505
EL.LE
ISSN 2280-6792
Vol. 3 – Num. 3 – Novembre 2014
The Motivation of Second/Foreign Language
Teachers
A Review of the Literature
Ada Bier
Abstract In order to offer a picture of the construct of language teacher motivation,
this paper is
subdivided into two main sections. In the first part, the main framework for exploring this specific
construct
is presented and, considering it as mostly social, insights have been drawn from At-
kinson’s
sociocognitive approach, from complexity theory and from theories of mediation. In the
second part, the teacher’s mind is investigated and the scaffolding for its description is provided
by the
triadic distinction between cognition,
affect and
motivation.
Summary 1. The ‘social side’ of teaching. – 2. The ‘hidden side’ of teaching. – 3. Conclusion.
1 Introduction
The myth that teachers do not make a difference in student
learning has been refuted. (Brophy and Good 1986, p. 370)
Several reports from different countries say «that
teachers are not moti-
vated to teach and that this tendency is actually getting worse» (Dörnyei,
Ushioda 2011, pp. 167-168, italics in the original). Unfortunately, the
amount of research in the field of language teacher motivation is still mea-
gre (Dörnyei, 2003; Kassagby et al., 2001) as «the
motivation of language
teachers has been researched much less than the motivation of language
learners» (Kassagby et al. 2001, p. 213). A number of studies in the recent
past – not only in the field of SLA – offer evidence
to the fact that teacher
motivation is crucial for increasing their students’ own motivation (for
a review, see Kunter et al. 2008, p. 469). As regards language teachers,
Dörnyei and Ushioda claim that
the teacher level of enthusiasm and commitment is one of the most
important factors that can affect learners’ motivation to learn. [...] if
a
teacher is motivated to teach, there is a good chance that his or her
students will be motivated to learn (Dörnyei, Ushioda, 2011, p. 158).
Support to this statement is provided by several studies (among others,
those by Dörnyei, Csizér 1998; Cheng, Dörnyei, 2007; Bernaus,
Gardner
