Impact of teachers' intrinsic motivation on academic achievement of students with autism in kicukiro and Gasabo districts.

Abstract

Teachers' intrinsic motivation plays a crucial role in the academic success of students with autism, creating an environment where students feel supported, engaged, and motivated to reach their full potential. This study investigates how teachers' intrinsic motivation influences the academic achievements of these students, focusing on identifying key motivations and examining their impact on student performance. Using a quantitative research design with 60 respondents (20 students with autism, 20 teachers, and 20 parents), data were collected through structured questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS software. Key intrinsic motivations identified include passion for teaching, self-motivation, and love for children. A strong positive correlation was discovered between teacher motivations and student performance across multiple dimensions. Strong positive correlation was identified between teacher motivations and various dimensions of student performance. The correlation coefficients between Passion for Teaching and academic skills, engagement and social-emotional development were 0.941, 0.761, and 0.836, respectively. Similarly, Self-Motivation correlated with academic skills, engagement, and social-emotional development with correlation coefficients of 0.756, 0.742, and 0.729, respectively. Love for Children showed correlation coefficients of 0.898, 0.762, and 0.864 with academic skills, engagement, and social-emotional development, respectively. All correlations were significant at p < .01. The findings underscore the importance of fostering these intrinsic motivations to enhance educational outcomes for students with autism. Future research should explore interventions to strengthen teachers' intrinsic motivation and collaborate with education stakeholders to address practical challenges and further support student success