ABSTRACT
This paper attempted to find out which behaviors of teachers affect the motivation of students. The study adopted a mixed-method approach to finding out the answers to the questions under study. A questionnaire was administered to the students studying in the department of English in the universities of North Cyprus. The questionnaire attempted to find out the motivating behaviors of teachers in English classrooms. Apart from this, seven students were interviewed to find out the most motivating interpersonal behaviors of teachers. The major findings of this study show that the teachers have a vital role to play inside and outside the classroom in motivating students and to enhance their learning. The positive attitude of teachers makes students participate actively in class hence lead to better academic performance. We can conclude that the teachers’ attitudes affect students’ urge and awareness to develop them academically and personally. The findings of this study can help the teachers to understand the needs of the students and help them feel motivated to obtain better learning outcomes. Course designers can also benefit from the findings of this study. They can design the courses/lesson plans or the activities according to the students’ interest to ensure the required outcomes of the course since the findings of this study have been derived directly from the students.
KEYWORDS
self-actualization, needs hierarchy, constructional communication, education psychology, nonverbal behaviors