Get to know your students and what motivates them. Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation are two classifications of motivation that affect student learning. Students who are intrinsically motivated are enamored with the subject and feel a strong desire to master it. Intrinsically motivated students will often express their interest in the subject. Students who are extrinsically motivated often perform well in hopes of achieving a certain outcome, such as a good grade or a monetary reward. Understanding your individual students and what interest them will help you to improve their intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.
Create activities that relate to your students' lives. Use current events and technology that connect to adolescent culture. Bring the learning concept to life by demonstrating how it will help prepare your students for the future. Studying relevant topics that pique your students' interests will increase their intrinsic motivation, impacting their desire to master your subject area.
Establish an environment that is conducive to learning. Talk to your students about other topics that interest them. Always be friendly and inviting with your students. Creating a welcoming environment allows your students to feel comfortable in their learning community, increasing their academic confidence. Displaying your interest in your students' lives will increase their loyalty and motivate them to perform well in your course.
Establish performance goals that your students can realistically achieve. Assign tasks that your students will want to complete. Assigning work that is too easy may cause your students to lose interest, and assigning work that is too difficult may prove overwhelming for them. You must find the correct balance between your students' ability levels and the tasks you assign. If an assignment is challenging, help your students get started by demonstrating how to complete a portion of the task. As your students begin to achieve the goals you have set for them, increase their motivation by helping them to set their own performance goals.
Give your students the opportunity to facilitate their own learning. If you are assigning a group project, allow your students to select their own partners. When assigning new tasks, provide students with a list of assignments, and let them decide which assignments they would like to complete. Student motivation increases when they have a voice in their learning community.