The Effect Teachers’ Use of Classroom Management Strategies on Iraqi EFL Students’ Language Learning and Learning Motivation

Abstract

Classroom management is the basic component in teaching practice that is used to make the class more organized. The present study aimed at investigating the relationship between teachers’ use of classroom management strategies and Iraqi EFL learners’ level of learning and motivation. For this aim, a total of 30 EFL Teachers, including both males and females (15 males and 15 females), of Iraqi high school teachers were selected to take part in this study. The selection of the teachers was made through convenient sampling. Furthermore, a total of 100 EFL learners (learners of the selected teachers) including 60 males and 40 females aged 16-18 participated in this study from four different provinces, namely Baghdad, Wasit, Babil and Al Mustansrea. To collect the required data, two questionnaires including were administered. The first questionnaire, “classroom management strategies (CMS)”, was developed and validated by Nault et al. (1994).  The questionnaire contains three main dimensions including, discipline, learning and teaching, and personal. The second questionnaire i.e., “student motivation questionnaire” (SMS) was developed and validated by Guilloteaux and D¨ornyei(2008), which measures motivational intensity of the participants. The results of the correlation tests revealed that there is a meaningful relationship between CMS (discipline) and language learning. Also, the results displayed that there is a significant, positive, strong relationship between CMS (discipline) and SMS. Additionally, it was proved that there is a significant difference between the male and the female teachers concerning CMS and its three sub-factors, in which the males showed higher levels of CMS. The obtained results of the study can be beneficial for both teachers and students in getting familiar with how CMS affect students’ learning and SMS in order to have the best outcome in learning as well as teaching in the EFL setting of Iraq.