Students lacking motivation is a problem every teacher has to face. But there’s a way out. These 14 motivating techniques will help make studying more engaging for all students.
- Let your students know your expectations, objectives and rules so they can better understand what you’re looking for and what you’re not. It’s easy to achieve a goal when you can define it. Students should have clear understanding of what they should do to succeed in studying.
- Track the way studying improves. Before reaching a final goal, it would be great to set short-term goals. This is why it’s vitally important to track the way studying improves. If you do this, students can see their progress and achievements, and if you put emphasis on improvement, it can inspire your students to work harder and earn even better results.
- Give your students some democracy. For example, allow one day for activities your students like most of all. Take a vote and let students choose the class activities they would like to do that day.
- Environment change has a magic effect. When in a new environment, people tend to work more productively. You and your students can try this trick as well. Just have a class outside the school or let students change their seats in the classroom.
- Vary your teaching! If your lessons combine various learning styles, teaching methods and classroom activities, there’s a greater chance that almost all students will be engaged. Different students prefer different methods, and if you stick to one technique, that’s more likely that more students will be bored and unmotivated.
- Make sure your material is clear and understandable for all students. Examples are the best way to illustrate your words and clear things up. Just give lots of examples. Let students know that they are welcome to share their own ideas and ask questions. What’s more, provide students with a chance to give their feedback on your teaching.
- Set a spirit of friendly competition. Students should realize there will always be those who study better and worse. And it’s up to them what group to join. To live in society means to compete, and students should get used to this fact. In colleges, competition is much stronger than in lower-grade schools. Make students prepared for this.
- Be generous to your students and give rewards and praise when they deserve it. The art of praise is complicated. Still, there are so many ways and so many reasons to praise your students for their efforts and accomplishments to give the right motivation.
- Give shy students an opportunity to share their views with the class. Some students tend to give no responses and generally keep silent during classes. Encourage them to talk, if they don’t mind.
- Classroom jobs are good ways to develop student responsibility. These jobs vary. For example, you can appoint somebody to moderate discussions in the class or run the class blog. It can be both interesting and useful for everyone.
- Organize group work. This method lets students socialize more with each other and find solutions together. Every person appreciates it if he or she can freely share his or her views. Why not allow students to produce their ideas together and launch group projects?
- Learn more about your students. Get to know their names, interests, and goals. If you’re aware of these things, you can make your teaching materials properly adjusted to each group of students. It’s a well-known fact that people perceive information easier if it fits with their personality types.
- Set high but achievable goals. If students have easy-to-achieve goals, they won’t do their best. Their motivation and productivity decrease fast. Set high goals and watch students work hard, give more effort, and carry the day!
- Give chances to improve. Everybody has bad days, and sometimes a person needs one more chance. If you are generous enough, students definitely appreciate it and stay motivated, because they aren’t afraid of failure.
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