10
a. Definition of Motivation
“Motivation is concerned with one’s reasons for learning the language, the strategies used to achieve these goals, the effort put
into learning and one’s ability to sustain that effort” Richards, 1994, p. 4. Motivation has frequently been
reported to be the most critical factor for success in the language learning process. Motivation has been widely accepted by teachers and researchers as one of the
key factors influencing the success of language learning Ely, 1986; Dornyei, 1994; Williams Burden, 1997 in Li Pan, 2005. Brown 2007 states that
motivation is a star player in the cast of characters connected to language learning around the world. It plays an important role of success and failure.
Motivation helps students get started. Sometimes, it will be hard for students to start learning new knowledge and new skills of language through new subjects
in a new semester. Many questions will appear in students’ mind. Motivation
helps students get started because motivation involves the student’s reason for
attempting to acquire the language Schumann, 1986. Therefore, realizing the reason can help students to set the goal and plan strategies to achieve the goal.
Motivation helps students keep moving in language learning process. Since motivated students have an effort put into learning and also have ability to sustain
that effort, the students can face difficulties and challenges in the process of learning.
Moreover, Hedge 2000, p. 23 emphasizes that “motivation is crucial in
the classroom, whether learners arrive with it or whether they acquire it through classroom experience.” Motivation escorts the process of learning.
Motivation makes students do more than necessary. Motivation leads students to have an effort to achieve the goals, consciously or unconsciously
11 students will do better and more than necessary. The students will explore and use
all their knowledge and skills in language learning process. Reece and Walker 1997 express that a less capable student who is highly motivated can achieve a
greater success than the more intelligent student who is not well motivated. Motivation makes the journey fun. Students who do not have motivation
might think that the journey to succeed is long and difficult. Differently, students who are motivated will see the long journey as an enjoyable travel. Donald 2008
argues that motivation enables students to endure such difficult times. A motivated individual will enjoy learning the language and will strive to learn the
language Gardner, 1985. In language learning,
“motivation determines the extent of active, personal involvement in language learning
” Oxford Shearin, 1994, p. 121. Motivation leads the students to be self-directed. A highly-motivated student begins to want a
greater responsibility for their own learning. “Self-directed students gradually
gain greater involvement and proficiency ” Oxford, 1990, p. 10.
Motivation has a strong effect on students’ achievement in numerous
studies. Bank and Finlapson 1980 concluded that successful students were found to have significantly higher motivation for achievement than unsuccessful
students did. Clement, Dornyei and Noels 1994 revealed that achievement in English language of Hungarian students was significantly related to motivational
indices. Johnson 1996 found that academic achievement was highly correlated with
students’ motivation. A quantitative study done by Sikhwari 2007 at the University of Venda in South Africa, suggested that highly motivated students
tried to achieve academic success through attending classes regularly and PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI