7 APPLICATIONS OF MOTIVATION TO CLASSROOM SITUATION

Learners
have different personalities as such they react differently to different types
of motivation. Therefore, teachers should bear in mind that no rigid
motivational procedures suit all situations or problems. The following are some
of the applications of motivation to classroom situations.

The applications of motivation to classroom situations (Image by Education Hub)

Active
participation of learners

Learners are highly motivated when they are actively
involved in the learning process. This can be achieved when age and level of
mental development are taken into consideration. For instance, a teacher
teaching (3-2) to grade ones will require concrete objects to help them
understand what three minus two is in order to arrive at the answer. This will
stimulate the learners’ interest and help them see the purpose and the goal
which they will strive to achieve.

Knowledge of
goals

Knowledge of objectives in a learning process enhances motivation. It is
therefore imperative that teachers make known to the learners the objectives of
the lesson as this will make the learners aware of what is expected of them

3. Relationship
with life

Learners should
always relate to real-life situations whenever they are learning. For instance, when as a teacher you are teaching about vegetables, you need to use local
vegetables that the learners can relate with such as chibwabwa even when you
are using western-oriented sources (books). Learners need to know what is local
first before you introduce them to what is foreign.

Teacher-pupil relationship

A good teacher-pupil relationship enhances motivation
in the learners. Learning is likely to take place when the learner feels comfortable
with the teacher as they will be free to ask questions where they do not
understand even outside the classroom. However, this relationship has to be
strictly academic especially when opposite sexes are involved.

Incentives

Incentives
are a great aspect of motivation in the learning process. Learners will work
extra hard in order to obtain some incentives. Teachers should use incentives
such as high grades, praise, and recognition and in early grades use things
like stars, stickers with characters that are valued by learners.

In some
cases, a teacher can publish results for any given work so as to motivate those
who do not perform well.

Knowledge of
progress

Prompt knowledge of results after an assessment has a
powerful effect on motivation in learning. In any given training situation,
the learner needs to know how they are progressing. This can be done by providing the learner with the results of whatever work is given. A teacher should
therefore give feedback to learners whenever work is given this will enable the
learner to concentrate on what they are not performing well. This type of
motivation is effective if the teacher is in the habit of giving internal
assessments to learners at regular intervals.

Use of
learning styles

People use different learning styles in order for
learning to take place. Some learners learn faster when reading most of the
materials on their while on the other hand others may learn faster by listening
to the teacher. It would therefore be unrealistic for a teacher to employ only
one type of learning method in a classroom of many learners. For instance, an
auditory learner will be less successful and motivated if the learner if the
teacher always uses reading a textbook as a means of instruction. Likewise, a
kinaesthetic will be less motivated listening to the teacher all the time.

Teachers
can also use various presentation modes such as ICT to present a lesson,
however, care must be taken during planning so that the material focuses on the
objective of the lesson.