Motivating students to learn can be extremely difficult. Time after time, studies have shown that students work better, longer, with intrinsic motivation versus extrinsic. So, how can we help students become more self-motivated?
Larry Ferlazzo, an English, and Social Studies teacher at an inner-city high school in Sacramento, CA has spent time researching and practicing just that. Recently, he reviewed modern research on both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and then identified four critical areas to help students build that self-motivation: autonomy, competence, relatedness, and relevance.
As an educator, though, it is one thing know the theory behind motivation, and another thing to focus on the practical applications. Mr. Ferlazzo recognized this and helped educators take that next step. In one of his newest blogs, he expands upon those four critical areas and offers classroom strategies that are helpful and practical.
- Build autonomy by offering students opportunities for choice in their learning. Three key areas exist in a classroom for students to make these choices: Organizational choice, Procedural choice, and Cognitive Choice.
- Strengthen competence be offering consistent and positive feedback. Let students know when they are doing things well so they can begin to recognize it themselves. This does not limit appropriately critical feedback; that is a necessary part of learning. However, keeping it couched in positive comments is necessary.
- Create relatedness through positive interactions. Students begin to work smarter, and harder, for teachers they respect. Work to build those types of relationships in, and out, of the classroom.
- Strengthen relevance by providing opportunities for students to see how the things they are learning are relevant to their daily lives. While important to make those connections for students, especially in the beginning, it is more important for educators to help students begin to recognize that relevance on their own.
Strategies to build intrinsic motivation in students are critical to their success. What strategies would you be willing to share?
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