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hard work and persistence. The locus of causality for learners’ hard work and persistence apparently comes from the learners’ intrinsic motivation.
Intrinsic motivation theorists claim that human being is naturally settled with learning related activities. Stipek 1993: 59 endorsed that external
reinforcement is not necessarily needed because learning is naturally reinforcing. Intrinsic motivation is obviously not subject to direct observation because it is an
abstract domain. However, it can still be inferred from continuous observations which eventually lead to a general pattern. For example, some learners exhibit
interest and enjoyment during completing the supplied tasks whereas some others do not. In other words, individuals learn best when they engage themselves in
learning activities for their own intrinsic motivation. That is all because they want to rather than because they have to. Working on tasks for intrinsic motivation is
more enjoyable. It also leads to more beneficial learning results compared to working on tasks for extrinsic motivation, such as pleasing a person in authority,
obtaining rewards, avoiding punishments, and the like.
3. Learning Styles
It is important to note that language aptitude is not the only factor that determines whether or not learners can acquire a language Stipek, 1993: 9. Other
factors that affect learning outcomes are native ability, age, contexts of learning, background experiences, qualifications, style preferences, availability of time,
quality of the input, and many more. It is worth-noting that learners with low language aptitude could achieve the same level of proficiency as they who have
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high language aptitude by various other factors, such as individual distinctive learning styles. It implies that style preference also contributes to the success of
learners’ learning results. Researchers have observed that learners’ learning approach may vary in a
significantly different manner. Cohen and Dornyei as cited in Schmitt, 2002: 176 claimed that the concept of learning styles has been used to refer to these existing
differences .
Learning styles seems to be relatively stable since they are formed from each individual’s past experience and gradually become a habit of learning.
Therefore, teachers may not have such a direct influence on this learners’ variable. Hereby, learning styles may promote a better language learning.
It is necessary to distinguish learning strategies and cognitive styles. Learning strategies are flexible whereas cognitive styles are in-built, habitual in
use and fairly fixed. Pupils might develop learning strategies in order to help them in situations where their styles do not match the task being done Riding, 2002:
99. Since learning styles is fairly fixed, individuals may find difficulties when their style does not fit the task assigned. They cannot change their styles but they
can develop strategies to carry out the given tasks at ease. Moreover, it enables them to effectively encounter particular learning situations. Learning styles are
both individually and culturally motivated. Within a particular context, certain learning preferences among individuals are evidently seen. It means that not
everyone within a culture group has the same learning preferences but the culture clearly plays a role in the development of our preferences.
