ERIC Number: EJ803842
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2006-Jun
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0346-251X
EISSN: N/A
Investigating the Nature of "Interest" Reported by a Group of Postgraduate Students in an MA in English Language Teacher Education Programme
Tin, Tan Bee
System: An International Journal of Educational Technology and Applied Linguistics, v34 n2 p222-238 Jun 2006
"Interest" is a widely used term not only in language education but also in our everyday life. However, very little attempt has been made to investigate the nature of "interest" in language teaching and learning. This paper, using a definition of interest proposed in the field of educational psychology, reports on the findings of a study conducted with a group of postgraduate students studying in an English language teacher education programme at a New Zealand university. The study uses a checklist as a tool for real-time measurement of student interest during four lectures observed. The findings suggest that there are various situational and individual sources of interest that can be exploited. The topic and content of lectures seem to play a significant role in triggering student interest. Interest in the topic can be triggered not only by what the lecturer does (situational factors) but also by what the student him/herself does (individual factors). Students themselves can be trained to seek a connection between the lecture topics, their teaching/learning experience and other subjects. Students can also come to the lecture prepared with their own personal goals and questions they would like to have addressed. (Contains 6 tables.)
Descriptors: Educational Psychology, Student Interests, Foreign Countries, Learning Experience, Lecture Method, English (Second Language), Teacher Education Programs
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: New Zealand
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A