Original scientific paper
THE MOTIVATION OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHERS TO WORK WITH THE GIFTED
Sanja Mihaliček
; Osnovna škola Jurja Habdelića, Velika Gorica
Abstract
This research was carried out to establish the English language teachers’ main motivators and demotivators in working with gifted pupils, as well as the differences between them in age, work experience, working place and educational degree. A questionnaire was used to survey English language teachers’ motivation to work with gifted children, in which 133 primary school English language teachers participated. They were from all over Croatia, aged
from 24 to 61 years, and ranged from beginner teachers to those with long experience. They were mostly female (N=122) and highly educated (N=72). The main motivators of English language teachers to work with gifted pupils are: the characteristics of gifted pupils, the results in working with them, and the work challenge. The main demotivators are: organisational problems, the lack of interest of gifted pupils, and non stimulative materials. Younger teachers
are more motivated by the characteristics of gifted pupils and the challenge involved in working with them. Beginners are more motivated by the positive characteristics of gifted pupils. English language teachers’ motivation is not affected by the working place. Teachers who completed their studies at the Faculty of Teacher Education are more motivated by the work challenge than those who did their studies at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Keywords
teacher work motivation; English language; gifted children; teaching; teaching quality
Hrčak ID:
48443
URI
Publication date:
22.12.2009.
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