Based on the research, intrinsic motivation is the ideal motivation in teaching learning activity. The major advantages of keeping intrinsic motivation
are the students will really explore the ability and their memory about their understanding on the lesson could stay longer. This explanation makes the teacher
arouse students’ intrinsic motivation in the classroom in order to protect the students’ knowledge in the future. Nevertheless, sometimes the actual condition in
teaching learning activities forces the teacher to ignore their responsibility in
protecting the students’ intrinsic motivation.
1.2 Problem Identification
Considering the condition that elementary school students still have not realized the importance of learning English for their future and English still
becomes a difficult subject for them. It would be hard to expect intrinsic motivation from the elementary school students. Then, some teachers try to think
about giving reward for example stuff, grade, reward, or praise for the students who are willing to participate in the activities in class. For example, the teacher
offers chocolate to the students who want to answer questions, or who want to come in front of the class and read the dialogue.
Some teachers assume that extrinsic reward is the easiest and efficacious way to focus the students attention and to make the students join the classroom
activities. It is true because the teachers only have to prepare the students favorite things, for example chocolate, toys, or interesting activities and to offer them, and
then wait for the result. Actually, it is not only the matter of giving or offering.
There are some dangerous effects if teachers do not control the use of reward in their classroom.
Researchers find out that uncontrolled reward could have bad effect to the students intrinsic motivation Atkinson, 1964; deCharms, 1968; Murray, 1964 in
Deci, 1971. “Uncontrolled” means giving or offering extrinsic reward without having some basic considerations about the appropriate time, kinds and the effect
of such kinds of extrinsic reward toward students’ intrinsic motivation. Deci and Ryan state that extrinsic reward could be useful in the classroom if the teacher
really understands when he or she should give extrinsic reward and how to manage it Ryan; Mims; Koestner: 1983. Without those considerations, extrinsic
reward will cause harmful effects in the classroom activities which could undermine the ideal motivation in learning Ryan, Mims, Koestner: 1983. Thus,
the teacher should be careful in deciding the appropriate time to deliver and in managing the use of it in classroom.
In order to achieve the goal in mastering English, it seems that there should be an investigation about the use of extrinsic reward in elementary school.
It should be conducted in order to protect student’s intrinsic motivation in
learning.
1.3 Problem Limitation
