A case study of teacher and student perceptions of the factors contributing to the de-motivation of Form 5 students who selected Spanish at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) level at an urban secondary school in North Trinidad

Abstract

This study examined teachers’ and students’ perceptions of the factors that contributed to demotivation among Form 5 students who selected Spanish at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) level at an urban secondary school in North Trinidad. Data were collected through interviews. The results showed that extrinsic factors—involvement of the school administration, choice of subject constraints, and the historical and cultural context of Spanish influence in Trinidad and Tobago—heavily influenced the choice of Spanish. The students’ selection of Spanish did not appear to be in accordance with their desires, preferences, or performance. Consequently, the students became demotivated within a system that, despite its eagerness to register them for CSEC Spanish, did not pay attention to their needs and interests in conjunction with the delivery of the Spanish curriculum.