The importance of motivational techniques from the perspective of prospective teachers

The purpose of this study is to discover the importance of motivational strategies as perceived by prospective teachers. The prospective teachers` perceptions of most and least important motivational strategies were examined. This study seeks to answer the following questions: What motivational strategies are most valued by prospective EFL teachers? What motivational strategies are least valued by prospective EFL teachers? Does participating in practicum affect the perception of which strategies are most important? Does teaching experience affect the perception of which strategies are most important?" This research was a survey-based study. There were 77 participants in this study all of whom were EFL prospective teachers at Akdeniz University. Data was collected through a questionnaire which consisted of two sections. In the first section participants provided demographic data about their grade and amount of teaching experience and whether they had attended practicum. In the second part the importance of motivational strategies as perceived by prospective teachers was examined. Findings revealed that the motivational strategies that were given the most emphasis were show students you care about them, increase the amount of English you use in the class, give clear instructions by modelling, and recognize students` effort and achievement. The motivational strategies that were least favored by prospective teachers were respectively: invite senior students to share their English learning experiences, make tasks challenging, ask students to work towards the same goal and let students suggest class rules. Additionally, a significant relationship was not found between prospective teachers` selection of motivational strategies and their state of attendance to practicum and amount of teaching experience they have. Finally, the data showed that the prospective teachers are aware and willing to implement motivational strategies in their classrooms. They considered all items to be above average importance with the exception of one strategy which was let students suggest class rules. Keywords: Motivational Strategies, Prospective Teachers