Motivating Students to Learn by Primary School Teachers – in the Light of Teachers’ Narratives

Abstract

Pedagogical reflection on stimulating students’ engagement in learning has evolved away from traditionally oriented, behaviorist stimulation toward a more progressive, developmental approach. The aim of this article is to examine teachers’ motivational practices and to address the following research question: How do primary school teachers motivate their students to learn? The empirical material was collected through unstructured qualitative interviews. The article presents the methodological foundations of the study, the adopted understanding of the concept of motivation and existing recommendation for motivating students, followed by an analysis of the teachers’ statements in relation to this category. The findings reveal a tendency among teachers to rely primarily on extrinsic motivation, as the strategies they employ (mainly rewards, coercion, and control) function as external stimuli. The motivational practices described in their narratives cannot be considered developmental for students, nor progressive in light of contemporary pedagogical scholarship. Hence, there arises a need to expand teachers’ awareness of the consequences of such practices and to enhance their competence in adopting alternative, more constructive approaches to motivating students.