A Study On Teachers’ Characteristics That Impacting Junior High Students’ Motivation Internalization

Recent studies show that extrinsic motivation will transformed into intrinsic motivation gradually when the external social environment provides adequate conditions. Especially Self-Determination Theory put forward three basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence and relatedness) have a role in promoting motivation internalization. In the field of education, a close contact between teachers and students will help junior high school students learning through the ways of classroom teaching and teacher-student relationship. It can be inferred that the teacher is an important lasting impact factors of motivation in terms of motivation internalization. Therefore, we try to figure out the characteristics that may help the learning motivation internalization in junior high school through this research.In this study, a questionnaire, focus group discussion and classroom observation are three major methods. Questionnaire survey is conducted in the six classes of second year of junior high school of262students in Shenzhen. Then we carry on a focus group discussion with selecting27students according to the questionnaire. Finally, we had a close classroom observation of three most popular teachers based on the27students’ views in group discussion.The results showed that:First, A continue observation of the three students’ most favorite teachers shows that12kinds of positive characteristics and3control behaviors have a impact on motivation internalization. The12positive characteristics are:teachers allow time for students to use their own way of doing things, teachers provide students with the grounds for the action, teachers give students tips for difficult question, teachers allow students to discuss, a timely manner to encourage the performance of the students,give positive feedback, teachers respond to students’ questions, teachers empathy the experience of students, teachers seek the views of students, clarify the specific objectives and processes, teaching in various forms and gently point out the students’ mistakes. The other three control behaviors are:teacher denies students, occupy the spare time, judge students according to teachers’ personal preference.Second, this study proved that three basic psychological needs can promote the level of junior high school students’ motivation internalization. Meanwhile, we noted that future goal-guide is also an important factor in the impact of motivation internalization.In addition, this study also has certain limitations, sampling bias exist when selecting observe subjects. It is necessary to carefully limit the scope of application of the research conclusions although researchers enhanced the depth of observation. Thus the researchers hope that those limitations can be improved through follow-up study.