Non-traditional Ways to Motivate Students
You rarely find people who have an attention deficit in all subjects. Have you ever wondered why students are unable to concentrate on academics while spending hours playing video games or drawing like a young Picasso? Trying to increase students' motivation to learn can be a daunting and difficult task especially when these students possess amazing aptitudes in other fields but fail to apply these skills towards academic work. Therefore, teachers and schools need to introduce non-traditional ways that will help motivate and drive student performance significantly. Here are some non-traditional methods that help motivate student learning in unenthusiastic children who don't respond to traditional approaches.
Alternative Teaching Styles
Students are by far from being similar and possess different learning styles. While some students might respond to worksheets and lectures, others might struggle miserably with a structured class. However, the students that struggle might perform exceptionally when given their own projects or any hands-on lesson. Alternative teaching styles that consist of inquiry-based learning and service learning might prove to be an effective method to engage unenthusiastic students.
1. Enquiry-Based Learning
Rather than enforcing students to memorise facts and material, a better alternative is to encourage student-based enquiry, which enhances the learning process. By focusing on development of analytical skills and active learning, students will grow inquisitive and anxious to explore the subject further. Teachers can give students real-life examples so that they can better relate to the topic and increase interest. Effective programmes such as adventure learning and expeditionary learning have proven to be great examples and initiatives of enquiry-based learning.
2. Service Learning
Service learning is yet another method to help engage unenthusiastic students. This involves integrating academic study with community service to enrich community learning, teach community responsibility and strengthen communities. Schools, community organisations or a partnership can offer service learning programmes, which serve as a way to support students and their learning within a classroom. Apart from this, schools using service learning programmes aim to build character, grow students personally and socially, help connect students with their community and increase civic engagement.
Extracurricular Activities
Research has persistently shown a positive correlation between students participating in extracurricular activities and academics. Students when motivated in non-academic context might begin to feel more confident academically because participating in extracurricular activities, which they enjoy with their friends, becomes a manner of motivation to succeed academically. Engaging students in extracurricular activities not only makes them feel socially interconnected but also increases relatedness resulting in improved academic performance. It also significantly impacts the ratio of school dropouts.
Use of Technology
Schools and teachers should aim at using applications that interest students such as games, audio/videos and other interactive means. There are mixed reviews based upon the use of technology within a classroom. Some researchers believe that the use of technology has caused students to become further unmotivated about academic achievement and performance. On the other hand, research based on the newer uses of technology remains to be thin and is still evolving.
These non-traditional methods might prove to be promising ways of motivating unenthusiastic students however, non-traditional methods aren't restricted to just these approaches.