Teaching English in rural settings: A systematic review of challenges and strategies in non-technological classrooms

The aim of this research is to find out how working memory training affects the mathematical performance of primary school pupils with high, medium and low levels of achievement motivation. The participants were divided into groups with high, medium, and low levels of motivation, and control groups underwent four weeks of working memory training. The assessments were done before and after the training to measure their working memory as well as their mathematical performance. As a result, the study disclosed valuable gains in respect of working memory among those with average and below par levels of achievement motivation. A significant development in mathematics was observed especially among students with low level of achievement motivation. According to the findings, it can be concluded that by giving some additional training on working memory skills cognitive abilities for students with low level of achievement motivation could be bettered hence, then improving mathematical performance. The research stresses on the importance of considering individual motivation levels when designing interventions to improve academic performances through cognitive trainings. Targeting working memory and its effect on mathematics is essential in order to gain insights regarding tailored cognitive interventions which may benefit students with different levels of achievement motivation in primary education.

Rural practice presents important yet challenging issues for psychology, especially given the North American and international distribution of the population, levels of need for psychological services in rural settings, limited availability of rural services, and migration of rural residents to urban centres. Direct service issues include the need to accommodate a wide variety of mental health difficulties, issues related to client privacy and boundaries, and practical challenges. Indirect service issues include the greater need for diverse professional activities, including collaborative work with professionals having different orientations and beliefs, program development and evaluation, and conducting research with few mentors or peer collaborators. Professional training and development issues include lack of specialized relevant courses and placements, and such personal issues as limited opportunities for recreation and culture, and lack of privacy. Psychology will need to address more fully these complex issues if rural residents are to receive equitable treatment and services. Psychologists who practice in rural settings face many challenges, including geographic issues, unique qualities of rural residents, and considerable need for but lesser availability of services. We document these and other challenges, suggest how psychologists can adapt to rural settings, and identify areas for further research. The paper reviews literature in rural psychology and related areas (e.g., community psychology, rural sociology), and is illustrated by experiences working in rural and northern Manitoba. The issues are also relevant to urban practitioners wishing to adapt services to clients who have migrated from rural settings. Although the world is increasingly urban, many people remain in rural areas (Murray & Keller, 1991). The last Canadian census (Statistics Canada, 1996) classified 22.1% of Canadians as rural, a total of over 6.3 million people. The percentage rural varied from 55.8% for Prince Edward Island to 16.7% for Ontario, but even the latter figure represented 2 million people. In 1990, 24.8% of the U.S. population was rural, representing over 60 million people (Ricketts, Johnson-Webb, & Randolph, 1999). The number and percentage of people in rural areas is even more dramatic globally, which is relevant to international development and training practitioners for non-Western countries. In 1990 (United Nations, 1991), the percent of people in nonurban regions was over 66% for Oceania (excluding Australia and New Zealand), Asia (excluding Japan), and Africa, and was 25-35% for Eastern and Southern Europe, the USSR, Latin America, North America, and Japan. The figures were under 20% only for Western and Northern Europe, and Australia and New Zealand. Even the relatively low percentages still represented large numbers of rural citizens. International statistics also showed a strong association between ruralness and economic development, with the percent nonurban decreasing markedly from least (80%) to most (27%) developed nations. Although distinct definitions of rural are used for such statistics, ruralness varies in degree. Some rural regions are close to urban centres, such as the regions of Manitoba that surround Winnipeg, the provincial capital with 600,000 people. At the other extreme are isolated or frontier regions remote from large centres or psychological services, and perhaps accessible only by plane or seasonal ice roads. Many communities fall between these extremes, such as Thompson, Manitoba, a town 800 kilometres north of Winnipeg with approximately 15,000 people. Whether people live in rural areas close to major centres or in more remote locations, the challenges of rural practice (e.g., isolation, transportation, lack of privacy) remain problematic to some degree. The preceding statistics change constantly as people move between rural and urban settings. …

<em>The purpose of the study was to explore the work motivation among secondary school teachers. The table revealed that 23.67% secondary school teachers have low level of work motivation, 47% secondary school teachers have average level of work motivation and 29.33% secondary school teachers have high level of work motivation. 20% female teachers have low level of work motivation, 48% female teachers have average level of work motivation and 32% female secondary school teachers have high level of work motivation. Similarly 27.33% male secondary school teachers have low level of work motivation, 46% male secondary school teachers have average level of work motivation and 26.67% male secondary school teachers have high level of work motivation. 12% government secondary school teachers have low level of work motivation, 49.33% government secondary school teachers have average level of work motivation and 16% government secondary school teachers have high level of work motivation. Similarly 35.33% private secondary school teachers have low level of work motivation, 44.67% private secondary school teachers have average level of work motivation and 20% private secondary school teachers have high level of work motivation. There was no significant difference in the work motivation of male and female secondary school teachers. There was significant difference in the work motivation of government and private secondary school teachers.</em>

<em>The purpose of the study was to explore the work motivation among secondary school teachers. The table revealed that 23.67% secondary school teachers have low level of work motivation, 47% secondary school teachers have average level of work motivation and 29.33% secondary school teachers have high level of work motivation. 20% female teachers have low level of work motivation, 48% female teachers have average level of work motivation and 32% female secondary school teachers have high level of work motivation. Similarly 27.33% male secondary school teachers have low level of work motivation, 46% male secondary school teachers have average level of work motivation and 26.67% male secondary school teachers have high level of work motivation. 12% government secondary school teachers have low level of work motivation, 49.33% government secondary school teachers have average level of work motivation and 16% government secondary school teachers have high level of work motivation. Similarly 35.33% private secondary school teachers have low level of work motivation, 44.67% private secondary school teachers have average level of work motivation and 20% private secondary school teachers have high level of work motivation. There was no significant difference in the work motivation of male and female secondary school teachers. There was significant difference in the work motivation of government and private secondary school teachers.</em>

Initiating and sustaining motivation in a collective and innovative style has been a challenge for English language teachers anywhere in the globe. This paper explored the common motivational strategies employed by English language teachers in the classrooms as reported by both teachers and their students from the peripheral district multiple secondary zones in certain school divisions in the Philippines. Anchored on Sugita and Takeuchi’s (2010) findings and supporting literature, teachers’ motivational strategies were surveyed from 256 10th grade student and thirty (30) English teachers. Results confirm teachers and students’ observed engagement with the motivational strategies in the L2 classrooms. Although there were some variations, similarities and connections on the way students and teachers perceived the L2 motivational strategies in the classrooms, the use of a variety of motivational strategies with the focus on promoting pleasant and supportive environment, holistic assessment, differentiated tasks, and humor, remains to be valuable and critical enablers in sustaining successes in the second language classrooms. Implications for language teachers and future study considerations are then shared.

Impaired metabolic capacity in the perirhinal and posterior parietal cortex lead to dissociation between attentional, motivational and spatial components of exploration in the Naples High-Excitability rat

In This Issue

The aim of this research was to explore the perceptions of English novice teachers regarding reflective teaching practices in EFL classrooms in rural schools. The study employed a qualitative description with a case study design as the research method, and data collection was conducted online through semi-structured interviews and reflective journals with five English novice teachers selected through convenience sampling at the secondary school level. The findings revealed that novice English teachers had positive perceptions regarding the implementation of reflective teaching practices. English novice teachers applied some reflective practices in their teaching, but some practices proved challenging for them due to a lack of understanding, limited preparation time, and a lack of collaboration with peers, hindering them from engaging in more effective reflective practices. Therefore, it can be concluded that the implementation of reflective teaching practices by English novice teachers in rural schools was less effective in developing the quality of their teaching. This study suggests that teacher education programs, especially for English teachers, and schools should equip prospective teachers with adequate understanding and support. This can be achieved through structured training programs, mentoring initiatives, and learning communities to prepare future English teachers for a successful teaching career in rural settings by fostering effective reflective teaching practices.

In the article we have described the investigation about image of self as a specialist in the students of psychological specialty. We have realized the theoretical analysis on the basic of which we’ve allocated some components of professional image of self. There was found that about 34 % of students have low level of achievement motivation, and only 11 % of student have high level of one. On second stage of the investigation, we have researched differences of image of self in students with different level of achievement motivation. The high level of achievement motivation promotes to increase self-confidence, and to focus on client’s problems. The low level of achievement motivation deceased self-confidence. Such person strives to avoid any failures. Their professional position is more self-centered. The achievement motivation also determines in the self-actualization. The main differences were discovered in the scale “Orientation in the time”. The respondents with high measures of this scale have a high level of achievement motivation, too. The person with high level of achievement motivation has a more positive view on others. The scale “Autonomy” demonstrates a level of mental health. Only 38% of respondent with low level of achievement motivation achieved the autonomy but between the persons with high level of achievement motivation this percent is 65 %. The result of interview demonstrates absolute certainty of respondents in the evaluation of their profession for society. Thus, the respondents with low level of achievement motivation focus on the level of their knowledge and the fear “losing reputation”. The respondents with high level of achievement motivation are more self-confidence. They have attitude “do no harm”.

The focus of this study was to investigate the motivation levels of students and teachers in EFL learning and teaching focusing on grade nine. Forty students and eight teachers were selected for this study. Students were chosen randomly and all the teachers were taken comprehensively. For the interview four students (2 males and 2 females) were selected purposively to obtain the desired information. Survey method of analysis was employed. Questionnaires and semi structured interview were tools to gather data. Questionnaire items were used to see the level of motivation ranged from 3.69 - 5.00 high level of motivation 2.35 - 3.68, moderate level of motivation and1.00 - 2.34 low level of motivation. The highest level of students motivation was observed for the many of the questions for instance, attitude to learn English and motivation intensity” Similarly, high scores were investigated for teachers. Generally many of students and teachers’ motivation were high. Therefore, the findings of this study revealed that students and teachers were highly motivated to learn and teach English as a foreign language respectively. According to the students’ responses for the interview, all of them confirmed that they had high interest to learn EFL, but they did not have confidence to speak out English language when they attended it, Finally, they promised to be confident and learn English to be benefited. Based on the findings obtained, the researcher recommended that motivation helps EFL learners and teachers in General Secondary School to improve their English language learning teaching process.

During the pandemic, learning activities has done by online. This learning method has weaknesses, such as students find feel less motivated to learn mathematics. While learning motivation is one of the important factors that can affect students in learning mathematics. The research method in this study is a qualitative descriptive method. Three students were selected as subjects based on high, medium and low levels of learning motivation. Data collection is done by test and interview method and data analysis technical used in this study is data reduction, data presentation and drawing conclusions. Then the research data is tested for validity using the source triangulation. Based on the results of the analysis it can be concluded that high-motivated student has difficulty to analyze the known elements. While the students with medium and low levels of motivation have difficulty explaining the results of problem solving.

Teaching English Language is deemed challenging and arduous for English Language teachers, particularly when it is done in rural settings where students have minimal English Language exposure. The paper presents a systematic review of the challenges encountered by English Language teachers in teaching English in rural settings and the solutions to overcome the challenges. The findings reveal a myriad of issues and challenges in teaching English in rural settings which have thwarted the development of English Language education in rural settings. The lack of qualified English Language teachers, inadequate facilities, infrastructure and teaching materials, students’ limited competence in English and their negative attitudes towards learning English as well as the lack of parental support are the identified challenges confronted by English Language teachers in teaching English in rural settings. Several pragmatic solutions are suggested to overcome the aforementioned challenges such as to provide proper trainings for English Language teachers, foster positive attitudes towards teaching English among English Language teachers, improve and upgrade the facilities, infrastructure and teaching aids as well as to promote effective communication between parents and teachers. The limitations of the past studies and the recommendations for the future research are also discussed.

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: An evidence-based approach for childhood obesity is family-based treatment (FBT). Research supports that motivation and income level may impact treatment success; however, the relationship between the two is understudied. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine whether motivation for beginning FBT is associated with income levels. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: 459 parent and child dyads from the PLAN (Pediatric, Learning, Activity, Nutrition) with Families multisite study were included in this study. PLAN consists of FBT through personalized health coaching over the course of two years, focusing on nutrition, physical activity, and parenting skills. Parent and child also attend height and weight assessments every 6 months in the study. Outcomes of the study include weight change and mastery of behavioral skills. Motivation and income level were provided by self-report at the beginning of the study. Motivation was based on a scale from 1-10 (1 = no motivation, 10 = high motivation). Income levels were grouped into one of three broader categories- low income ($80,000/year). RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: The mean level of motivation for the parent was 8.76 and for the child was 7.87. There was a significant difference in the mean level of motivation for the child and parent, t = 7.73, p = < .001. Post-hoc multiple comparisons using Tukey’s HSD test indicated that children in the high-income group had lower levels of motivation (M = 7.29, SD = 2.07) compared to children in the middle (M = 8.18) and low (M = 8.70) income groups. Level of motivation did not differ for children in the middle and low-income groups. Finally, parent motivation level did not differ significantly by income group. While there were significant differences between parent and child motivation levels, the motivation remained high for both groups. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: The data suggests a significant difference in mean child motivation and income level. Child’s high motivation may be from the idea of participating in something new, a rare opportunity for low-income children. To improve the implementation and efficacy of FBT, further study into the relationship between motivation and income level should be done.

Undergraduate students in English Medium Instruction settings encounter linguistic, psychological, and social challenges that impede motivation for English language learning. While previous research has explored English language exposure and teacher creativity independently, their combined influence remains understudied. This study examined the levels of exposure, teacher creativity, and motivation, alongside their interrelationships, using survey data from 304 undergraduate students in Davao del Sur. Results revealed moderate English language exposure (M = 3.49, SD = 0.708), with the highest levels in media use (e.g., watching English movies, M = 4.20, SD = 0.935) and the lowest at home (M = 2.29, SD = 0.734). Teacher creativity was rated high overall (M = 3.88, SD = 0.784), particularly in fostering motivation through feedback (M = 4.07, SD = 0.923). Motivation was predominantly instrumental, with career-related goals rated highest (M = 4.53, SD = 0.808). Regression analysis demonstrated that teacher creativity significantly predicted motivation (β = 0.593, p < 0.001). In contrast, exposure correlated weakly with motivation (r = 0.326, p < 0.001) and lacked predictive power (β = 0.077, p = 0.120). These findings highlight the critical role of creative teaching strategies in enhancing motivation, supported by diverse exposure opportunities.

Teaching English as a foreign language presents considerable challenges in both rural and urban contexts. Instructors are required to pay close attention to the development of students’ core language skills, namely reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Beyond these fundamental areas, teachers are also expected to integrate modern technology into their teaching practices and foster in students a positive learning environment characterized by enthusiasm, motivation, and a constructive attitude toward mastering English. However, the specific challenges encountered often vary depending on whether instruction is delivered in rural or urban colleges. Generally, these challenges falls into three (03) broad categories i.e. (i) those related to students, (ii) those related to teachers, and (iii) those associated with institutional facilities. The present paper was conducted with the objective to identify these challenges in both rural and urban settings and propose possible potential solutions. In this paper a qualitative research approach was employed for capturing in-depth insights from the field. Data was gathered through semi-structured interviews and questionnaires administered to four (04) English language teachers from selected areas. The study findings concludes that student-related issues include (i) limited vocabulary mastery, (ii) low levels of motivation, (iii) insufficient parental support, and (iv) a lack of active participation in classroom activities. While on the hand teacher-related challenges (i) limited familiarity with information technology, (ii) inadequate mastery of diverse teaching methods, and (iii) a shortage of professional training opportunities are included. Furthermore, facility-related challenges were also significant, particularly in rural colleges, where problems such as the absence of suitable buildings, a shortage of computers, and the lack of multimedia resources like LCD projectors were observed.