Motivational Issues Related to the Business Foreign Language Class in Higher Education

• Author: Armasar, P.I.
• Position: Department of Literature and Cultural Studies, Faculty of Letters, Transilvania University of Brasov
• Pages: 141-148

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov

Series V: Economic Sciences • Vol. 7 (56) No. 1 - 2014

MOTIVATIONAL ISSUES RELATED TO

THE BUSINESS FOREIGN LANGUAGE

CLASS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Ioana-Paula ARM;SAR1

Abstract: The present student-centred paradigm in education aims at

developing the motivational dimension of the stakehold ers within the

educational process, i.e. the teacher and the student. Considering the

dynamics of the system of needs in the present highly technologized consumer

society, motivation allows the understandi ng of a series of psycho-social

phenomena within which it establishes a functional cycle together with the

activity and the conduct. It is worth considering the motivational and

cognitive education of teachers who teach foreign languages to economics

students, as well as the informative side of their training, because all their

linguistic, cultural and pedagogical competen ces attend on economics

students. The humanistic, cultural and ludic components of the foreign

language class may constitute predominantly intrinsic motivation for

economics students. The didactic strategy, the need for feedback, the inter-

determination relationship between teacher and student, issues related to the

organizational and social culture are solutions for decoding motivational

issues. The final aim of the formative-motivational elements is represented by

the preparation of individuals for self-learning and continuous learning

throughout their entire life.

Key words: motivation, foreign language class, higher education,

feedback, self-learning.

1 Department of Literature and Cultural Studies, Faculty of Letters, Transilvania University of Brasov.

1. Introduction

In Romania, there is no public or pr ivate

educational institution which should not

include the study of at least one foreign

language in the curriculum, irrespective of

the level considered. At least one foreign

language is taught for a longer period,

sometimes intensively or simultaneously

with another one. In addition, foreign

language assessment is part of the high

school graduation exam, testing

competences at B2 level. It is also worth

mentioning that many schools or high

schools in Romania have complex

bilingual programmes and that there are

academic programmes of study which are

taught in a foreign language. During the

communist times, the main foreign

languages taught in schools were Russian

and German. At present, the curriculum

includes many and diverse possibilities.

According to the findings of the study

“Key Data on Teaching Languages at

School in Europe” conducted in 2008

under the coordination of EACEA (The