The Effects of Three Teacher Variables on the Choice and Use of Motivational Strategies in EFL Instruction in Oman

Abstract

It is common knowledge among EFL professionals in Oman that generations of Omani students who attended government schools mostly lacked the ability to motivate themselves to learn English effectively, and that this is attributable to socio-cultural factors that are beyond the control of the individual. In order to find ways to negate this tendency, a modified replication of Cheng and Dörnyei’s (2007) survey of EFL teachers in Taiwan was undertaken in Oman in 2009 to determine how teacher variables influence the frequency of use of specific motivational strategies in EFL classrooms in Oman. The teacher variables focused on were gender, teaching experience, and academic qualifications. The most striking finding was that majority of EFL teachers, irrespective of gender, experience or qualifications agreed on one strategy as the most effective in the Omani classroom: showing students you care about them. This contradicts the finding in Cheng and Dörnyei’s (2007) study.