Intrinsic motivation is fueled by internal reasons for choosing a behavior. These natural consequences include enjoyment and satisfaction. With this type of motivation, a student will complete a task for personal reasons and will decide his level of commitment with that focus. Reading a book for the sake of enjoying the story falls into this category. So is finishing a project with self-satisfaction and pride at the end result.
Extrinsic motivation involves outside rewards, like material objects and social recognition. While intrinsic motivation is personally rewarding, extrinsic motivation goes on the basis of what the person will get out of completing the task. Extrinsic motivation can result in compliance and a student working hard to complete a task, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that he is fully comprehending or enjoying the work.
Non-material forms of motivation can be powerful and effective. Praise can go a long way with your students. This verbal recognition can reinforce their efforts and offer reassurance when they need it the most. Just make sure it’s genuine and honest. Show the kids that you truly care about them by showing respect, using humor and getting to know each one of them.
Receiving peer recognition, awards, grades, tokens, stickers, stars and prizes are used in some classrooms as material rewards. In “Transformative Classroom Management” by John Shindler, the author points out that material rewards can help “promote good habits and shape more functional patterns of action.” He also goes on to state that extrinsic rewards could also be seen as a bribe and the student may not perform the task without receiving a reward. With these types of rewards, the student may not experience the internal satisfaction of completing the task, thus losing the incentives power. If you choose to use material rewards, do it in moderation and in conjunction with non-material rewards.