How to motivate students
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Motivating students is a challenge all teachers face. There is nothing worse for a teacher than entering a classroom and seeing a group of learners with indifferent faces and looking forward to ending the lesson. In our school I have to work with some teenagers who are poorly motivated for different reasons. It is absolutely useless to explain them that the knowledge of the English language is very important for their future career. Such students don’t care about homework, marks they get in the lesson and parents’ worries about their academic results.

One of the ways to encourage them to learn something is to make lessons more fun and meaningful at the same time. When I plan classroom activities, I think about what my learners will be interested in doing. I try to vary my tasks and use different materials: TV and video materials, references to pop culture, song worksheets, quizzes, brainteasers, flashcards, mimes, games, songs, chants etc. All the tasks have clearly achievable goals.  It is also important not to make classroom activities too long.

From time to time, when my students are bored and it is difficult to attract their attention, I give them a chance to get out of the classroom. We go to the library for some research or take field trips. A new setting can be just what some students need to stay motivated to learn.

 The atmosphere in the lesson should be open and positive. Personally, I believe that people learn more in relaxed and supportive environment that is why I often tell my students funny jokes. It helps gain positive reaction. Additionally, I am never skimp on giving praise and positive feedback. Those learners who show good results get rewards such as choosing a video to watch, a song to perform or I can give them a sticker,  a calendar or something else. These simple things make some teenagers work harder and do their best to achieve goals. But sometimes their attempts end in failure. When my students do something wrong, I try to explain them that people can and must learn from their mistakes. Learner self-evaluation is also a good strategy. The ability to evaluate ones own performance realistically is empowering and highly motivating.

Experience has taught me that teacher’s own motivation and energy inevitably effects those of his or her students. During the lessons my learners are able to feel how enthusiastic I am about the topic. It makes them appreciate the lesson. I am convinced that the level of student motivation depends on the teacher.