An investigation of the effectiveness of theme based syllabus on the motivation of freshman students at Atılım University

Download
2009
Can, Seçkin
This research investigates whether students’ motivation improves when thematic syllabus is employed in the classroom. This is the first time a theme-based integrated skills syllabus is employed at Atılım University Departmental English Language Studies Unit. With the outcome of the questionnaires conducted by the administration, it was realized that content is an important motivating factor and employing a theme-based syllabus can have a positive effect on students’ motivation. For this research, firstly an interest survey was employed to identify the areas students would like to focus on. After the quantitative analysis of the interest survey, a five-week theme-based syllabus was designed and employed for five weeks in the classroom. At the end of the semester, interviews were carried out with twenty six students. From the point of view of the students, proposed syllabus was much more interesting and motivating than the common one employed in the first ten weeks of the semester. This study showed that if a theme-based syllabus reflecting students’ interests is employed in a classroom, student motivation improves. Thus, they can develop positive attitude towards the course and language learning.

Suggestions

Attitudes, motivation and study habits of english language learners: the case of Başkent University second-year students
Çolak, Ahmet; Daloğlu, Ayşegül; Department of English Literature (2008)
This thesis aimed to investigate Ba"kent University second-year students’ attitudes towards English, motivation to learn English and their general and vocabulary study habits with respect to their motivation levels. It also attempted to examine the relationship between students’ attitudes and their grades and departments. In addition, it explored the students’ motivation and motivation orientation levels, and looked into the correlations between the students’ motivation, motivation orientation levels and th...
An investigation on stress factors and coping strtegies of english instructors at the English Preparatory Schools of Metu and Ankara University
Petek, Elçin; Yemenici, Petek; Department of English Literature (2008)
The study aimed at investigation the sources of stress that english instructors who work at the English Preparatory Schools of the Middle East Technical University and Ankara University experience and the strategies that they use to cope with stress related to their professions. Two scales which consist of a demographic inventory, two questionnaires and a semi structured interwiew were developed by the researces the first scale is "stress factors and coping strategies questionnaire for english instructors" ...
A Multivariable examination of the relationships between efl instructors’ self-efficacy beliefs and motivation in higher education
Taşçı, Çağla; Gündüz, Müge; Department of English Language Teaching (2019)
This study aimed to investigate the overall beliefs of EFL instructors regarding motivation beliefs about both intrinsic and extrinsic dimensions and self-efficacy beliefs with its dimensions of classroom management, instructional strategies and student engagement efficacy. Secondly, the relationship among them was investigated at EFL higher education context.Two instruments were used for the study. The first instrument used as the data collection instrument is a questionnaire to measure motivation beliefs ...
Exploring the perceptions of teachers about their current and desired competencies defined by CEF and ELP: a case study
Tandıroğlu, Işıl; Daloğlu, Ayşegül; Department of English Literature (2008)
The purpose of this study is to find out the required teacher competencies in the implementation of the Common European Framework (CEF) and the English Language Portfolio (ELP) and to explore the perceptions of teachers about their current and desired competencies defined by CEF and ELP. The required competencies for the teachers are defined in the book calledCommon European Framework of Reference for Languages. This book being a reference for the whole European Union countries, identifies required teacher ...
The impact of call instruction on English language teachers’ use of technology in language teaching
Kılıçkaya, Ferit; Seferoğlu, Gölge; Department of English Language Teaching (2012)
This study investigates the impact of CALL training on in-service language teachers’ use of CALL-based activities in their classrooms and what factors influence their use of these activities in their classroom. The participants included 35 pre-service English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers who took an undergraduate-level elective CALL course (FLE318) offered during the 2008-2009 academic year in the Department of Foreign Language Education at Middle East Technical University and 25 of these participan...
Citation Formats
S. Can, “An investigation of the effectiveness of theme based syllabus on the motivation of freshman students at Atılım University,” M.A. - Master of Arts, Middle East Technical University, 2009.