Motivating English Language Learners: An Indonesian Case Study

Motivation is a complex issue, especially when considered in the Asian context, where passive learning and teacher-centered lessons dominate. This study attempted to identify student-preferred motivational strategies that would correlate to increased attention and engagement among and increased levels of intrinsic motivation in Chinese Indonesian students in a Year 12 English classroom. Student surveys indicated preferences for the use of audiovisual material and the use of collaborative reading quizzes. The implementation of these strategies resulted in positive levels of attention and engagement in the classroom, but no increase in levels of intrinsic motivation were observed