Motivation & Teaching
Strategies that encourage students to be motivated to learn
Motivation
A teacher has the duty of fulfilling a students education in the most beneficial way for each individual child. The motivation to learn is one of the most essential tasks an educator has in developing the minds within the classroom. It promotes activities that are meaningful and worthwhile, and therefore a student becomes an active participant in the discussion and a willing attitude is apparent. Motivation to learn involves thoughtful study strategies such as, summarising, elaborating the basic ideas and outlining in your own words (Brophy, 1988, as cited in Woolfolk & Margetts, 2013, p.381).
Task Value
"The value of a task is assessed by its importance, interest to the student, usefulness or utility, and the cost in terms of effort and time to achieve it." (Seifert, 2011). The more a student values the activity, the more meaningful and motivating it becomes, therefore creating better group discussion, unique ideas and a positive work space.
Recognition
All students should be given the opportunity to be recognised for their learning, and support is a key factor to motivational success. Woolfolk & Margetts (2013), highlight the effectiveness of recognising and publicising a wide range of school related activities to students.
Grouping
The effects of cooperative learning on social and academic outcomes are positive and successful (Wentzel & Brophy, 2014, p.202). Relating to others who are involved, in an environment that exudes acceptance and appreciation will greatly impact on motivation.
"Motivation drives students to learn and achieve to their potential." (Woolfolk & Margetts, 2013)
Limitations
Time can be a major challenge in the process of motivating to learn. This is because students vary in the amount of time needed to learn almost any material or task (Seifert, 2011). Accommodating these differences is essential for maximising students' motivation, and a school day can be filled with unexpected interruptions and factors that make it hard to be flexible. To overcome this, enrichment activities can be organised for high achievers to make room for the children who may need extra care and attention (Woolfolk & Margetts, 2013).