A study on motivations of 10th grade students in learning english writing skills at son tay high school, hanoi m a thesis linguistics 60 14 01 11

VIET NAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY-HA NOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGE & INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF POST – GRADUATE STUDIES
*****************

CAO THỊ MINH

A STUDY ON MOTIVATIONS OF 10

TH

GRADE STUDENTS

IN LEARNING ENGLISH WRITING SKILLS
AT SON TAY HIGH SCHOOL, HANOI
(NGHIÊN CỨU VỀ CÁC ĐỘNG CƠ HỌC VIẾT TIẾNG
ANH CỦA HỌC SINH LỚP 10 TRƯỜNG TRUNG HỌC
PHỔ THÔNG SƠN TÂY, HÀ NỘI)

M.A. MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS

Field: English Teaching Methodology
Code: 60140111

Hanoi – 2014


VIET NAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY-HA NOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGE & INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF POST – GRADUATE STUDIES
*****************

CAO THỊ MINH

A STUDY ON MOTIVATIONS OF 10

TH

GRADE STUDENTS

IN LEARNING ENGLISH WRITING SKILLS
AT SON TAY HIGH SCHOOL, HANOI.
(NGHIÊN CỨU VỀ CÁC ĐỘNG CƠ HỌC VIẾT TIẾNG
ANH CỦA HỌC SINH LỚP 10 TRƯỜNG TRUNG HỌC
PHỔ THÔNG SƠN TÂY, HÀ NỘI)

M.A. MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS

Field: English Teaching Methodology
Code: 60140111
Supervisor: PHẠM THỊ THANH THÙY, PH.D

Hanoi – 2014


DECLARATION
I hereby declare that the minor thesis entitled “A Study on Motivations of 10th Grade
Students in Learning English Writing Skills at Son Tay High School, Hanoi” is the
result of my own work and effort in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the
degree of Master of Arts at Faculty of Post- Graduate Studies, Hanoi University of
Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University. The material in

this research has not been submitted to any other university or institution wholly and
partially.
Hanoi, November 10, 2014

Cao Thi Minh

i


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all, I wish to express my deepest gratitude to my supervisor, Dr. Phạm
Thị Thanh Thùy, for the insightful comments, criticism, wholehearted guidance and
kind support she gave me while I was carrying out this research.
My special thanks go to all the lecturers and staff of the Faculty of PostGraduate Studies, Hanoi University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam
National University, Hanoi, for their valuable knowledge and guidance and help
during my two years of study at the Faculty.
I am also grateful to my colleagues as well as my students at Son Tay High
School, who have helped me a lot in my data collection to fulfill this paper.
Last but not least, I would like to express my appreciation to my family for
their support and strong encouragement to me throughout the study.

ii


ABSTRACT
The study reported in this paper investigates the motivation in writing lessons
th

of 10 grade students at Son Tay High School to find out:
th

(1) types of motivation possessed by 10 grade students at Son Tay High
School.
(2)

th

factors affecting 10 grade students in writing lessons.
th

(3)
motivational strategies highly evaluated by 10 grade students in
writing
lessons.
th

The study was conducted with eighty 10 grade students and eight teachers of
English at Son Tay High School, Son Tay town, Hanoi. In this study, the researcher
used survey questionnaires and classroom observation sheets to collect data.
The results obtained from the analysis of responses to the questionnaires and
classroom observation sheet revealed the types of motivation of 10 graders, factors
affecting students’ motivation and motivational strategies preferred by students in
writing lessons. This study provided some recommendations for effective application
of motivational strategies in enhancing students’ writing skills as well. It is expected
that the results from the study could be of benefit to the teaching and learning of
English writing at Son Tay High School.

iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS
DECLARATION .......................................................................................................
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.......................................................................................
ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................
TABLE OF CONTENTS .........................................................................................
LIST OF TABLES AND CHARTS .......................................................................
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ................................................................................
PART A. INTRODUCTION .....................................................................................
1.

Rationale of the study ...................................................................................

2.

Aim of the study. ...........................................................................................

3.

Objectives of the study. .................................................................................

4.

Research questions. ......................................................................................

5.

Scope of the study ........................................................................................

6.

Methods of the study. ..................................................................................

7.

Significance of the study ............................................................................

8.

Design of the study .......................................................................................

PART B. DEVELOPMENT ......................................................................................
CHAPTER 1. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND. ..................................................
1.1.

Writing skills. ......................................................

1.1.1. Definitions and features of writing skills. ..................................................
1.1.2. Approaches to teaching writing ..................................................................
1.2.

Motivation ......................................... .................

1.2.1. Definition of motivation. ............................................................................
1.2.2. Types of motivation in foreign language learning. ....................................
1.2.3. The roles of motivation in foreign language learning..............................
1.2.4. Factors affecting motivation in foreign language learning .....................
1.3.

Previous researches. ............................................

1.4.

Summary. ............................................................

CHAPTER 2. METHODOLOGY. ..........................................................................

iv


2.1. The setting of the study...................................................................................................... 16
2.1.1. An overview of the research site............................................................................... 16
2.1.2. English teachers in Son Tay high school................................................................ 16
th

2.1.3. 10 grade students in Son Tay high school............................................................ 17
2.1.4. English teaching and learning situation at Son Tay High School...................... 17
2.2. Methods of the study.......................................................................................................... 18
2.2.1. The subjects of the study............................................................................................. 18
2.2.2. Data collection instruments........................................................................................ 19
2.2.3. Data collection procedures.......................................................................................... 19
2.2.4. Methods of data analysis............................................................................................. 20
2.3. Summary............................................................................................................................ 20
CHAPTER 3. DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS......................................................... 21
3.1. Students’ motivation..................................................................................................... ..21
3.1.1. Students’ interest in writing lessons........................................................................ 21
3.1.2. Types of motivation possessed by students............................................................ 22
3.1.3. Students’ participation in writing activities............................................................ 23
3.1.4. Factors affecting students’ motivation..................................................................... 25
3.1.5. Problems faced by students in learning writing skills......................................... 26
3.2. Attitudes of teachers to motivation in teaching writing skills for students.......27

3.2.1. Teachers’ time to motivate students in writing lessons....................................... 27
3.2.2. Teachers’ assistance during writing lessons........................................................... 28
3.2.3. Teachers’ responses to unwilling writers................................................................ 29
3.2.4. Problems faced by teachers in teaching writing skills......................................... 29
3.3. Strategies and activities to motivate students in learning writing skills............ 30
3.4. Findings. ……………………………………………………………………. 33
3.5. Summary............................................................................................................................ 34
PART C. CONCLUSION......................................................................................................... .36
1. Summary of the main ideas.............................................................................................. 36
2. Implications and Recommendations............................................................................... 37

v


3. Limitations............................................................................................................................ 39
4. Recommendations for further study................................................................................ 39
REFERENCES............................................................................................................................ 41
APPENDIX ………………………………………………………………………….I

vi


TABLES
Table 1

Re

Table 2

Stu

Table 3

Re

Table 4

Fac
ski
Pro

Table 5

ski
Table 6

Tea

Table 7

Tea

Table 8

Tea

Table 9

Pro

Table 10

Stu

Table 11

Stu
act

CHARTS
Chart 1

vii

Stu


LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

L2: Second language
M.A: Master of Art
IQ: Intelligence quotient

viii


PART A. INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale of the study.
Motivation has been considered a crucial factor determining the success of
language learning in general and English learning in particular. According to Dornyei,

motivation “has an important role in determining success or failure in any language
situation” (Dornyei, 2001:2). He also stated that “learners with sufficient motivation
can achieve a working knowledge of an L2”, while “even the brightest learners”
without sufficient motivation “are unlikely to persist long enough to attain any really
useful language” (Dornyei, 2001:5). Therefore, most language teachers have been
trying to find out different ways to motivate their students in language lessons with a
view to making their lessons most effective. However, most of them have not been
successful. The situation is not an exception at Son Tay High school, where the
researcher has been teaching English for eight years. Some English teachers at Son
Tay High School complained about their students’ indifference to English lessons,
especially English writing lessons. Meanwhile , many students claimed that they felt
stressed and reluctant in these lessons and did not want to write. In fact, it may be the
lack of motivation in writing lessons that prevents students from participating actively
into writing lessons and producing good pieces of writing. For the mentioned reasons,
the researcher found it necessary to carry out this minor research to find out types of
motivation possessed by 10

th

grade students, factors affecting their motivation in

learning English writing skills, and motivational strategies employed by teachers in
writing lessons, then base on which to suggest some motivational strategies to
improve the problem.
2. Aim of the study.
The study is aimed to find out what might motivate and help 10

th

grade

students at Son Tay high school learn better and improve their English writing skills.
3. Objectives of the study.
The objectives of the study are summarized as follows:

1


th

- to investigate types of motivation possessed by 10 grade students at Son Tay high
school in learning writing skills.
-

to examine factors affecting students’ motivation in learning writing skills.

-

to explore some motivational strategies preferred by students in writing lessons.

4. Research questions
To achieve the aim and objectives mentioned above, the following research
questions are addressed:
1.
skills?

th

What types of motivation do10 grade students have in learning writing

2. What are some main factors affecting students’ motivation in learning writing
skills?
3. What motivational strategies are highly evaluated by students in writing lessons ?
5. Scope of the study
This study examines types of motivation in learning English writing skills in
classroom possessed by 80 students of 10th grade at Son Tay high school. Such
factors affecting students’ motivation in learning writing skills as the ones relating to
learners, teachers and learning and teaching environment are also investigated in this
minor research. The results of the study and suggested motivational strategies will be
th

applied in writing lessons to enhance the writing skills of 10 grade students at Son
Tay high school, Hanoi.
6. Methods of the study
In this study, both qualitative and quantitative methods were employed. The
data were collected from:
(1)

th

A questionnaire for eighty 10 grade students: to find out their types of

motivation, activities enjoyed most by students and factors affecting their motivation;
(2) A questionnaire for eight teachers of English at Son Tay high school: to find out
activities and techniques used in writing lessons; some factors that can motivate
students in learning writing skills and some suggestions to motive students in
learning writing skills; (3) Classroom observation checklists were also used: to take
note data for the research.

2

7. Significance of the study
Firstly, the information about types of motivation possessed by 10

th

grade

students will give teachers of English at Son Tay high school a better understanding
about their students, which helps them find the most suitable teaching methods to
apply in writing lessons.
Secondly, some factors affecting students’ motivation will provide teachers
with some suggestions in choosing the right techniques and activities to the students.
Thirdly, the recommended motivational strategies will be applied to raise
students’ motivation in writing lessons as well as their writing results.
In short, when finished, the research is expected to enhance both the teaching
and learning English in general and the teaching and learning English writing skills in
particular at Son Tay high school.
8. Design of the study
The study consists of three main parts named:
Part A. The Introduction
Part B. The Development
Chapter 1: Literature Review
Chapter 2: The Methods of the study
Chapter 3: Data Analysis and Findings
Part C: Conclusion

3

PART B. DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER 1. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
1.1. Writing skills
1.1.1. Definitions and features of writing skills.
Writing is one of the four language skills (speaking, listening, reading and
writing) that a language learner expects to master. According to Tribble, writing is “a
language skill which is difficult to acquire” (Tribble, 1996:3). He also added that
writing “normally requires some forms of instruction” and that “it is not a skill that is
readily picked up by exposure” (Tribble, 1996:11). The function of writing is
“recording things, completing tasks, developing arguments and assembling ideas”
(Tribble, 1996:9). From his point of view, writing is a complex skill that should be
taught carefully. Ur supported Tribble when he said that “most people acquire the
spoken language (at least their own mother tongue) intuitively, whereas the written
form is in most cases deliberately taught and learned” (Ur, 1996:161). Harris
considered writing “a process that occurs over a period of time, particularly if we take
into account the sometimes extended period of thinking that precedes creating an
initial draft” (Harris, 1993:10). In his saying, Harris also wanted to focus on the
complexity of writing. Boughey referred to the requirements of writing in social
communication when stating that “writing is a process requiring writers to explore,
oppose, and make connections between propositions for themselves” (Boughey,
1997:127). According to Byrne, writing is “the act of forming” “graphic symbols: that
is, letters or combinations of letters”, then putting them into “a sequence of sentences
arranged in a particular order and linked together in certain ways” (Byrne, 1988:1). It
is Byrne’s definition of writing that the researcher wished to apply in this minor
thesis.
In brief, writing is a complex but productive skill providing students with
chances to expose their language proficiency and practice communicative skills at the
same time. Through the act of writing students may realize what they are already
good at and what they still need to learn to become better.

4


1.1.2. Approaches to teaching writing skills
Attempts to teach writing effectively has been made for ages. Popular scholars
had different ways to classify approaches to teach writing skills. Tribble referred to
three approaches to the teaching of writing: product approaches, process approaches
and genre approaches (Tribble, 1996:37). Meanwhile, Byrne examined four
approaches namely accuracy- approach, fluency- approach, text- approach and
purpose – approach (Byrne, 1988). Raimes claimed that there were six main
approaches in the teaching of writing: Controlled-to-Free approach, Free-writing
approach, Paragraph- pattern approach, Grammar- syntax- organization approach,
Communicative approach and Process approach (Raimes, 1983:6). In this minor
thesis, the six approaches classified by Raimes will be discussed.
Controlled-to-free Approach
Applying this approach means that teachers at first make students write
controlled compositions in the form of such exercises as sentences building, word
reordering, and sentence reordering. When students reach “advanced level of
proficiency”, they can write a composition of their own words and ideas. It is easy for
students to write these controlled compositions with the least opportunity to make
mistakes. This approach focuses on the elimination of grammatical, syntactical and
mechanical mistakes learners made in their written work by teachers’ control. Fluency
or originality is not emphasized in this approach.
Free- writing Approach
When teacher use this approach, they want students to write as much and
quickly as they can without paying much attention to errors. In fact, students’ actions
of putting their ideas down on a paper fluently are the purpose of this approach.
However, this approach without any obligation for students may make them write
with many grammatical and structural errors and mistakes. This approach seems to be

most suitable to intermediate-level students. It might be useful when writing about
something that interests students or a journal or a diary.

5


Paragraph- pattern Approach
This approach teaches students to the way to build and organize paragraphs
basing on a sample one. This approach focused on the importance of paragraph as a
basic unit of written expression rather than the accuracy and fluency. The use of the
approach helps students express themselves effectively at a level beyond the sentence
as well as realize the difference in communication organization in different cultures.
Grammar-syntax-organization Approach
Using this approach, teachers need to develop writing tasks that make students
at the same time pay attention to not only organization but also grammar and syntax,
which means that teachers do not separate writing skills from other skills. This
approach helps students be aware of the connection between the purpose of their
writing and the forms that are needed to convey the message.
Communicative Approach
This communicative approach stresses that students can communicate through
their writings. There should be a reason as well as an addressee for students’ writing.
This approach both helps to increase students’ motivation in writing and shows the
communicative roles of writings.
Process Approach
This approach concerns the process how ideas are developed and formulated
in writing. This approach includes following stages, namely: Pre-writing (specifying
the task, choosing the topic and planning what to write), composing or writing
(putting a draft version on paper), revising (making such changes to improve the
writing as reorganizing, shifting styles and so on) and editing (checking grammar/
lexis features). In this approach, students are given considerable freedom within the

task, which means they explore a topic through writing in an unrestricted time. After
finishing the first draft, students can show them to their teacher or classmates to get
comments basing on which they can improve their writings. The writing process
becomes a process of discovery (of new ideas and new language forms to

6


express those ideas). However, this approach seems to be very time-consuming and
difficult to apply to a large-size class.
In conclusion, no approach has been considered the best way to teach writing.
Each approach has its own strength and weakness. Therefore, when teaching writing,
teachers should choose the one that suits their setting best. Sometimes, the
combination of different approaches can bring better results than using one approach
alone.
1.2.

Motivation

1.2.1. Definition of motivation.
No one can deny essential roles of motivation in the success or failure of
foreign language teaching and learning. However, motivation is an abstract concept
that has been defined in different ways so far because each researcher sees motivation
from different angles.
According to Gardner, motivation is "the combination of effort plus desire to
achieve the goal of learning the language plus favorable attitudes towards learning the
language" (Gardner, 1985:10). Brown also states that “motivation is the extent to
which you make choices about (a) goals to pursue and (b) the effort you will devote
to that pursuit.” (Brown, 2001:72). In these two definitions of motivation, Gardner
and Brown share their view when concerning such two interrelated components as

“goals” and “efforts made to achieve the goals”. Similarly, in his study, Ur points out
that a motivated learner is a person “who is willing or even eager to invest effort in
learning activities and to progress” (Ur, 1996: 274).
Dornyei states in his book that “motivation explains why people decide to do
something, how hard they are going to pursue it and how long they are willing to
sustain the activity”(Dornyei, 2001:7). In this definition, he focuses on the reason, the
manner as well as the attitude of language learners in learning a foreign language.
Other researchers define motivation as an internal state or condition that
serves to activate or energize behavior. Skehan (cited in Ellis, 1994: 509) claims

7


that “motivation derives from an inherent interest in the learning tasks the learner is
asked to perform”. In addition, Harmer defined motivation as “some kind of internal
drive which pushes someone to do things in order to achieve something” (Harmer,
2001:51).
According to Crookes and Schmidt (1991) motivation is defined in terms of
students' interest in, enthusiasm for and engagement in the materials and activities
used inside classroom, their persistence with the learning task as indicated by levels
of concentration and enjoyment. The learners’ studying results are only good if
students feel interested in and eager to participate in activities and work hard.
In this minor research, the researcher exploited Crookes and Schmidt’s
definition because it is students' interest in, attitudes towards the materials and
activities used in class that the researchers will examine. Moreover, students’
concentration and participation will also be assessed.
1.2.2. Types of motivation in foreign language learning.
Motivation in foreign language learning is classified in different ways by
different theorists. In some pieces of research, motivation is classified into intrinsic
motivation and extrinsic motivation. In some others, it is divided into integrative

motivation and instrumental motivation. The resultative motivation is another type
that has caused debated so far.
Intrinsic motivation
According to Ellis, intrinsic motivation "involves the arousal and maintenance
of curiosity and can ebb and flow as a result of such factors as learners' particular
interests and the extent to which they fell personality involved in learning activities"
(Ellis, 1994:76). In fact, intrinsic motivation is the learners’ interest in the culture, the
target language group or in learning tasks. It also means the stimulation arouses from
the learners themselves. It is their own inner desire as well as anxiety to learn that
brings about success.

8


Extrinsic motivation
Extrinsic motivation “is caused by any number of outside factors such as: the
need to pass an exam, the hope of financial reward or possibility of future travel”
Harmer (2001:51). Spaulding also stated that “When individuals are extrinsically
motivated, they hold some desired outcome as a goal (e.g., getting a good grade or
avoiding punishment), they recognize that a certain way of behaving is an expedient
means to that goal, and they make plans to modify their behavior in such a manner
that they are likely to experience the desired outcome” (Spaulding, 1992:5). In short,
extrinsic motivation can be understood as the opposite of intrinsic motivation. This
type of motivation originates from the influence of some kinds of external stimuli,
including the teachers’ influence, the learner's wish to make some other people
pleased or to become successful in an exam, other than their wish to learn for their
own sake or interest in learning tasks or activities.
Integrative motivation
According to Falk (1978), “It is thought that students who are most successful
when learning a target language are those who are like the people that speak the

language, admire the culture and have a desire to become familiar with or even
integrate into the society in which the language is used” (Falk 1978). In addition,
Gardner and Lambert stated that “An integrative orientation involves an interest in
learning an L2 because of a sincere and personal interest in the people and culture
represented by the other language group” (Gardner and Lambert (1972: 98). In short,
integrative motivation is the desire to learn a language in order use it successfully in
social interactions in the target language community.
Instrumental motivation
According to Ellis, instrumental motivation refers to “some functional reasons
such as to pass an examination, to get a better job, or to get a place at university.
These reasons motivate learners to learn an L2 because it opens up educational and
economic opportunities for them” Ellis (1994:75). Gardner and Lambert (1972)
assume “A learner with instrumental motivation is more interested

9


in how the second language can be a useful instrument towards furthering other
goals, such as gaining a necessary qualification or improving employment prospects”
(cited in Littlewood 1998:57). In short, learners’ instrumental motivation arouses
when they find a need to use the target language as an instrument to obtain a
particular goal.
Resultative motivation
The question whether motivation is the cause or the result of the success in
second language learning has not been fully answered. Savignon (1972) claimed that
students’ desire to learn a language increased with gains in that language proficiency
(Savignon, 1972, cited in Ellis, 1994:515). Hermann (1980) also shared his view with
Savigon when he said that "learners who do well are more likely to develop
motivational intensity and to be active in the classroom" (cited in Ellis, 1994:515).
From this point of view a learner’s motivation may originate from his/ her

achievement or the achievement may affect a learner’s motivation. Ellis concluded
that “the relationship between motivation and achievement is an interactive one. A
high level of motivation does stimulate learning, but perceived success in achieving
L2 goals can help to maintain existing motivation and even create new types.
Conversely a vicious circle of low motivation = low achievement = lower motivation
can develop” (Ellis, 1994: 515).
In conclusion, there are several types of motivation in L2 learning. The
concentration of this study, however, mainly focuses on the following: integrative,
instrumental, resultative, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation
1.2.3. The roles of motivation in foreign language learning.
Motivation in second language learning as well as in foreign language learning
has been paid much attention in so far. Most researchers agree that motivation plays a
very essential role in deciding the success or failure of a language learner. Gardner
points out that “positive attitudes and motivation are related to success in second
language teaching” (Gardner, 1985). Nunan shares his view with Gardner when
regarding motivation as a key factor which determines

10


“the amount of effort a learner is ready to put into language learning” (Nunan, 1991:
131). Caron states that “ The more motivation a learner has, the more time he or she
will spend learning an aspect of a second language” (Carol, 1962), which means he or
she will be more successful in learning the language.
1.2.4. Factors affecting motivation in foreign language learning.
A lot of studies have shown that students’ motivation in foreign language
learning can be affected by many factors. In this minor thesis, they are discussed in
three types: one relate to learners themselves, another to teachers and the other to
teaching and learning conditions.
1.2.4.1. Learners’ factors

Learners’ Age
It has been believed that the young study language better than the old. This
theory seems to be most applicable to learners who study pronunciation. This means
that children can produce native-like sounds more easily than adults can. When
entering a target language, children seem to acquire the target language more
perfectly adults. However, according to Krashen, Long and Scarcella adult learners
are better at grammar than children (Krashen, Long and Scarcella, 1979, cited in
Ellis, 1994:485). Although, younger learners have a greater chance of attaining
native-like proficiency in the L2 and older learners may show faster progress at the
beginning, but are probably surpassed by the young ones in the end (Long and
Larsen-Freeman, 1991).
Learners’ beliefs
Different learners have different beliefs about how languages are learnt, how
their instruction should be believed. “These beliefs are usually based on previous
learning experience and the assumption (right or wrong) that a particular type of
instruction is the best way for them to learn” (Lightbown, 1999:59). Ellis concluded
that “different views about language learning result in different kinds of success”

11


Language Aptitude
Language aptitude is “capability of a task” (Carroll, 1981 cited in Ellis,
1994). According to Lightbown and Spada (1999:53) aptitude composes of four factors:

(1) the ability to identify and memorize new sounds, (2) the ability to understand the
function of particular words in sentences, (3) the ability to figure out grammatical
rules from language samples, and (4) the ability to memorize new words. Knowing
the learners’ language aptitude helps teachers prepare appropriate activities to apply
to particular groups of learners.

Intelligence
Learners’ intelligence is considered “performance on certain kinds of tests” by
Lightbown & Spada (1999:52). The results of these tests can help teachers decide the
successfulness of their students’ performance in the class. Although intelligence
(measured by IQ tests) is reported to have a connection with second language
learning, many students perform well in L2 learning while having bad academic
results.
Confidence, Anxiety
Dornyei claimed that confidence and anxiety make “a central component in
the personal dimension of motivation”. Krashen (1981, cited in Ellis, 1994)
concluded that “the students who feel at ease in the classroom” may “seek out more
intake by volunteering”.
Personality
According to Lightbown & Spada, learners’ personality includes such
characteristics as extroversion, inhibition, self-esteem, empathy, dominance,
talkativeness and responsiveness. These researchers also stated that the success of
second language learners may be greatly affected by their personalities.
1.2.4.2. Teachers’ factors
Dornyei (2001) mentioned some factors and appropriate behaviors relating to
teachers’ as follows: Enthusiasm, Commitment to and expectations for the students’
academic progress, and teachers’ methods of teaching

12


Enthusiasm
It cannot be denied that the enthusiastic teacher would be more likely
successful in her teaching than the ones without that characteristic. “To a very large
degree, students expect to learn if their teachers expect them to learn” (Stippek,
1988).

Commitment to the students’ progress
Teachers can express commitment towards the students by offering them
concrete assistance, responding immediately when help is requested, correcting tests
and paper promptly or showing concern when things are not going on.
Besides, if their students are treated, teachers “as if they already are eager
learners, they are more likely to become eager learners” (Brophy, 1998: 170)
Teachers’ expectations
Rosenthal and Jacobson (1968) stated in their study that the higher expectations
teachers had about how well students could study, the higher level of achievement
their students would probably be able to reach.
Teachers’ teaching methods
Teachers’ teaching methods can be understood as a set of techniques or
activities used to get students involved in learning to achieve a goal. If they were
interesting, they can increase students’ motivation and vice versa.
1.2.4.3. Teaching and learning conditions
Physical conditions
Physical conditions in the classroom refer to both teaching equipments (chairs,
desks, tables, lights, boards) and the classroom size. According to Harmer (2001) it
was students' learning as well as their attitude towards the subject matter that affected
by these physical conditions. As a result, the conditions positively or negatively had
great effects on students’ motivation. Dornyei stated “Personalizing the classroom
can be seen as students exercising increasing control over their environment”
(Dornyei, 2001:42). This means that such decoration as posters,

13


flowers, funny objects can influence the classroom atmosphere. The ownership of the
class among students should also be created by teachers.
The atmosphere in the classroom

A pleasant and supportive classroom atmosphere can do great help in
motivating students to learn and participate into learning activities. As stated by
MacIntyre (1999) and Young (1999) students’ anxiety derived from a tense classroom
climate was one of the most potent factors that undermined learning effectiveness and
L2 motivation. (cited in Dornyei, 2001:121). Moreover, in order to make the students
become motivated, “the learning environment needs to be free from anxiety; students
should not feel threatened or intimidated.”
An ideal classroom climate can be created by teachers’ humor, the good
relationship between teachers and students as well as that among students themselves.
1.3. Previous Researches
Motivation plays an essential role in foreign language learning in general and
in writing skills in particular. As a result, many studies have been carried out to
investigate the definition of motivation, types of motivation as well as effects of
motivation in foreign language learning.
In the first place, concepts of motivation, its types, benefits and strategies were
discussed by many popular linguists such as Gardner (1985), Brown (1994) or
Dorneyi (2001), (Harmer, 2001), ( Ur, 1996) and Crookes and Schmidt (1991).
Basing on the background knowledge given by these researchers, many other studies
were carried out in the related topic like “Influencing Motivation In The Foreign
Language Classroom” by Nicholson (2013) and “ Learners’ motivation and the
implications for Classroom Teaching” by Aiming and Aimin (2006).
In Vietnam, there have also been some studies discussing motivation in
language learning. First of all, it is “Learners’ motivation and identity in the
Vietnamese EFL writing classroom” by Tran (2007). The study focused on students’
intrinsic motivation related to institutional needs, their linguistic needs and

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social need. “Improving 11 Grade students’ Motivation in Speaking Lessons at Viet
Nam- Poland High School by Using Communicative Activities” by Dinh Thuy Linh
(2011) is another study as minor thesis about motivation in language learning. It is a
study on some communicative activities to improve speaking skill to 11

th

grade

students of English at Viet Nam- Poland High School.
Another study is the one specialized in motivation conducted by Hoang Thi Ha
(2011) “A Study on Students’ Motivation in Reading Skills at Quang Dinh lower
secondary school”. The study focuses on 4 main issues students’ types of motivation,
factors affecting their motivation, motivational strategies employed by teachers and
suggested motivational strategies to help students improve their reading skills.
At Son Tay high school, the site of this minor thesis, there was a study on 10 graders’
types and levels of motivation in speaking activities named “The study of 10th
Graders’ motivation in speaking activities at Son Tay High School, Hanoi” by
Nguyen Thanh Thuy (2013). In the study, the researcher discussed types and levels of
th

motivation possessed by 10 graders in speaking activities.
In conclusion, the matter motivation in language learning has received great
concern in many studies. Although, there has never been one about students’
motivation in learning writing skills at Son Tay High School with the subjects of
grade- ten students. As a result, the study was carried out in the hope that it can bring
benefit to the teaching and learning English writing at the school.
1.4. Summary
In summary, the researcher has discussed different views on definitions, types

of motivation and major factors affecting it. Overview of writing including its nature
and approaches to teaching writing is presented in this chapter. Literature review of
some previous studies of the same topic is also discussed in the chapter.

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