Novice teachers’ developing beliefs on learner motivation: An agentic perspective

Abstract

This longitudinal multiple case study explores the development of seven Chilean novice teachers’ beliefs and experiences regarding learner motivation for studying English as a foreign language. Questionnaire and interview data were collected over two years during the transitional phase between pre-service and in-service teaching. Various forms of individual, relational, and collective agency regarding learner motivation in educational settings could be traced. The results capture the complexity of different interacting factors influencing learner motivation, including teacher cognitions, school environments, and learner contributions in building motivation. Possibilities and limitations of individual novice teacher agency regarding learner motivation are discussed, and a proposal is made to work out collaborative schemes in which motivation is supported at a whole-school community level.