PERCEPTION OF STUDENTS’ PARTICIPATION IN IN-CLASS SPEAKING ACTIVITIES AND SOME INTRINSIC AND EXTRINSIC MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS AFFECTING THEIR PARTICIPATION: A STUDY ON SECOND YEAR MAINSTREAM STUDENTS AT FACULTY OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHER EDUCATION, ULIS, VNU

Abstract

In the light of Communicative Language Teaching and the framework of learner- centered approach, students’ oral skills and their active participation in class activities have come to take on added importance. However, in the University of Languages and International Studies (ULIS), Faculty of English Language Teacher Education (FELTE), after years of applying the Communicative Language Teaching into practice, it has been noticed that students’ active oral participation, particularly in observable speaking classes are not prominent. It was due to students’ misconception on active participation as well as some extrinsic and intrinsic motivational factors, leading to their low engagement in the lessons. Due to the fact that this issue has not been thoroughly investigated so far, this paper attempt to justify and compare the perception of students’ participation as assessed by students themselves and teachers as well as discover the factors which have an impact on learners’ participation. This is also to suggest some implications for teachers by comparing and contrasting students and teachers’ preference of motivational strategies. With the help of nearly 100 students and 9 teachers participating in the questionnaires, the observation of 12 speaking lessons and six interviews, it is revealed that students have misunderstood that attending class regularly also means actively participating in the lessons. Students were most motivated by their awareness of strong English competence, self-confidence and positive teachers’ feedback and most inhibited by fear of talking in front of the crowd and competition with other peers. In terms of motivational strategies, group work and effective praise were most favored by both groups. From this reality, some practical implications were proposed with a view to better enhance students’ oral participation.