The Role of Praise and Encouragement in Constructing Legitimate English Use in Online English Learning in Georgia
Keywords:
Reinforcement, legitimate English, praise, influence, online teachingAbstract
Praise is defined as a positive feedback which reinforces desired performance or behavior (Burnett, 2002). It plays a pivotal role in language learning by enhancing motivation and shaping learner identity. Praise also constructs the concept of “legitimate English” as socially mediated and linked to dominant norms and native-speaker ideologies (Leung, Harris, & Rampton, 1997; Canagarajah, 2007). This article explores the influence of praise and reinforcement on learners’ motivation and their perceptions of what constitutes acceptable English use.
This article employs a qualitative, inquiry-based approach, guided by sociocultural theory and the concept of language legitimacy. Data were collected through questionnaires involving students and teachers from various online English learning platforms. The research also includes a review of existing literature and an analysis of praise practices across digital environments.
The research revealed two distinct learner attitudes toward praise. Some learners perceive praise as motivational and affirming, enhancing their belief in the legitimacy of their English use. Others perceive it as odd or unclear without specific, constructive guidance, leading to uncertainty about language standards. These results emphasized the requirement for feedback practices that are not only motivating but also transparent and inclusive. The study concludes that effective praise in online learning must be balanced including both emotional support with clear pedagogical intention to foster motivation and a strong sense of linguistic legitimacy.
References
Ames, C. (1992). Classrooms: Goals, structures, and student motivation. Journal of Educational Psychology, 84(3), 261–271. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.84.3.261
Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. W. H. Freeman.
Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (1998). Assessment and classroom learning. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 5(1), 7–74. https://doi.org/10.1080/0969595980050102
Burnett, P. C. (2002). Teacher praise and feedback and students' perceptions of the classroom environment. Educational Psychology, 22(1), 5–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/01443410120101215
Canagarajah, A. S. (2007). The ecology of global English. International Multilingual Research Journal, 1(2), 89–100. https://doi.org/10.1080/19313150701486317
Deci, E. L., Koestner, R., & Ryan, R. M. (2001). Extrinsic rewards and intrinsic motivation in education: Reconsidered once again. Review of Educational Research, 71(1), 1–27. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543071001001
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1985). Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior. Springer.
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The "what" and "why" of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 227–268. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327965PLI1104_01
Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Random House.
Elliot, E. S., & Dweck, C. S. (1988). Goals: An approach to motivation and achievement. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54(1), 5–12. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.54.1.5
Festinger, L. (1954). A theory of social comparison processes. Human Relations, 7(2), 117–140. https://doi.org/10.1177/001872675400700202
Garrison, D. R. (2011). E-learning in the 21st century: A framework for research and practice (2nd ed.). Routledge.
Garrison, D. R., & Anderson, T. (2003). E-learning in the 21st century: A framework for research and practice. Routledge.
Hattie, J., & Timperley, H. (2007). The power of feedback. Review of Educational Research, 77(1), 81–112. https://doi.org/10.3102/003465430298487
Henderikx, M., Kreijns, K., & Kalz, M. (2017). Motivation in online learning environments. In P. Northrup (Ed.), Handbook of research on learning design and learning objects: Issues, applications, and technologies (pp. 347–366). IGI Global.
Izuma, K., Saito, D. N., & Sadato, N. (2008). Processing of social and monetary rewards in the human striatum. Neuron, 58(2), 284–294. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2008.03.020
Jenkins, J. (2007). English as a lingua franca: Attitude and identity. Oxford University Press.
Kachru, B. B. (1992). The other tongue: English across cultures (2nd ed.). University of Illinois Press.
Kohn, A. (1993). Punished by rewards: The trouble with gold stars, incentive plans, A's, praise, and other bribes. Houghton Mifflin.
Leung, C., Harris, R., & Rampton, B. (1997). The idealized native speaker, reified ethnicities, and classroom realities. TESOL Quarterly, 31(3), 543–560. https://doi.org/10.2307/3587837
Lightbown, P. M., & Spada, N. (2013). How languages are learned (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.
Maton, K. (2014). Knowledge and knowers: Towards a realist sociology of education. Routledge.
Moore, M. G. (2013). The theory of transactional distance. In M. G. Moore (Ed.), Handbook of distance education (3rd ed., pp. 66–85). Routledge.
Mueller, C. M., & Dweck, C. S. (1998). Praise for intelligence can undermine children's motivation and performance. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75(1), 33–52. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.75.1.33
Oxford English Dictionary. (n.d.). Praise. Oxford University Press. https://www.oed.com/
Pennycook, A. (1994). The cultural politics of English as an international language. Longman.
Salmon, G. (2011). E-moderating: The key to teaching and learning online (3rd ed.). Routledge.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.
Woolard, K. A., & Schieffelin, B. B. (1994). Language ideology. Annual Review of Anthropology, 23, 55–82. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.an.23.100194.000415
Zimmerman, B. J. (2002). Becoming a self-regulated learner: An overview. Theory Into Practice, 41(2), 64–70. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15430421tip4102_2
