perception of Kahoot Mediated E-Assessment

“…In educational context, the teacher-student interactions have been acknowledged as a crucial factor for the students to meet the demands of cognitive and affective learning outcomes in school (Cadima et al, 2010;Pennings et al, 2018). Recent research has also recognized that such interpersonal connectedness can positively affect the students" L2 motivation (Henry & Thorsen, 2018).…”

“…as an auspicious tool in increasing the students" motivation. In the context of L2 learning, the greater academic motivation the students have, the greater engagement during lessons they will demonstrate that is closely associated with their academic achievement (Henry & Thorsen, 2018;Lauermann & Barbosa, 2018;Rajab et al, 2012). For this reason, it is considered essential to be integrated into the classroom.…”

Teachers’ self-disclosures and influences on students’ motivation: A relational perspective

“…In the context of relational histories, each identity orientation taking place when a self-disclosure is made by a teacher can be understood as a micro-accrual in an ongoing process of relationship development. Although these ideas are only beginning to be explored in language learning psychology (Henry and Thorsen 2018), the notion that relationships arise in and from moment-to-moment interactions is well-established in mainstream education research. In work examining teacher-student relationships and influences on students' classroom behaviors, moments during lessons when students experience a close personal connection with a teacher have been shown to have both situational and long-term effects, moments of contact functioning as building blocks from which motivationally-positive relationships are constructed (Korthagen, Attema-Noordewier, and Zwart 2014).…”

“…The data comes from the Motivational Teaching in Swedish Secondary English project where ethnographic observations of secondary school English language lessons in Sweden were conducted. The project methodology is described in Henry and Thorsen (2018) and in the supplementary material.…”

Online Media Creation and L2 Motivation: A Socially Situated Perspective

“…In the Motivational Teaching in Swedish Secondary English (MoTiSSE) project, ethnographic research was carried out in the classrooms of 16 English teachers identified as knowledgeable about and interested in students’ out‐of‐school activities involving English, as having a professional practice informed by these insights, and as having students who were generally motivated. A detailed account of the recruitment procedures is provided in Henry and Thorsen (, ).…”