| Regardless of the grade you teach, motivation is the | | | | Placing lessons in to context connects and motivates |
| driving force behind all forms of learning. In order to | | | | the learner in ways that factual instruction cannot. |
| acquire and absorb new information, skills and | | | | Simply asking students to list the ways in which |
| practices students need to want to do so. Before you | | | | information or situations connect with their own lives |
| can motivate your students you must make them | | | | can be a great starting point. Tables tracing cause and |
| understand the relevance of the learning activity or | | | | effect are also useful. For example, if you are teaching |
| assignment and encourage them to make connections | | | | the concept of recycling to students, you could ask |
| between the activity and relevance in the real world. | | | | them to rule up a table with three columns headed |
| The Five R's of motivation, relevance, real world, | | | | 'Effect on Me', 'Effect on my Town', 'Effect on my |
| relationships, results and recognition can be embedded | | | | Country'. |
| within your teaching approach in order to motivate | | | | 3. Relationships - Relating learning to students own |
| your students to become life long learners. | | | | interests |
| 1. Relevance - to the age and ability level of your | | | | Using students' particular interests to motivate them to |
| students... | | | | learn is an excellent technique. Bringing popular culture |
| In order to engage your students in the learning | | | | into the classroom is an excellent way to do this. For |
| process, it is vital to ensure that the information, | | | | example, using TV characters or popular movies to link |
| activities and resources that you utilize in your lesson | | | | with themes of work, a unit on astronomy can be |
| plans are suited to your students. You must ensure | | | | linked with Star Wars movies, learning ABC's using |
| relevance by aiming at the age and/or ability level of | | | | Dora the Explorer interactive games online. |
| the students in your class. | | | | 4. Results - What is the end result of the learning, what |
| If you have students of widely differing ability levels | | | | is the goal or the outcome or the end product? |
| then it is important to incorporate strategies that can | | | | Students are highly motivated when they have a clear |
| cater for these differing levels. Group work can | | | | picture of the end result. What am I trying to achieve? |
| encourage peer tutoring, for example, where more | | | | What are my main goals? What is the end result? |
| able students help less able students. | | | | These questions should be used at the start of a unit |
| Activities can be structured to include 'extended | | | | of work, so that students then work towards the end |
| learning elements' to enrich the task for gifted and | | | | goal and stay focused and motivated. |
| talented individuals or more structured and straight | | | | Always begin a lesson by explaining why students |
| forward tasks for students who require additional | | | | need to know the information and what they will |
| support. | | | | achieve by the end of the lesson. This approach |
| Catering to different learning styles, for example visual, | | | | focuses on outcomes based educational approaches |
| kinesthetic or auditory can ensure that the teaching | | | | and has been proven to be a highly effective. |
| approach is relevant to the learner. | | | | 5. Recognition - How to recognize effort and ways to |
| 2. Real World - How does this information relate to | | | | reward effective learning... |
| real life and real world situations? | | | | Reward good learning! Praise, charts, free time, |
| Real life situations can excite and interest the learner | | | | stickers, sweets, trips, and good grades - the |
| and assist them in maintaining motivation and focus. | | | | possibilities are endless. |