Motivacija starejših odraslih za učenje angleščine kot tujega jezika

Nemevšek, Eva (author), Skela, Janez (mentor)

Čeprav se raziskave o poučevanju starejših odraslih zadnja desetletja lepo vrstijo, je še vedno bore malo raziskav specifično o motivaciji starejših odraslih glede učenja angleščine. Ta tema je osrednji del tega magistrskega dela, saj starejši odrasli postajajo čedalje večji delež svetovnega prebivalstva, ki se želi udeleževati programov vseživljenjskega učenja, kjer je eden izmed najbolj zaželenih tečajev prav angleščina. Ugotovitve, ki ji bomo pridobili v sklopu te naloge bodo pripomogle k boljšemu razumevanju motivacije starejših odraslih in razlogov zakaj so se odločili udeležiti angleškega tečaja in zakaj se sedaj učijo angleško. To bo posledično tudi pomagalo učiteljem in učiteljicam angleščine, da bodo sestavili bolj usmerjene učne načrte in ocenili na katerih področjih oziroma kako naj še bolj motivirajo svoje učence. V pregledu literature bomo najprej pogledali različne koncepte staranja, nekaj mitov o tem procesu in kako le-ta vpliva na kognitivne sposobnosti, še posebej tiste, ki se tičejo učenja. V drugem poglavju izvemo o načelih po katerih je zastavljena izobrazba za starejše odrasle, izdelamo profil starejšega učenca, vzpostavimo namene in cilje tovrstnega tipa izobrazbe, in predstavimo štiri različne organizacije, ki nudijo (angleške) tečaje za starejše odrasle v Ljubljani. Vsebina zadnjega poglavja v pregledu literature se nanaša na motivacijo; opisani so različni tipi motivacije in kako delujejo v okviru tujih jezikov, specifično angleščine. V praktičnemu delu naloge bomo našteli razloge udeležencev zakaj so se prijavili na tečaj angleščine, ki ga nudijo organizacije v Ljubljani, in zakaj svoj čas sedaj posvečajo učenju tega jezika. Glede na njihove razloge za udeležbo in učenje angleščine bomo določili tudi tip motivacije, stopnjo storilnostne motivacije in pa njihov odnos do učenja angleškega jezika ter jezika samega. Rezultati kažejo, da so starejši odrasli pretežno intrinzično motivirani, da imajo visoko stopnjo storilnostne motivacije, in da je njihov odnos do angleščine (tako učenja, kot do jezika samega) izredno pozitiven. Prav tako je razvidno, da na njihovo motivacijo vpliva stopnja znanja angleškega jezika, medtem ko stopnja njihove izobrazbe in vrsta organizacije na njihovo motivacijo ne vplivata.

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: starejši odrasli, motivacija, učenje angleščine
• Work type: Master's thesis/paper
• Organization: FF - Faculty of Arts
• Year: 2021
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-128410
• COBISS.SI-ID: 71848195
• Publication date in RUL: 12.07.2021

Secondary language

• Language: English
• Title: The Motivation of Older Adults to Learn English as a Foreign Language

Abstract

Though there has been a spike in gerontagogy over the past few decades, there is still an underwhelming amount of research about the older adults’ motivation to learn English, specifically. This thesis explores this topic as the older adults are becoming an increasingly larger demographic who wish to participate in lifelong learning programs where one of the most sought out courses appears to be learning English as a foreign language. The findings of this thesis will help better understand the motivation of older adults and their decision to partake in an English course and why they are learning English. Consequently, this will help English language teachers construct better-focused curricula and determine how they can motivate their older adult students further. In the literature review we will first observe the different concepts of aging and the myths surrounding it, as well as the effects aging has on cognitive abilities, specifically those pertaining to learning. In the following chapter we learn about the principles on which the education for older adults is founded, create a profile of the older adult learner, establish the purposes and aims of this type of education, and present four different organizations which offer (English) courses to the older adults in Ljubljana. The final chapter of the literature review is concerned with motivation, its different types and their application in terms of foreign language learning, English in particular. The experiential part of this thesis will explore both the reasons and the type of motivation behind the participants’ decision to enroll in an English course provided by the aforementioned organizations in Ljubljana and why the older adult learners are devoting their time to learn English. We will also gauge the participants’ level of achievement motivation and their attitude towards learning English and the language itself. Results show that the type of motivation is predominantly intrinsic, the level of their achievement motivation level is high and their attitude towards learning English and the language itself is extremely positive. It is also evident that the older adult learners’ English language proficiency influences their motivation, while the level of their formal education and the type of organization which provides English courses do not affect their motivation regarding their decision to enroll in an English course and to learn English.

• Keywords: older adults, motivation, English language learning