Motivating Students

25 Strategies to Light the Fire of Engagement

This practical handbook unpacks 25 strategies for motivating students to engage in learning. Understand eight types of unmotivated learners and how you can meet their needs with diverse and challenging learning opportunities in a welcoming environment. The authors explore the teacher’s role in both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, as well as how to reengage bored or frustrated students by finding the source of disengagement. They also discuss how students not only learn through challenging, appealing, and rewarding experiences, but also continue trying when they can see where they are going and how to get there.

Motivating Students is a great resource for individual study or group professional development. Chapter 1 describes the eight types of unmotivated learners discussed throughout the book, as well as possible contributing factors for disengagement. Chapters 2 through 6 contain strategies such as “get to know your students’ cultural background and context,” “use rewards carefully and with intention,” and “create links to prior knowledge.” Each chapter includes a “campfire talk” that guides readers through the main points.