“LET EVERT TEACHER WISH THEIR ENTIRE CLASS WAS INTRINSICALLY MOTIVATED.”

Use various motivational factors to reach all of your students as a teacher. Praise students who are more concerned about recognition or status for effort and improvement. Offer choices to students more driven by autonomy. Use projects to motivate the inquisitive student... The intrinsic rewards that come from exploring interests in depth, and mastering difficult concepts and problems, can be smothered by a reward system that focuses on grades, say, rather than understanding. It also signals what’s important to the teachers.

Motivating Praise: An Awesome Tool to Motivate Students

1. Give students a sense of control. ...
2. Define the objectives. ...
3. Create a threat-free environment. ...
4. Change your scenery. ...
5. Offer varied experiences. ...
6. Use positive competition. ...
7. Offer rewards. ...
8. Give students responsibility.

 

One of the most important factors that leads us to achieve anything in life is motivation, and nowhere is that more important than in the classroom. While some students are naturally eager to learn, though, others need – or expect – their teachers to inspire, challenge, and stimulate them. For those teachers, motivating a student is perhaps the greatest challenge they face. The question is: How can they teach language skills so to motivate their students and make them become more interested in learning the language? Whatever level of motivation your students bring to the classroom will be transformed, for better or worse, by what happens in that classroom: “Effective learning in the classroom depends on the teacher’s ability to maintain the interest that brought students to the course in the first place” (Erickson, 1978, p. 3). There are, however, no magical formulas to achieve this due to the many factors which affect a given student’s motivation to work and to learn.

One of the most difficult aspects of becoming a teacher is learning how to motivate your students. It is also one of the most important. Students who are not motivated will not learn effectively. They won’t retain information, they won’t participate and some of them may even become disruptive. A student may be unmotivated for a variety of reasons: They may feel that they have no interest in the subject, find the teacher’s methods un-engaging or be distracted by external forces. It may even come to light that a student who appeared unmotivated actually has difficulty learning and is need of special attention.

While motivating students can be a difficult task, the rewards are more than worth it. Motivated students are more excited to learn and participate. Simply put: Teaching a class full of motivated students is enjoyable for teacher and student alike. Some students are self-motivated, with a natural love of learning. But even with the students who do not have this natural drive, a great teacher can make learning fun and inspire them to reach their full potential.

Motivation is a key factor in students’ success at every stage of their education, and teachers play a pivotal role in providing and encouraging it. Of course, that is much easier said than done, as all students are motivated differently and it takes time and a lot of effort to learn to get a classroom full of students enthusiastic about learning, working hard, and pushing themselves to excel. For that reason, providing motivation is a skill that all teachers must develop.

Here are some practical ways for teachers to practice that skill and motivate their students:

Be excited.

• One of the best ways to get your students motivated is to share your enthusiasm. When you're excited about teaching, they'll be much more excited about learning. It's that simple.

Know your students.

• Getting to know your students is about more than just memorizing their names. Students need to know that their teacher has a genuine interest in them and cares about them and their success. When students feel appreciated it creates a safe learning environment and motivates them to work harder, as they want to get praise and good feedback from someone they feel knows and respects them as individuals.

Harness student interests.

• Knowing your students also has some other benefits, namely that it allows you to relate classroom material to things that students are interested in or have experienced. Teachers can use these interests to make things more interesting and relatable to students, keeping students motivated for longer.

Help students find intrinsic motivation.

• It can be great to help students get motivated, but at the end of the day they need to be able to generate their own motivation. Helping students find their own personal reasons for doing class work and working hard, whether because they find material interesting, want to go to college, or just love to learn, is one of the most powerful gifts you can give them.

Manage student anxiety.

• Some students find the prospect of not doing well so anxiety-inducing that it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. For these students, teachers may find that they are most motivated by learning that struggling with a subject isn't the end of the world. Offer support no matter what the end result is and ensure that students don't feel so overwhelmed by expectations that they just give up.

Make goals high but attainable.

• If you're not pushing your students to do more than the bare minimum, most won't seek to push themselves on their own. Students like to be challenged and will work to achieve high expectations so long as they believe those goals to be within their reach, so don't be afraid to push students to get more out of them.

Give feedback and offer chances to improve.

• Students who struggle with class work can sometimes feel frustrated and get down on themselves, draining motivation. In these situations it's critical that teachers help students to learn exactly where they went wrong and how they can improve next time. Figuring out a method to get where students want to be can also help them to stay motivated to work hard.

Track progress.

• It can be hard for students to see just how far they've come, especially with subjects that are difficult for them. Tracking can come in handy in the classroom, not only for teachers but also for students. Teachers can use this as a way to motivate students, allowing them to see visually just how much they are learning and improving as the year goes on.

Make things fun.

Not all class work needs to be a game or a good time, but students who see school as a place where they can have fun will be more motivated to pay attention and do the work that's required of them than those who regard it as a chore. Adding fun activities into your school day can help students who struggle to stay engaged and make the classroom a much friendlier place for all students

Be enthusiastic about your subject

A teacher’s enthusiasm is a crucial factor in student motivation. If students see that their teacher is happy to be in the classroom and excited about teaching them, they will learn by example. Therefore, share your enthusiasm and passion for your subject. Enthusiasm and passion are contagious. Your positive energy leads to the students becoming more motivated as a positive attitude is a must for a successful learning atmosphere. When you are excited about teaching, they will be much more excited about learning. This is one of the best ways to get your students motivated.

Offer Incentives

Setting expectations and making reasonable demands encourages students to participate, but sometimes students need an extra push in the right direction. Offering students small incentives makes learning fun and motivates students to push themselves. Incentives can range from small to large giving a special privilege to an exemplary student, to a class pizza party if the average test score rises. Rewards give students a sense of accomplishment and encourage them to work with a goal in mind.

Get Creative

Avoid monotony by changing around the structure of your class. Teach through games and discussions instead of lectures, encourage students to debate and enrich the subject matter with visual aids, like colorful charts, diagrams and videos. You can even show a movie that effectively illustrates a topic or theme. Your physical classroom should never be boring: use posters, models, student projects and seasonal themes to decorate your classroom, and create a warm, stimulating environment.

Create a pleasant, relaxed and enjoyable environment

A classroom is a great place for learning, but sitting at a desk day in day out can make school seem a bit dull for some students. Move around and interact with your students. The first step to creating a friendly learning environment for your students is to know them better. Getting to know your students is about more than just memorizing their names. It means understanding their needs, desires and interests.

When students feel appreciated, it creates a safe learning environment and motivates them to work harder as they will appreciate praise and positive feedback from someone they feel knows and respects them as individuals. Furthermore, the classroom can always benefit from fun activities such as group games. When students are having fun, they will pay attention and focus on the work that is required of them rather seeing the lesson as a boring chore.

Use achievable and relevant materials

It is essential for you to know what the most effective approach to teaching the language is and what activities are suitable for a given group of learners. The teaching material must be relevant to the students. You should make the materials inclusive enough to reach the all levels of student ability.

When students feel the task at hand is achievable, they will work more diligently towards finishing it. Ensure opportunities for students’ success by assigning tasks that are neither too easy nor too difficult. When you create a safe, supportive environment for students, affirming their belief in their own abilities rather than laying out the consequences of not doing things, students are much more likely to get and stay motivated to learn.

Have high but attainable expectations for your students

Research has shown that a teacher’s expectations have a powerful effect on a student’s performance. If you act as though you expect your students to be motivated, hardworking, and interested in the course, they are more likely to be so. Set realistic expectations for students when you make assignments, give presentations, conduct discussions, and grade examinations, making sure that you give positive feedback. “Realistic expectations” means that your standards are high enough to motivate students to do their best work, but not so high that students will be frustrated in trying to meet those expectations. To develop the drive to achieve, students need to believe that achievement is possible – which means that you need to provide early opportunities for success.

Help students set achievable goals for themselves

Failure to attain unrealistic goals can disappoint and frustrate students. Encourage students to focus on their continued improvement, not just on their grade on any one test or assignment. Help students evaluate their progress by encouraging them to critique their own work, analyze their strengths, and work on their weaknesses.

Vary teaching methods

A teacher must be creative and flexible. It is not worth going to a class where the teacher simply follows a few notes or a text to the letter, simply reading it. Let each class be a new adventure: it is about avoiding boredom and routine. You may be accustomed to classes in which students are mere listeners, passive receivers of knowledge. Students learn effectively by doing, constructing, designing, creating and solving; learning improves when the student is forced to use multiple abilities. For instance, ask questions in the classroom. Do not tell students something when you can ask them. Leave blank parts on transparencies in critical areas, where students have to think. Do not give the complete topic.

Encourage students to suggest approaches to a problem or to guess the results of an experiment. In this way, they become accustomed to thinking for themselves. Also remember, though, that you should respond clearly to your students’ questions using appropriate examples which are understandable and concrete. If they still don’t understand, you have to think of another way so as not to lose the energy of the class. Each lesson must be clear and interesting, with a lot of different activities. It should go from a writing exercise, to a speaking session, then to a listening practice, again back to writing to ensure students do not lose interest. In order to keep all students motivated, mix up your lessons so that students with different learning preferences will each get a period of time focused on the what they like learning. Doing so will help students stay engaged and pay attention.

Make students active participants in learning

One way to encourage students and teach them responsibility is to get them involved in the classroom. Make participating fun by giving each student a job to do. Give students the responsibility of tidying up or decorating the classroom. Assign a student to erase the blackboard or pass out materials. If you are going over a reading in class, ask students to take turns reading sections out loud. Make students work in groups and assign each a task or role. Giving students a sense of ownership allows them to feel accomplished and encourages active participation in class.

It is extremely important for students to feel that they are valued members of a learning community. They are more likely to learn by doing, making, writing, designing, creating, solving than just by listening to a lecture. When students participate in a lesson, they are more interested in it. So vary the routine by incorporating a variety of teaching activities and methods in your course: role playing, debates, brainstorming, discussion, demonstrations, case studies, audiovisual presentations or group work. As a result, students will be actively involved in the learning process.

Additionally, allow students to work together. They find it fun trying to solve problems and work on projects with other students. The social interaction can get them excited about things in the classroom and students can motivate one another to reach a goal. Ensure that groups are balanced and fair, however, so that some students are not doing more work than others.

Give students a sense of control and responsibility

Assigning students classroom jobs is a great way to build a community and to give students a sense of motivation. Most students will see classroom jobs as a privilege rather than a burden and will work hard to ensure that they, and other students, are meeting expectations. It can also be useful to allow students to take turns leading activities or helping out so that each feels important and valued. Allowing students to have some choice and control over what happens in the classroom is actually one of the best ways to keep them engaged. For example, letting students choose the type of assignment they do or which problems to work on gives them a sense of control that usually motivates them to do more.

Work from students’ strengths and interests

Knowing your students has many benefits, one of the most important being that it allows you to relate classroom material to things that students are interested in or have experienced. You can use these interests to make things more interesting and relatable to students, keeping students motivated for longer. Find out your students interests, how they feel about the subject matter, and what their expectations are. Then try to devise examples, case studies, or assignments that relate the course content to students’ interests and experiences. Explain how the content and objectives of your course will help students achieve their educational, professional, or personal goals.

Be caring and supportive

Students must feel the teacher is caring and supportive, and that he/she respects their values and opinions. Teachers must be kind and helpful to the students, and be patient when they do not understand. A caring teacher tries to develop a relationship of trust with the students so as they can rely on him/her. When students realize that they are able to communicate with their teacher, this communication fuels a desire to learn and participate. And, of course, teachers must offer equal support to all levels of learners.

Strengthen students’ self-confidence

Research has shown that students are more affected by positive feedback and success. Praise builds students’ self-confidence, competence, and self-esteem. Recognize sincere efforts of your student. If a student’s performance is weak, let the student know that you believe he or she can improve and succeed over time. Explain where the student needs to improve, but also praise areas where the student is doing well. Always congratulate students for doing something correctly; it will give them confidence in themselves, the subject and the teacher. Give the student his/her dignity and he/she will reward you with his/her effort. Students, even the best ones, can become frustrated when they feel like they are struggling or not getting the same recognition as other students. Make sure that all students get a chance to play to their strengths and feel included and valued. It can make a world of difference to their motivation.

Be specific when giving negative feedback

Negative feedback is very powerful and can lead to a negative class atmosphere. Whenever you identify a student’s weakness, make it clear that your comments relate to a particular task or performance, not to the student as a person. Try to cushion negative comments with a compliment about aspects of the task in which the student succeeded. Avoid demeaning comments. Many students in your class may be anxious about their performance and abilities. Be sensitive as to how you phrase your comments and avoid offhand remarks that might inadvertently create feelings of inadequacy. Comments to students can be made, but never in a pejorative way. Never ridicule a student in public. In that case, the student, instead of directing his/her energy to learning, will dedicate it to antagonistic feelings directed at the teacher, the lesson and even the school. Always find a private time to talk to the student.

Without a doubt, motivation is a key aspect of the whole educational process. As an important part of student achievement, motivation is required as a commitment to learning. Motivated students are more receptive, learn better, and, as a result, learn more. If the teachers want students to learn, they must create the necessary conditions that promote motivation. Teachers must be familiar with a range of practical motivational strategies, as well as the means to implement them in the classroom, because when students are motivated, they learn in the best possible way.

Encourage Students

Students look to teachers for approval and positive reinforcement, and are more likely to be enthusiastic about learning if they feel their work is recognized and valued. You should encourage open communication and free thinking with your students to make them feel important. Be enthusiastic. Praise your students often. Recognize them for their contributions. If your classroom is a friendly place where students feel heard and respected, they will be more eager to learn. A “good job” or “nice work” can go a long way.

Draw Connections to Real Life

“When will I ever need this?” This question, too often heard in the classroom, indicates that a student is not engaged. If a student does not believe that what they’re learning is important, they won’t want to learn, so it’s important to demonstrate how the subject relates to them. If you’re teaching algebra, take some time to research how it is utilized practically for example, in engineering and share your findings with your students. Really amaze them by telling them that they may use it in their career. Showing them that a subject is used every day by “real” people gives it new importance. They may never be excited about algebra but if they see how it applies to them, they may be motivated to learn attentively.

Give students a sense of control.

• While guidance from a teacher is important to keeping kids on task and motivated, allowing students to have some choice and control over what happens in the classroom is actually one of the best ways to keep them engaged. For example, allowing students to choose the type of assignment they do or which problems to work on can give them a sense of control that may just motivate them to do more.

Define the objectives.

• It can be very frustrating for students to complete an assignment or even to behave in class if there aren't clearly defined objectives. Students want and need to know what is expected of them in order to stay motivated to work. At the beginning of the year, lay out clear objectives, rules, and expectations of students so that there is no confusion and students have goals to work towards.

Create a threat-free environment.

• While students do need to understand that there are consequences to their actions, far more motivating for students than threats are positive reinforcements. When teachers create a safe, supportive environment for students, affirming their belief in a student's abilities rather than laying out the consequences of not doing things, students are much more likely to get and stay motivated to do their work. At the end of the day, students will fulfill the expectations that the adults around them communicate, so focus on can, not can't.

Change your scenery.

• A classroom is a great place for learning, but sitting at a desk day in and day out can make school start to seem a bit dull for some students. To renew interest in the subject matter or just in learning in general, give your students a chance to get out of the classroom. Take field trips, bring in speakers, or even just head to the library for some research. The brain loves novelty and a new setting can be just what some students need to stay motivated to learn.

Offer varied experiences.

• Not all students will respond to lessons in the same way. For some, hands-on experiences may be the best. Others may love to read books quietly or to work in groups. In order to keep all students motivated, mix up your lessons so that students with different preferences will each get time focused on the things they like best. Doing so will help students stay engaged and pay attention.

Use positive competition.

• Competition in the classroom isn't always a bad thing, and in some cases can motivate students to try harder and work to excel. Work to foster a friendly spirit of competition in your classroom, perhaps through group games related to the material or other opportunities for students to show off their knowledge.

Offer rewards.

• Everyone likes getting rewards, and offering your students the chance to earn them is an excellent source of motivation. Things like pizza parties, watching movies, or even something as simple as a sticker on a paper can make students work harder and really aim to achieve. Consider the personalities and needs of your students to determine appropriate rewards for your class.

Give students responsibility.

• Assigning students classroom jobs is a great way to build a community and to give students a sense of motivation. Most students will see classroom jobs as a privilege rather than a burden and will work hard to ensure that they, and other students, are meeting expectations. It can also be useful to allow students to take turns leading activities or helping out so that each feels important and valued.

Allow students to work together.

• While not all students will jump at the chance to work in groups, many will find it fun to try to solve problems, do experiments, and work on projects with other students. The social interaction can get them excited about things in the classroom and students can motivate one another to reach a goal. Teachers need to ensure that groups are balanced and fair, however, so that some students aren't doing more work than others.

Give praise when earned.

• There is no other form of motivation that works quite as well as encouragement. Even as adults we crave recognition and praise, and students at any age are no exception. Teachers can give students a bounty of motivation by rewarding success publicly, giving praise for a job well done, and sharing exemplary work.

Encourage self-reflection.

• Most kids want to succeed; they just need help figuring out what they need to do in order to get there. One way to motivate your students is to get them to take a hard look at themselves and determine their own strengths and weaknesses. Students are often much more motivated by creating these kinds of critiques of themselves than by having a teacher do it for them, as it makes them feel in charge of creating their own objectives and goals.

.Provide opportunities for success.

• Students, even the best ones, can become frustrated and demotivated when they feel like they're struggling or not getting the recognition that other students are. Make sure that all students get a chance to play to their strengths and feel included and valued. It can make a world of difference in their motivation.

Show honest appreciation. When teachers use "I statements" to convey their honest appreciation about a student, the teacher is communicating personal appreciation, rather than using a mechanical or an exaggerated response. Below are some examples of honest appreciation."

• "I appreciate that."
• "I like the way you said that."
• "Thank you very much for that."
• "I sure like your taking that risk."

Communicate empathetic acceptance or understanding.

Because students will often make incorrect responses, it is up to the teacher to respond without discouraging the student from being willing to take risks and attempting to problem solve. "I'm with you" statements communicate an empathetic acceptance or understanding of what a student has experienced or what they are trying to communicate. This communicates that the student is not alone, and the teacher appreciates their attempt to perform. Below are some good examples of "I'm with you":

• "I might make that same mistake."
• "Lots of us feel that way."
• "I can see how you would do that."
• "I understand why you would say that."

Provide attention without praise.

This is done when a teacher simply gives time and attention to a student by listening carefully. When teachers do this, they are supporting and encouraging a student without causing the student to grow dependent on the teacher approval or praise. Below are a list of things to do when giving attention without praise:

• Use honest appreciation or "I'm with you."
• Use non-threatening physical touch like a pat on the arm or shaking hands.
• Use sincere eye contact that shows you are truly listening.
• Simply give students time so that you can listen or communicate with them about a situation.
• Greet a student after their absence.

Use plain corrects or incorrects.

Sometimes it is best to tell a student that an answer was correct or incorrect without stimulating any distracting emotion. This allows the teacher to treat the students like intelligent people who do not appreciate overstatements or exaggerations. Below is a list of some appropriate plain correct responses:

• "Yes, that's right."
• "Okay."
• "Yes, that's just what I wanted."
• "Correct."
• "Yes, thank you."
• "No, the correct answer is _____________."
• "You had the first part right, but the last part was incorrect."
• "Thank you for taking a risk to answer that, even though it was the wrong answer."

Provide praise and reward for all.

Teachers must be fair in distributing their praise and all students should receive praise. Look for positive things to say about a students work even when pointing out problems or mistakes with the work. Some might receive praise for bigger accomplishments than others but even the lower performers need a regular pat on the back. Teacher should also gives praise to the class as a whole to encourage the class and also build team unity.

WATCH WHAT YOU SAY.....BE...MINDFUL....

Some teachers feel that motivating students is really not one of their job responsibilities. However, whether they like it or not, students are expecting and collecting feedback from their instructors. Teachers need to be very aware of impact that their verbal comments and nonverbal body language have on their students' motivation level. Below are some tips for being a motivator and not a demotivator.

BE CAUTIOUS!!! BEWARE!!!!

Too much praise can lead to a student becoming dependent on it. When a teacher's praise becomes a pleasure for the student instead of serving to motivate them, it basically becomes a addiction. The student begins to require constant praise and develops no personal initiative.

Unfairness is an issue that occurs quite frequently in many classrooms. Consciously and unconsciously teachers tend to react more positively to some students more than others. Teachers need to try to put personal differences aside and treat each student equally so that each students has the same opportunity to be motivated to learn.

Manipulation happens when teachers focus their attention on the positive behavior of a student or group of students in order to hint that a certain behavior is the most desirable. This works in some situations to motivate students to modify their behavior; yet, underneath it is really saying that it is okay to manipulate people to get what you want Below are a couple of examples:

• "Look at how well Sally did on the assignment."
• "I really like how well this side of the room is contributing."

Exaggeration quickly devalues honest relationships between students and teachers. Exaggerated praise includes statements such as those presented below. When these kind of statements are used repetitively, students are not encouraged to be intrinsically motivated, rather they depend on extrinsic motivation.

• "Great answer!"
• " Super!"
• " Wonderful!"
• " Sensational!"

The overall goal of teachers should be to help students develop into self-motivating learners. Students who are encouraged to become motivated lifelong learners will be more successful in and out of the classroom.

 

THE REASON FOR APPRECIATION:

• As the majority of country across world adopts the Common Core Standards for reading and mathematics, teachers at all grade levels are eager to find tools that will encourage students to work harder to reach those ambitious outcome goals. Additionally, schools adopting Response to Intervention are seeking evidence-based strategies to motivate struggling students that can also be easily delivered in general-education classrooms.

 Teacher praise is one tool that can be a powerful motivator for students. Surprisingly, research suggests that praise is underused in both general- and special-education classrooms (Brophy, 1981; Hawkins & Heflin, 2011; Kern, 2007). This guide offers recommendations to instructors for using praise to maximize its positive impact. Effective teacher praise consists of two elements: (1) a description of noteworthy student academic performance or general behavior, and (2) a signal of teacher approval (Trophy, 1981; Burnett, 2001).

  PRAISE: WHAT THE RESEARCH SAYS

 The power of praise in changing student behavior is that it both indicates teacher approval and informs the student about how the praised academic performance or behavior conforms to teacher expectations (Burnett, 2001). As with any potential classroom reinforce, praise has the ability to improve student academic or behavioral performance—but only if the student finds it reinforcing (Akin-Little et al., 2004). Here are several suggestions for shaping praise to increase its effectiveness:

 

• Describe Noteworthy Student Behavior. Praise statements that lack a specific account of student behavior in observable terms are compromised—as they fail to give students performance feedback to guide their learning. For example, a praise statement such as 'Good job!' is inadequate because it lacks a behavioral description (Hawkins & Heflin, 2011). However, such a statement becomes acceptable when expanded to include a behavioral element: "You located eight strong source documents for your essay. Good job!"
• Praise Effort and Accomplishment, Not Ability. There is some evidence that praise statements about general ability can actually reduce student appetite for risk-taking (Burnett, 2001). Therefore, teachers should generally steer clear of praise that includes assumptions about global student ability (e.g., "You are a really good math student!"; "I can tell from this essay that writing is no problem for you."). Praise should instead focus on specific examples of student effort or accomplishment (e.g., "It's obvious from your grade that you worked hard to prepare for this quiz. Great work!"). When praise singles out exertion and work-products, it can help students to see a direct link between the effort that they invest in a task and improved academic or behavioral performance.
• Match the Method of Praise Delivery to Student Preferences. Teachers can deliver praise in a variety of ways and contexts. For example, an instructor may choose to praise a student in front of a class or work group or may instead deliver that praise in a private conversation or as written feedback on the student's assignment. When possible, the teacher should determine and abide by a student's preferences for receiving individual praise. It is worth noting that, while most students in elementary grades may easily accept public praise, evidence suggests that middle and high-school students actually prefer private praise (Burnett, 2001). So, when in doubt with older students, deliver praise in private rather than in public.

 PRAISE: USE IN THE CLASSROOM

 Praise is a powerful motivating tool because it allows the teacher to selectively encourage different aspects of student production or output. For example, the teacher may use praise to boost the student's performance, praising effort, accuracy, or speed on an assignment. Or the teacher may instead single out the student's work product and use praise to underscore how closely the actual product matches an external standard or goal set by the student. The table below presents descriptions of several types of praise-statements tied to various student goals:

 Praise: Goal

Example

Student Performance: Effort. Learning a new skill requires that the student work hard and put forth considerable effort--while often not seeing immediate improvement.

 For beginning learners, teacher praise can motivate and offer encouragement by focusing on effort ('seat-time') rather than on product (Daly et al., 2007).

"Today in class, you wrote non-stop through the entire writing period. I appreciate your hard work."

Student Performance: Accuracy. When learning new academic material or behaviors, students move through distinct stages (Haring et al., 1978). Of these stages, the first and most challenging for struggling learners is acquisition. In the acquisition stage, the student is learning the rudiments of the skill and strives to respond correctly.

 

The teacher can provide encouragement to students in this first stage of learning by praising student growth in accuracy of responding.

"This week you were able to correctly define 15 of 20 biology terms. That is up from 8 last week. Terrific progress!"? 

Student Performance: Fluency. When the student has progressed beyond the acquisition stage, the new goal may be to promote fluency (Haring et al., 1978).

 

Teacher praise can motivate the student to become more efficient on the academic task by emphasizing that learner's gains in fluency (a combination of accuracy and speed of responding).

"You were able to compute 36 correct digits in two minutes on today's math time drill worksheet. That's 4 digits more than earlier this week--impressive!"

Work Product: Student Goal-Setting. A motivating strategy for a reluctant learner is to have him or her set a goal before undertaking an academic task and then to report out at the conclusion of the task about whether the goal was reached.

 

The teacher can then increase the motivating power of student goal-setting by offering praise when the student successfully sets and attains a goal. The praise statement states the original student goal and describes how the product has met the goal.

"At the start of class, you set the goal of completing an outline for your paper. And I can see that the outline that you produced today looks great€”it is well-structured and organized."

Work Product: Using External Standard. Teacher praise often evaluates the student work product against some external standard.

 

Praise tied to an external standard reminds the student that objective expectations exist for academic or behavioral performance (e.g., Common Core State Standards in reading and mathematics) and provides information about how closely the student's current performance conforms to those expectations.

 

When comparing student work to an external standard, the teacher praise-statement identifies the external standard and describes how closely the student's work has come to meeting the standard.

 WONDERFUL!!! AWESOME!!! AMAZING YOU ARE...SINCE...YOU...have read this write up...collated ...patiently.....Pat on your shoulders... SAY...WOW....!!!! I AM GREAT!!! and Post your reflections as comments..... awaiting here...to listen from you!!!!!

GOD BLESS YOU.