Inspiring teaching is the kind of pedagogy that motivates pupils to study autonomously, in their own time, of their own volition beyond the classroom, and may be particularly important for long-term endeavours such as learning a second language. This study aimed to find out the prevalence and nature of inspiring English language teaching in the state school systems in two Asian contexts, Guangzhou, China and Jakarta, Indonesia, using an open-item survey which asked learners to nominate and describe inspiring teachers they had had in school. Seven of these teachers were then visited in their schools, interviewed and observed teaching in class. The response to the survey (n = 279) indicated that inspiring teaching was probably not common but when it did occur, learners usually recalled that the teacher had a wide range of qualities, though some systematic differences were noted between Chinese and Indonesian respondents. Cultural differences were even more noticeable in the observed lessons, suggesting that the teachers worked hard to ensure their practice was contextually appropriate. All the teachers evinced an intrinsic motivation to teach, indicating that this factor might underlie inspiring pedagogy wherever it takes place. We argue for more research on inspiring teaching to complement that on motivational strategies.
BanduraA. (1993). Perceived self-efficacy in cognitive development and functioning. Educational Psychologist, 28, 117–148.
2.
BernausM.GardnerR.C. (2008). Teacher motivation strategies, student perceptions, student motivation, and English achievement. The Modern Language Journal, 92, 387–401.
3.
BjörkC. (2004). Decentralization in education in Indonesia. International Review of Education, 50, 245–262.
4.
BowmanR. (2011). Rethinking what motivates and inspires students. The clearing house: A journal of educational strategies, issues and ideas, 84, 264–269.
5.
BrownA.V. (2009). Students’ and teachers’ perceptions of effective foreign language teaching: A comparison of ideals. The Modern Language Journal, 93, 46–60.
6.
ChengH.-F.DörnyeiZ. (2007). The use of motivational strategies in language instruction: The case of EFL teaching in Taiwan. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, 1, 153–174.
7.
CortazziM.JinL. (1996). Cultures of learning: Language classrooms in China. In ColemanH. (Ed.), Society and the language classroom (pp. 169–206). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
8.
CsikszentmihalyiM. (1997). Intrinsic motivation and effective teaching: a flow analysis. In BessJ.L. (Ed.), Teaching well and liking it: Motivating faculty to teach effectively (pp. 72–89). Baltimore, MD: John Hopkins University Press.
9.
DörnyeiZ. (2001). Motivational strategies in the language classroom. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
10.
DörnyeiZ. (2007). Creating a motivating classroom environment. In CumminsJ.DavisonC. (Eds.), International handbook of English language teaching (pp. 719–731). New York: Springer.
11.
DörnyeiZ. (2009). The L2 Motivational Self System. In DornyeiZ.UshiodaE. (Eds.), Motivation, language identity and the L2 self (pp. 9–42). Bristol: Multilingual Matters.
12.
DörnyeiZ.CsizérK. (1998). Ten commandments for motivating language learners: Results of an empirical study. Language Teaching Research, 2, 203–229.
13.
DörnyeiZ.UshiodaE. (2011). Teaching and researching motivation. 2nd edition.Harlow: Pearson Education.
14.
ElliotJ.G.HuftonN.R.WillisW.IllushinL. (2005). Motivation, engagement and educational performance. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
15.
EllisR. (2012). Language teaching research and language pedagogy. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell.
16.
FukudaS.T.SakataH.TakeuchiM. (2011). Facilitating autonomy to enhance motivation: Examining the effects of a guided-autonomy syllabus. Electronic Journal of Foreign Language Teaching, 8, 71–86.
17.
GirardD. (1977). Motivation: Responsibility of the teacher. ELT Journal, 31, 97–102.
18.
GuilloteauxM.-J. (2013). Motivational strategies for the language classroom: Perceptions of Korean secondary school English teachers. System, 41, 3–14.
19.
GuilloteauxM.-J.DörnyeiZ. (2008). Motivating language learners: A classroom-oriented investigation of the effects of motivational strategies on student motivation. TESOL Quarterly, 42, 55–77.
20.
HenryA. (2013). Digital games and ELT: Bridging the authenticity gap. In UshiodaE. (Ed.), International perspectives on motivation (pp. 133–155). Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
21.
JinL.CortazziM. (2006). Changing practice in Chinese cultures of learning. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 19, 5–20.
22.
JonesB.D.Llacer-ArrastiaS.NewbillP.B. (2009). Motivating foreign language students using self-determination theory. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, 3, 171–189.
23.
KlassenR.M.PerryN.E.FrenzelA.C. (2012). Teachers’ relatedness with students: An underemphasized component of teachers’ basic psychological needs. Journal of Educational Psychology, 104, 150–165.
24.
LambM. (2004). Integrative motivation in a globalizing world. System, 72, 3–19.
25.
LambM. (2011). Future selves, motivation and autonomy in long-term EFL learning trajectories. In MurrayG.LambT.GaoX. (Eds.), Identity, motivation and autonomy: Exploring their links (pp. 177–194). Bristol: Multilingual Matters.
26.
LambM. (2012). A self system perspective on young adolescents’ motivation to learn English in urban and rural settings. Language Learning, 62, 997–1023.
27.
MalderezA.WedellM. (2007). Teaching teachers: Processes and practices. London: Continuum.
28.
MaulanaR.OpdenakkerM.-C.den BrokP.BoskerR. (2011). Teacher-student interpersonal relationships in Indonesia: profiles and importance to student motivation. Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 31, 33–49.
29.
MoskovskyC.AlrabaiF.PaoliniS.RatchevaS. (2012). The effects of teachers’ motivational strategies on learners’ motivation: A controlled investigation of second language acquisition. Language Learning, 63, 34–62.
30.
MurpheyT.CarpenterC. (2008). The seeds of agency in language learning histories. In KalajaP.MenezesV.BarcelosA.-M. (Eds.), Narratives of learning and teaching EFL (pp. 17–34). Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
31.
NoelsK.A.ClémentR.PelletierL.G. (1999). Perceptions of teachers’ communicative style and students’ intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. The Modern Language Journal, 83, 23–34.
32.
NoelsK.PelletierL.ClémentR.VallerandR. (2000). Why are you learning a second language? Motivational orientations and self-determination theory. Language Learning, 50, 57–85.
33.
PaeT.I.ShinS.K. (2011). Examining the effects of differential instructional methods on the model of foreign language achievement. Learning and Individual Differences, 21, 215–222.
34.
PapiM.AbdollahzadehE. (2012). Teacher motivational practice, student motivation, and possible L2 selves: An examination in the Iranian EFL context. Language Learning, 62, 571–594.
35.
QiL.X. (2005). Stakeholders’ conflicting aims undermine the washback function of a high stakes test. Language Testing, 22, 142–1.
36.
RueschA.BownJ.DeweyD.P. (2012). Student and teacher perceptions of motivational strategies in the foreign language classroom. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, 6, 15–27.
37.
RyanR.M.DeciE.L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55, 68–78.
38.
SecretanL.H.K. (2005). Inspiring people to their greatness. Leader to Leader, 2005, 11–14.
39.
ShoaibA.DörnyeiZ. (2005). Affect in life-long learning: Exploring L2 motivation as a dynamic process. In BensonP.NunanD. (Eds.), Learners’ stories (pp. 22–41). Cambridge: University of Cambridge.
40.
SugitaM.TakeuchiO. (2010). What can teachers do to motivate their students? A classroom research on motivational strategy use in the Japanese EFL context. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, 4, 21–35.
41.
UshiodaE. (1996). Developing a dynamic concept of L2 motivation. In HickeyT.WilliamsJ. (Eds.), Language, education and society in a changing world (pp. 239–245). Dublin: IRAAL/Multilingual Matters.
42.
UshiodaE. (2008). Motivation and good language learners. In GriffithsC. (Ed.), Lessons from good language learners (pp. 19–34). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
43.
UshiodaE. (2011). Why autonomy? Insights from motivation theory and research. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, 5, 221–232.
44.
UshiodaE. (Ed.). (2013). International perspectives on motivation: Language learning and professional challenges. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
