title: Motivational styles in English and mathematics among children identified as having special educational needs.
abstract: This study is concerned with the identification, development and prevalence of three different motivational styles: learned helplessness, self-worth motivation and mastery orientation in two National Curriculum core subjects: English and mathematics. These three motivational styles are concerned with the ways in which children respond in the face of difficult and challenging educational tasks. Using Craske's (1988) procedures, a total of 437 children in their first year of secondary school (aged 11-12) were categorised into one of the three motivational styles. Children with special educational needs were identified using a battery of cognitive ability tests (Thorndike, Hagen & France, 1986). This study compares the prevalence of each motivational style in English and mathematics in children of different abilities and presents empirical support for the view that learned helplessness and self-worth motivation are more prevalent among children identified as having special educational needs. Further analyses indicate that: overall, learned helplessness and self-worth motivation are more prevalent in English than mathematics; learned helplessness is more prevalent among girls and self-worth motivation among boys in mathematics. Implications for teachers in developing teaching strategies which foster mastery orientation in their children are discussed.
authors.affiliation: School of Education, University of Durham, UK.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Galloway
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Leo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Armstrong
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D004519:Education, Special; D005260:Female; D006380:Helplessness, Learned; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008433:Mathematics; D009042:Motivation; D010552:Personality Assessment; D012649:Self Concept; D014706:Verbal Learning