Goal-Setting as a Motivational Factor Helping FL Learners in Gaining Their Levels of FL Proficiency

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to check whether goal-setting increases stu-dents’ motivation and improves their academic achievement. We checked whether students are familiar with the strategy of Goal-Setting, use it in prac-tice and whether there is a connection between students’ improvement when it comes to their grades when Goal-Setting is used and when it is not used. We also examined which type of motivation, intrinsic or extrinsic, increases to-gether with raised amount of Goal-Setting strategies used. As far as the motiva-tion is concerned, we checked what type of motivation is 3rd grade Secondary School students driven by. Moreover, we examined whether setting goals and working on achieving them increases students’ motivation. The results showed that there existed a high relationship between Goal-Setting and students’ moti-vation toward learning a foreign language. Moreover, Goal-Setting results in the increase of learner’s grades. Based on the results, implementing Goal-Setting strategies into the process of teaching and learning was recommended as a tool to enhancing learners’ academic performance especially in English Language.