Education, according to the Irish poet W.B. Yeats, ‘is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire’. In other words, it is not so much concerned with saturating the learner’s mind with information as with instilling a thirst for the acquisition of knowledge.

Of the many roles bestowed upon the teacher — controller, organiser, assessor and resource being amongst them — one oft overlooked is that of motivator. It is the teacher’s responsibility to create the conditions where that fire can be lit, as well as to provide the spark. It could be argued that "everything” the teacher does in the classroom should be driven by these two principles, culminating in the igniting of the desire to learn. 

How can the teacher do this? How can the teacher create a well-founded interest in a topic to learners who otherwise may find it dull or difficult or of little relevance to their daily lives? 

To answer these questions, first the nature of motivation should be examined. Two kinds have been identified, intrinsic (the desire to learn stemming from an internal force, such as the pleasure of reading a book for its own sake) and extrinsic (the will to do something to obtain an external reward, such as passing an exam). Of the two, intrinsic motivation is regarded as the pedagogically sounder. Originating within, the desire to achieve a task is more deeply-rooted and hence has long-term impact; it is less vulnerable to external influences than its counterpart. 

Intrinsic motivation is also more difficult to generate. Dangling a carrot or threatening a punishment are quick fixes; they may result in the filling of a mind with information in the short-term. However, when that reward or threat has been achieved or avoided the knowledge gained often disappears into the ether. 

So how is intrinsic motivation generated? How can the teacher foster an atmosphere where this fire can be lit? Building rapport is key. Trust, confidence and respect must be promoted both between students on an individual and group level, and between students and teacher. In the context of language teaching, there are a number of ways that this can be achieved. These include empowering learners by allowing them input into the content of lessons, by personalising activities thereby engendering interest and relevance, and by giving measured and constructive, not critical, feedback to students. 

Types of task are also vital. A balanced mixture of individual, pair and group work enhances the class dynamic; exercises should be challenging yet achievable, with a clear focus and end product. There does not have to be a ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answer, either; open-ended activities such as role-plays, project work or story-telling allow learners to experiment and use language creatively, and most importantly have fun with vocabulary and grammar. From such enjoyment the desire to continue learning, progressing and perfecting derives. Over time it becomes embedded; therein lies the flame. 

The writer is a  Teacher Development Co-ordinator at British Council Rwanda