A Motivational Climate Intervention in English Language Classes: A Case Study for Teaching Reading and Listening

Knowing how to create a positive motivational climate that motivates college students to engage in second language (L2) courses can be a big challenge for some L2 college professors. We created an intervention that used teaching strategies consistent with the MUSIC Model of Motivation to redesign lecture-based reading and listening classes within an L2 English course. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of the intervention on students’ perceptions of the motivational climate, motivation, and effort. Students were surveyed four times throughout the semester: before and after a reading class intervention, and before and after a listening class intervention. Participants included 31 first-year graduate students in a public university in eastern China. Paired t-test results showed that in the reading class, the intervention significantly increased students’ perceptions of empowerment and success. In the listening class, students’ perceptions of usefulness, success, interest, and effort all increased significantly. These findings provide some guidance for future L2 instructional designs, demonstrating that implementing the MUSIC model strategies tailored to specific classroom modules can optimize the motivational climate in reading and listening classes.