Strategies To Motivate Students

Strategies Teachers Could Employ To Motivate Students

Are your students intrinsically or extrinsically motivated to learn? Motivation basically stems from unsatisfied needs. And yet students are motivated through a wide variety of needs. Some students are motivated by attention, others by power, and others by praise.

It should also be noted that some students are self-motivated and perform because they like challenge and want to perform. When given control and choice, learners are allowed to express themselves creatively and to feel affirmed. While teachers can't make or teach students to be self-motivated, they can encourage and promote this highly desirable personal trait. Generally, students will show some self-motivation if they know what is expected of them, think the effort is worthwhile, and feel they will benefit through effective performance.

Frequent feedback is important especially those that elicit feelings of motivation, encouragement and self-affirmation. This will always work a whole lot better than discouraging or embarrassing students.

Teachers could employ the following strategies:

A. For those who are low in motivation:

Design and provide short, uncomplicated assignment or easily understood options based on their interests.
Encourage peer relationships with able, motivated individuals.
Provide frequent positive, immediate and genuine feedback.

B. For the highly motivated: