Concerning the last 5 survey questions from September, whereby the focus was on the integrative level of motivation for each student, the null hypothesis stood again at the end of the calendar years for the students who were surveyed and tested. In other words, even among those students who felt special desire to allow themselves to become more and more part of some identified English-speaking culture, there was no correlation between their desires and their final achievements in the English foundation programs. [1]
Finally, the level of general interest in learning English was also looked into through statistical analysis. (Recall that general interest means that the students are motivated to do well in English class regardless as to whether the course is challenging, interesting or easy.) Again there seemed to be little relationship between any general level of motivation to acquiring English in a classroom (or possibly desiring to do well in any academic setting.)
CONCLUSION
As a whole, incoming Omani students in foundations level programs in Dhofar have claimed as a whole that they have a high motivation to learn and do well in English. However, the surveys at these two particular colleges do not demonstrate that the Omani students surveyed as having significantly high levels of motivations than their peers internationally. Likewise, in all three areas or types of motivation observed in this in this study, Omani students' motivational levels were reported to be strong. Nonetheless, there was found to be no clear influence from motivation on achievement.
Levels of intrinsic motivation were the highest level among the three types of motivation surveyed and studied among these Dhofari students. Further research is decidedly needed, however, the current study's findings have demonstrated no clear relationship between even intrinsic motivation and final student achievement in coursework or on exams. In short, as a strong independent variable, the level of a student's initial motivation has
In short, as a strong independent variable, the level of any student's initial motivation has poor-to-no correlation to final achievement in English as an area of study at these foundation programs. On the other hand, motivation might well have a positive effect if studied in conjunction with other variables. Nonetheless, however, by itself, motivation is found to be fairly wanting, i.e as a key to academic success.
In other words, motivation may have an indirect effect but that requires further study. Other variables must be looked at as being keys to success.
On the other hand, lack of motivation may have a strong negative effective, i.e. in terms of students dropping out or never even going to attend college than was to be found withing the scope of this and of other similar studies. Therefore, we still likely need to motivate students to show up for class and to participate.
To keep them in the classroom and to keep them studying (or striving) we--as educators--likely must provide motivating assignments, motivating activities and offer opportunities to learn through technology or through other great teaching techniques.
Specifically concerning those students who demonstrate a high level of integrative motivation, fairly communicative tasks are warranted most of the time. Educational excursions and experiential learning outside-the-classroom will also be appropriate for harnessing motivation and increasing student's time spent engaged with English.
Finally, Marwan Al-Yafi noted that, in view of the appeal of foreign cultures to some Omani students, it certainly would be logical that colleges, schools, and universities be prepared to hire more native English speakers on their staff's. This is because many students do have high levels of integrative motivation.
NOTES
[1] I am an adult learner of many foreign languages--having worked taught and studied in nearly a dozen lands over a thirty-five year period. I have acquired German and Spanish at high intermediate to advanced levels. However, first, in my attempts to in acquire Japanese and later in attempting to acquire Arabic, I have had equal motivation for doing so. Alas, like the students in this survey,
Alas, like the majority students in this survey, my acquisition of Arabic and Japanese remain much much lower than for other languages (for which I appear to have aptitude), like German, Spanish,--and even French. For example, I have had many more language "classroom contact hours" in learning Arabic than I ever had in learning French. However, my French speaking and reading abilities are still significantly higher than myArabic reading and speaking achievements.
In short, by itself, motivation appears to have little-to-no value in terms of acquisition of the target language. It can only be supportive to other elements that have much greater effect on L2 achievement.
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