The Impact of Peace Corps Volunteers on Students' Motivation Towards Learning English

Abstract

The purpose of the current paper was to investigate the impact of Peace Corps Volunteers on students’ motivation toward learning English. The study was carried out at the American Corner in Gyumri and Yerevan. Thirty participants (15 in Gyumri and 15 in Yerevan), school students (15-18 years old) were involved in the study. The design chosen for the research was a case study. The data was obtained with the help of the semi-structured interview with pre prepared interview guide questions and observations. For the analysis of the case study collected through the interview, grounded theory was applied aimed at identifying the key topics and categories in the data. The results showed that PCVs increased students’ motivation toward learning English. They helped to develop and improve students’ English language skills, enhanced their cross-cultural awareness communication, brought significant changes in their mindset and personality and, fostered their aspirations for further educational and career advancement in life. Moreover, it was revealed that learning with volunteers became a significant preparation for life and education abroad, which helped students to overcome language and cultural obstacles, thus increasing their motivation and self-confidence. PCVs provided tremendous support and assistance in different aspects of students’ life acting as teachers, mentors, and finally as role models.