Teacher as the Main Person to Motivate Learners

One of the biggest jobs for a teacher is to motivate his or her students. Motivation is important because it keeps the students invested in the class and learning the class material. To build motivation, the teacher can do several things in the classroom and with the students. It is important to remember that a motivated student has a greater chance of success than a student without motivation.

This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Angela H. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.

Building Motivation

One way to build motivation is to deliver lesson presentations and material with energy and enthusiasm. This action will show the students the teacher is actively engaged and excited to be teaching them. This behavior displays the teacher’s motivation and in turn, his or her passion will motivate the students.

Another way to build motivation is for the teacher to take more time to get to know their students. This will allow the teacher to be able to better tailor the class lessons to the students’ concerns, backgrounds, and interests. Showing a personal interest in the students will help the students feel more confident and motivated to participate in in-class activities.

Also Read: Peculiarities of The English Language

Points to Pay Close Attention to

The teacher can take time to explain the topics and lessons. Making sure the student understands the material. Answering questions and using relatable examples when an additional explanation is needed. Many students want to be shown why a concept or technique is useful before they want to study it further. By taking the time to inform the students about how the course or learning topic prepares them for future opportunities will aid in motivating them to be more actively engaged.

Setting realistic performance goals for the students based on their current learning level and helping students achieve these goals by designing and assigning assignments that are appropriately challenging the student will aid in building motivation, as well. It is important to ensure the work is not too hard or above the student’s level of understanding or they will get discouraged and motivation will decrease.

The teacher needs to place appropriate emphasis on testing and grading. Tests should reflect what the students have learned in the course, not what they have not learned or are lacking. Be realistic when making the test and ensure the test is graded, marked for correction and given back to the students in a reasonable and adequate timeframe. The teacher can take time to address the question or concerns the students may have about the test. If a majority of the class missed a common question, the teacher may want to do a recap of the teaching point associated with the question. Motivation is built when the teacher shows the students, she cares about their performance and shows she wants them to understand the material.

Also Read: How much can I earn teaching English in Cambodia?

Choices

To help promote motivation for learning a teacher can consider giving the students a choice regarding topic selection if school or employer allows. Allowing students, a little control over their education is a great way to build motivation and keep students interest. For example, the teacher can allow the students to choose project topics that interest them or perhaps choose class games that they enjoy.

Ideas

Another great way to build motivation is to assign classroom jobs. This can help to make students feel more included and the added responsibility aids in the students assuming ownership and feel invested in the class. The teacher can create a list of jobs for the week and select different students to assume the roles each week so that every student gets a turn.

Also Read: Are public or private schools better for teaching English in South Korea?

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In conclusion, a teacher must make sure the lessons are enjoyable, interesting varied and useful to build motivation. The more interaction the teacher has with their students the more the students can see the teacher cares for them. This creates an environment of trust, respect, and comfort, thus promoting motivation. Finally, remember a motivated student has a greater chance of success than a student without motivation. So, work hard to establish and maintain motivation with the students.

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