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  • The dangers of getting a tattoo abroad: A TEFLer’s story October 12, 2011
    I went abroad, I taught TEFL, I had a great time and I did many things I wouldn’t otherwise have done. Getting tattooed in a prominent area of the body – on the neck above the collar line – was one of those things (along wit others on other parts of the body, some of which […]
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  • Dealing with depression in English teachers: A natural alternative? October 9, 2011
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  • When should children start learning a second language? October 7, 2011
    Many parents want to know what the best method is for their children to learn another language, notes Robert Jaye. They also want to know how soon is too soon for their kids to learn a second language. This article will address these questions. Even if you are just starting to learn it yourself, you can still […]
  • Online education: A viable alternative? October 4, 2011
    In these challenging and unpredictable times, the internet has developed into an out-and-out goldmine of information for potential university students. The whole range of activities involved in the tertiary education experience, from applying for monetary support right the way through to actually participating in a course of study, may all now be accomplishe […]
  • Tips for overcoming barriers standing between you and your goals as a teacher September 30, 2011
    Reading your written teaching goals daily will have an uplifting effect on your vision of the future, suggests Denis O’Brien. This vision propels you into action and things start to happen. And if you take advantage of these things as they come along, you will steadily advance towards your chosen goal. But everyone experiences a period, where […]
  • Learning and Communicative Strategies September 13, 2011
    Learning and communicative strategies Introduction Communicative strategies are systematic techniques employed by a speaker to express his meaning when faced with some difficulty and the difficulty here refers to the speaker’s inadequate command of the language used in the interaction (Faerch & Kasper, 1983:16). On the other hand, the term learning strat […]
  • Advice for Language Students looking for Accommodation in London September 5, 2011
    Students come from all over the world to live and study English in England. They are often looking for a place to stay with the most reasonable accommodation rates. London is one of the most popular destinations, despite suitable accommodation having been traditionally hard to find. At present, there are some amazing low cost, reasonably priced […]
  • How to get motivated to develop your teaching career: 4 NLP strategies that work September 5, 2011
    /mo·ti·va·tion/ 1. The reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way 2. The general desire or willingness of someone to do something 3. *Anna Aparicio’s definition: the art of getting off your butt and getting stuff done Getting motivated doesn’t happen by coincidence or by miracle. Here is the thing: you may have a burning desire [... […]
  • Personality Types and the ELT Teacher September 4, 2011
    The following is an excerpt from Tim Brice’s new book, “MORPHING INTO THE REAL WORLD – A Handbook for Entering the Work Force” which is a survival guide for young people as they transition into adult life. The book offers considerable advice regarding how to manage our personal and professional lives. As a part of this, […]

Strategies for Motivating Students to Learn

By Adam Waxler

As an adjunct education professor I am often asked, “How do I motivate students to learn?

Motivating students to learn is a struggle that all teachers face.

Since I also teach middle school social studies it is the challenge I personally face everyday.

The truth is motivating students to learn is one of the key components of effective teaching AND classroom management.

If students are not motivated to learn then they are most likely not involved in the lesson and if they are not involved in the lesson they are much more likely to cause classroom management problems.

Therefore, it is critical for teachers to increase student motivation to learn and the best way to do this is for teachers to spark student interest at the beginning of every lesson.

Here are six effective strategies for motivating students to learn I do at the beginning of lessons:


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1. Use critical thinking questions ~ The great thing about using these types of questions is that they don’t necessarily have a right or wrong answer so students are allowed to express their own opinions as opposed to simply being told to memorize facts.

Here’s a quick example. Let’s take a social studies lesson on the use of the atomic bomb to end World War II. To spark interest at the beginning of the lesson the teacher can ask students to all write down an answer to the following question… “Do you think President Truman was justified in dropping the atomic bomb to end WWII? Why?”

Teachers can then let students share their answers for a quick class discussion and then take a class poll. Now that the students are interested in the topic it is much easier for the teacher to start the lesson.

Then, at the end of the lesson, the teacher can take another poll to see if the student’s opinions have changed.

2. Use music to teach ~ Music is one of the most underrated learning tools and is a great way to spark student interest. For example, when teaching a lesson on the slave trade and the Middle Passage I introduce the topic by playing the Bob Marley songs “Buffalo Soldier” and “Catch a Fire”.

3. Use video ~ Video is one of the most misunderstood teaching tools and is often abused. However, if used correctly video can be a great tool increase student motivation to learn. The key is to use short clips from movies and documentaries at beginning of lessons rather than the end. Hollywood movies are great for this, but you can also use unitedstreaming.com to download short clips from documentaries on any subject for any grade level.

4. Relate what students are learning to what is going on in the “real world” ~ This is obviously easier done with some subjects than others, but it can be done. Students need to know “why” they are learning something.

5. Relate what students are learning to what is important to them ~ The trick here is to get to know your students and learn about their own interests.

6. Use technology…or rather, have the student use technology to learn ~ Have them create podcasts, videos, web sites, brochures etc.

Increasing student motivation to learn can be challenging, but it is an essential element in being an effective teacher. The added bonus is you will also find yourself enjoying teaching much more when it doesn’t feel like you are pulling teeth trying to get your students involved.

About The Author

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