THE IMPACT OF EXAMS AND TESTS ON STUDENTS’ MOTIVATION FOR LEARNING ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE.

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of exams and tests on students’ motivation to learn English as a foreign language. Students at the department of English-university of Guelma-seem to be motivated only in exams, once exams are over their motivation to learn decreases. The aim of this research is to know why some Algerian English learners are motivated only in exams, and to what extent do exams and tests increase students’ motivation. Therefore, it is hypothesized that a positive relation may exist between assessing students frequently and their motivation to learn. In order to confirm or reject this hypothesis, a questionnaire has been distributed to seventy third year English students. The results confirm the hypothesis and show that students feel motivated to learn only in exams; when exams end their motivation decreases. Therefore, students’ motivation is temporary and the extent to which learners feel motivated is low. Learners’ desire to study in exams is justified by the fact that they want to obtain external reward (marks and grades) in order to succeed and pass to the next year. Hence, it is recommended to teachers to assess students each session in order to help them be prepared for the up-coming exams and get rid of exam’s anxiety.