Developmentally Appropriate Strategies to Meet the Lack of Motivation at School
- Part 1: For Those Who Lack Motivation
- Part 2: Effects of the Lack of Motivation on School and Home Behavior
- Part 3: Theoretical Framework for the Lack of Motivation
- Part 4: Developmentally Appropriate Strategies to Meet the Lack of Motivation at School
- Part 5: Developmentally Appropriate Strategies to Meet the Lack of Motivation at Home
- Part 6: Keeping Track of Motivational Progress
Part 4: Developmentally Appropriate Strategies to Meet the Lack of Motivation at School
Setting the tone for the lesson would be an important part of breaking down preexisting barriers. This would involve creating an expectation of there being an increasing level of difficulty over time. The idea is, everyone can do this and be successful, at least at the beginning, so the students can feel free to start. You can also show how the students are able to the very thing they think they cannot do. One way would be to show a student who has struggled and is worse off than they believe they are and show the progress made. From there, you can begin the lessons. Another strategy to consider implementing is reminding students of the progress they have made along the way. This tracking helps them see that they are learning and have the mindset that they are learning and applying their learning with some success.
Something to consider is that individualized instruction increases motivation (Cheng, 2016, 52). This implies that a scholar may need some personal tending to in order to produce the better results you wish to see. This is something that curbs the lack of motivation, and can even lead to some teachable moments, some that allow one to support the student with some long-term autonomous resources and development.
Theorist Vygotsky suggested that the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) is where we need to start so that the student can perform a task that is within reach (Vygotsky, 8). Problems exist when the work being assigned is outside of the ZPD for the individual student. Scholars who believe they cannot do the work will have an easier time forfeiting the assignment.
Hey teacher, remember when you studied Bloom’s Taxonomy? It is the triangle that classifies intellectual behavior (Overbaugh, 2016). This includes:
- Remembering
- Understanding
- Applying
- Analyzing
- Evaluating
- Creating
It is important to walk with scholars through the process of increasing rigor, so that they can become more autonomous intellectually as they engage in the world. This development can also lead to more motivation because they are better equipped to endure assignments and goals of life.
Here are some more tips for the classroom:
- Utilize a student-led model in the classroom. This includes letting students do more talking than you as the teacher in class discussions. Such a model encourages scholars to be autonomous and direct the flow of the lessons. Peer-to-peer learning can also provide a learning environment that is productive from all scholars.
- Prepare students with assistive resources for exploration. Using computers, books and samples are examples that can encourage motivation.
- You can use rewards as incentives, especially social incentives. Still, remember, “Rewards that are too large can be counterproductive because students may feel pressured into taking part” (Usher, 2012, 3).