The role of personality factors in second language acquisition

Impacts of Different Types of Motivation

1. Intrinsic Motivation
The most powerful motivation is intrinsic motivation for no matter how favourable external factors are, unless a student has set goals that he is determined to achieve, he can easily be side tracked by factors such as peer pressure, complacency or simply his own indecisiveness.
2. Extrinsic Motivation

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  Home Environment -Take, for example, the first scenario in No. 1 above. The child is already comfortable at home and perhaps at school as well. He can take either of two routes: He may easily become complacent and tell himself that all is well at home and as such, there is no need to work hard. Here, it is the intrinsic motivation otherwise called self motivation which is needed to push this student to take the better route which would be to apply himself in order to become a success story like his father, brother or someone else whom he has adopted as role model and to bring gratification to those who have made the way easy for him.
  
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  Take the second scenario where the child comes from a less than favourable home environment. This student also has two options: i) He may, from sheer determination to access a better life in the future, push himself relentlessly to achieve success. ii) Conversely, he may succumb, as many do, and let his adverse circumstances dictate his future. Indeed, the unfavourable home environment is probably a stronger motivator for personal success than the favourable home environment. Students from the former, however , rely more heavily on school factors for motivation than those from the latter
  
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  Peer Motivation - Peers are also a great source of motivation for one another. Lifelong friendships are formed at school and peers have been known to stand up for one another sometimes even more than siblings. They assist one another with school work and also become mentors to one another in their personal lives. Very often one finds that the students who work in groups, sharing their knowledge and skills, obtain better results than those who work alone.
  
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  Teacher Motivation - Among extrinsic factors the teacher is probably the single, most powerful source of motivation for pupils. The personality, skill, attitude, sex, age and even the attire of the teacher are all very important factors in determining whether students perform or not. Teachers must be conscious of the powerful impact that they can have on their students and make every effort to ensure that they impact positively rather than negatively on the young minds entrusted to their care. Teachers are mentors, life shapers, destiny shapers and they must be prepared to undertake the task which has been put into their hands. Students are motivated by teachers who show that they are concerned about their well being, that they have answers to life’s questions , that they can rise to challenges, that they can be mothers, fathers and friends.
  

Generally students are motivated to do well when conditions at home and at school are favorable. In extreme situations one may find children who have everything going for them getting distracted and choosing the wrong path in life. Alternatively, one may find students who appear to have very little motivation at home buckling their belts and setting their own course for success. Motivation can come from any number of sources, but wherever it comes from it is that force which impels us to move forward to achieve - nay to excel.