The Teacher’s Perception of Reinforcement and Its Impact on Student Engagement in English Language Learning: A Qualitative Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33096/tamaddun.v24i1.956Keywords:
reinforcement, teacher perception, student engagement, classroom interaction, EFL teaching, qualitative researchAbstract
This study explores the perception of an English teacher regarding the use of reinforcement and its impact on student engagement in English language learning. Conducted at SMPN 40 Makassar, the research utilized a qualitative descriptive approach to investigate how the teacher views reinforcement as a tool to support behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement. The primary data were gathered through an in-depth interview with one male eighth-grade English teacher and supplemented by six classroom observations conducted over a three-week period. The findings revealed that the teacher perceives reinforcement not merely as a classroom management technique but as a powerful pedagogical strategy to stimulate motivation, reduce learning anxiety, and foster students’ sense of belonging and competence in the English classroom. Verbal reinforcement, such as praise and addressing students by name, and non-verbal reinforcement, such as smiling, gestures, and eye contact, were consistently applied throughout the observed lessons. The teacher also emphasized the importance of applying reinforcement equitably and intentionally, tailoring it to the diverse personalities and needs of students. These insights align with the theoretical frameworks of Skinner, Bandura, Deci & Ryan, and Fredricks et al. Reinforcement, as perceived and practiced by the teacher, plays a significant role in enhancing student engagement and creating an inclusive, supportive learning environment.
References
Ali, M., & Anwar, M. N. (2023). The role of teacher reinforcement in improving student engagement in EFL classrooms. Asian EFL Journal, 25(2), 45–62.
Astuti, S. P., & Lammers, J. C. (2017). Developing English language teaching and learning practices in Indonesia: Insights from classroom observations. TEFLIN Journal, 28(2), 284–301. https://doi.org/10.15639/teflinjournal.v28i2/284-301
Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Prentice Hall.
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2023). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (6th ed.). SAGE Publications
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
Dörnyei, Z. (2005). The psychology of the language learner: Individual differences in second language acquisition. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Fredricks, J. A., Blumenfeld, P. C., & Paris, A. H. (2004). School engagement: Potential of the concept, state of the evidence. Review of Educational Research, 74(1), 59–109. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543074001059
Hattie, J., & Timperley, H. (2007). The power of feedback. Review of Educational Research, 77(1), 81–112. https://doi.org/10.3102/003465430298487
Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., & Saldaña, J. (2018). Qualitative data analysis: A methods sourcebook (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Nguyen, T. T. (2019). Culturally responsive teaching in EFL contexts: Practices and challenges. Asian Journal of Education, 39(3), 345–360.
Putri, A. A., & Arham, M. (2024). The Influence of Gadgets on EFL Student’s Desire to Learn: Transcending the Digital Realm. Research and Innovation in Applied Linguistics, 2(2), 124.
Rahman, F., & Weda, S. (2018). Students’ perceptions of teacher reinforcement in EFL classrooms in Indonesia. Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 8(2), 325–335. https://doi.org/10.17509/ijal.v8i2.13277
Sandelowski, M. (2000). Whatever happened to qualitative description? Research in Nursing & Health, 23(4), 334–340. https://doi.org/10.1002/1098-240X(200008)23:4<334::AID-NUR9>3.0.CO;2-G
Skinner, B. F. (1953). Science and human behavior. Macmillan.
Wang, Y., Liu, M., & Li, X. (2022). Teacher support and student engagement in EFL learning: A structural equation modeling analysis. Language Teaching Research, 26(4), 553–572. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168820962997
Zhang, L., & Hu, G. (2025). The role of teacher-student rapport in sustaining engagement in EFL classrooms. System, 126, 102996. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2025.102996
Zhou, M., & Brown, D. (2015). Educational learning theories: 2nd edition. In Educational Psychology. https://oer.galileo.usg.edu/education-textbooks/2
Downloads
Published
Versions
- 2025-08-09 (3)
- 2025-08-05 (2)
- 2025-08-05 (1)
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Ananda Salsabilah Ramadhani, Amirullah Abduh, Abdul Halim
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with Tamaddun journal agree to the following terms:
1. Authors retain the copyright and grant Tamaddun the right of first publication. The work will be licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits others to share the work with proper acknowledgment of the authorship and initial publication in this journal.
2. Authors may enter into additional non-exclusive agreements for the distribution of the published version of their work (e.g., posting it to an institutional repository or including it in a book), provided that the initial publication in this journal is acknowledged.
3. Authors are encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their personal websites) before and during the submission process. This can lead to productive exchanges and increase the visibility and citation of the published work.
