The Big Brother effect: Tutoring for Year 9 pupils: what impact does it have on motivation to learn German?

Whether it relates to an individual pupil or an entire class, motivation - or rather a lack of motivation - appears to be a major concern for teachers. Whilst it has been shown that academic motivation declines during adolescence, several studies also highlight that no single activity is capable of motivating everyone, and that there is no individual whom nothing can motivate. Convinced of the truth of this statement, we sought to analyse our pupils' motivation and understand whether a tutoring programme could counteract this so-called decline in motivation. A peer support scheme was therefore introduced in one of our schools. By combining various research methods - namely pre- and post-test questionnaires including a control group, open observations and interviews - we were able to identify tutoring as a tool that motivates the learning of German. Indeed, all the Year 9 pupils acknowledged the benefits of tutoring. This appears to have influenced their results and, consequently, their appreciation of the language.

Pagina's: 64, Paperback, Our Knowledge Publishing