How do different motivations change how students learn English?

Steffanie Zazulak
A teacher stood helping a student in a large classroomw with other students sat working
Reading time: 4 minutes

Students all over the globe learn English for many reasons. Some of these motivations may come from the students themselves – perhaps they are learning because they are travelling to an English-speaking area, or they want to be able to converse with English-speaking friends and colleagues. Other reasons for learning could include meeting school requirements, studying abroad, or progressing their careers.

As well as different reasons to learn English, there are also different goals. Many students are still focused on becoming fluent in English, and we are seeing an increase in people who want to learn the language for specific reasons. For example, immersing themselves in a particular culture or simply being able to order from a menu while travelling abroad.

Teachers are focusing on these personal needs to help students achieve their actual goals. It’s likely you’ve already spoken to your students about why they want to learn English. Understanding this is important as different motivations can influence a student’s attitude towards learning the language – and it may be necessary for you to adapt your teaching strategies for different groups of learners.

Teaching English to different groups of learners

Let’s meet some different groups of students, learn a little more about their motivations and explore whether different motivations alter how students learn English. You may recognise some of these learners in your classes.

1. Adult learners

These students are learning English for pleasure or personal reasons. It might be because of travel, social or family reasons or perhaps because a better grasp of English might assist them with their careers. There are also adult learners who could be learning English as an immigration requirement.

For example, 23-year-old Alice decided to learn English so she could meet people and have more meaningful interactions with her English-speaking neighbours. She says: “I was very shy and not very confident in speaking to people, but learning English helped me connect with others and meet new people. I have changed a lot.”

A motivation like Alice’s requires strong teacher support and peer motivation woven into structured learning. Alice can set her goals and with the GSE Learning Objectives map out what she needs to do to achieve them. Teacher encouragement and personal support – and easy access to digital coursework, a social community of others all learning English, and small classes that emphasise conversation – keep people like Alice engaged and motivated to achieve her language goals. “I cannot do it without them”, she says.

2. Professional learners

These learners are typically in a more formal type of English programme and are learning the language to achieve specific career milestones, such as a promotion. Their employer might even be paying for their learning or they might be reimbursed for the cost of their lessons.

Vincenzo is 33 and works as a Product Manager in Milan for an international organization with offices around the world. He says: “I asked to take English classes as part of my professional development. My company chose an English provider and gave me a choice of group or one-to-one classes. I chose one-to-one classes as I’m easily distracted.”

Professional learners like Vincenzo succeed using a blended learning model of learning in class and at home that they can tailor around their lives. They have a strong motivation to succeed – that’s why learning at home works for them – but step-by-step progress provided by the GSE Learning Objectives is also important to keep this motivation alive. “I met with my teacher once a week where we would work on mistakes I would make while speaking English. He would also give me extra practice materials, like interesting games and videos to listen to in my own time, to help me really get a better understanding of the language,” Vincenzo says.

3. Academic learners

Learning English is a requirement for many school programmes and students will continue this at college or university. Many of these students will be learning English with a formal course that offers practice tests for high-stakes exams.

Seventeen-year-old Subra is from Malaysia and learns English at school. Some of her family live in Australia and she is considering studying abroad to attend a University that specializes in health care. When she was young, she learned in a traditional classroom backed with tests that helped her see how she was progressing. Now she uses technology, such as her Android Huawei phone to practise her English but still needs the validation of regular testing to know she is on track.

Subra says: “I am used to studying for tests as I prepared hard for exams to get into middle school and senior school, which was totally determined by test results.”

Academic learners like Subra need to see demonstrable results to help them stay motivated and guide them to the level of English they need to achieve to get the required score on high-stakes tests. With the clear GSE Learning Objectives and a placement test, academic learners can map out where they are right now and where they need to be in order to reach their academic goals. These learners need encouragement and validation of their progress from their teachers to help keep them on track.

Understanding student motivations will help you teach to their specific needs, thus helping them to stay focused and motivated in achieving their goals.

Read our post 'Why don’t my students speak English in class?'.

Explore our English courses

More blogs from Pearson

  • Two young girls fistbumping eachother in celebration
    Debunking myths about neurodivergence and language learning
    By Charlotte Guest
    Reading time: 5 minutes

    Can neurodivergent learners really learn a new language?

    Neurodivergent people can learn new languages successfully. Often, what seems like an inability is actually due to a mismatch between traditional teaching methods and how different brains process information.

    Research across ADHD, autism and dyslexia consistently shows that language learning is not only possible but can offer cognitive, social and even emotional benefits. The key variable isn’t capacity, it’s approach.

    Common myths about ADHD, autism and dyslexia in language learning

    Myth 1: “People with ADHD can’t focus enough to learn a language”

    Fact: ADHD brains often thrive with novelty, variety and stimulation,  all of which language learning naturally provides.

    While research on ADHD and language learning is still emerging, scholars highlight that the field is under-researched, not evidence of inability. This gap reinforces that perceived difficulties are often due to teaching methods rather than learner capacity. Traditional methods (long grammar drills, passive memorization) can fail ADHD learners. But when learning includes:

    • Short, varied activities
    • Speaking and interaction
    • Gamified tools
    • Real-world usage

    Attention often improves, not worsens.

    Reframe: It’s not a focus deficit, it’s a method mismatch.

    Myth 2: “Dyslexia makes learning another language too difficult”

    Fact: Dyslexia affects reading and decoding,  not intelligence or the ability to acquire language.

    In fact, many dyslexic learners:

    • Excel in spoken language skills
    • Develop strong pattern recognition
    • Benefit from multisensory input (audio + visual + movement)

    Difficulties usually arise when teaching is overly text-heavy.

    Reframe: Dyslexia changes how language is learned, not whether it can be learned.

    Myth 3: “Autistic learners shouldn’t be pushed into bilingualism”

    Fact: There is no evidence that learning multiple languages harms autistic individuals. Reviews have shown that bilingualism does not have negative effects on autistic children, despite long-standing misconceptions among professionals. In many cases, it can:

    • Support communication flexibility
    • Enhance social connection (especially in multilingual families)
    • Strengthen cognitive processing

    The outdated belief that bilingualism causes confusion has been widely debunked. More recent reviews also highlight cognitive, social and identity-related benefits of bilingualism in autism, challenging deficit-based assumptions. 

    Reframe: Language learning can expand communication,  not limit it.

    Myth 4: “Neurodivergent learners just need more discipline”

    Fact: What looks like “lack of effort” is often cognitive overload.

    Neurodivergent learners may struggle when:

    • Instructions are unclear
    • Tasks rely on one learning modality
    • Pacing is rigid
    • Working memory is overloaded

    Educational research shows that students are very different from each other, and teaching should change to fit those differences.

    Reframe: The issue isn’t motivation,  it’s accessibility.

    Why traditional teaching methods don’t work for every brain

    Most language classrooms still rely on:

    • Heavy text-based instruction
    • One-size-fits-all pacing
    • Passive memorization
    • Limited sensory engagement

    These approaches conflict with what we know about different ways of learning (learner modalities),  the idea that people process information differently (visual, auditory, kinesthetic, etc.).

    The modality principle of multimedia learning shows that people learn better when information is presented through multiple channels (e.g., visuals + audio instead of text alone). This is especially important for neurodivergent learners.

    Bottom line: When teaching adapts to the learner, outcomes improve dramatically.

    How educators and parents can support diverse learners

    Start with this principle: the learner is not the problem; the system might be.

    For educators:

    • Offer multiple ways to engage with content
    • Design activities that include speaking, listening, and movement
    • Avoid equating speed with ability
    • Normalize different learning paths

    For parents:

    • Focus on encouragement, not pressure
    • Choose programs that emphasize communication, not rote memorization
    • Advocate for inclusive teaching approaches in schools
  • A woman holding papers walking through a campus smiling
    Waiting for English test results? Get your scores faster
    By Abi Fordham
    Reading time: 3 minutes

    Let’s be honest. One of the hardest parts of taking an English test isn’t the test itself; it’s what happens afterward. That strange limbo where the test is over, but your future still feels on hold. You’re waiting, refreshing your inbox, thinking about every question you answered, and wondering how long it’ll be until you can finally move on with your plans. If that sounds like you, just remember: it’s totally normal. Completely normal.

    Why waiting feels so intense (and why it’s not “impatience”)

    The moment you finish a test, your brain jumps ahead to everything that depends on that score:

    • Can I apply this week?
    • Will I meet the deadline?
    • Do I need to prepare a backup option?
    • When can I tell my family?

    It’s not just curiosity. It’s the need for certainty so you can take the next step. Because studying in the USA involves so many moving parts – applications, forms, accommodation, visa timelines – and every one of them depends on knowing your score.

    Fast results aren’t just a nice bonus; they directly impact how smoothly your study plan goes.

  • Removing barriers, raising expectations: inclusive strategies for neurodiverse classrooms
    By Laura Broadbent
    Reading time: 4 minutes

    Every classroom is neurodiverse. Learners differ in how they process information, regulate emotions, sustain attention and show what they know. Yet many classroom routines are still designed around a narrow idea of a “typical” learner. The result? Capable neurodivergent students face unnecessary barriers, their confidence is eroded and their potential goes unrealized.

    Our latest research report, Teaching Neurodiverse Students: The Case for a Strengths‑First Approach, challenges this model. It makes a clear case for inclusive teaching that removes barriers without lowering expectations, and it shows why designing for difference benefits every learner in the room.