Motivating a typical adolescent student can be a difficult challenge. The adolescent years are often filled with changes, both physical and emotional. Each individual approaches learning differently, so finding ways to motivate them is important in ensuring success. There are several strategies that can help engage students and create an environment where they feel comfortable while learning.
One of the most effective strategies for motivating adolescent students is by creating meaningful activities and assignments (Mallett & Johnson, 2015). This includes projects that require critical thinking skills as well as activities that allow for collaboration between classmates. Activities should also promote problem solving as well as creativity. Doing this encourages adolescents to take ownership of their learning process which increases motivation (Linnenbrink & Pintrich, 2002). It helps them to become more engaged in their own educational development rather than feeling like they’re just completing tasks assigned by teachers or parents.
Another strategy for motivating adolescents is providing feedback on their work (Hattie & Timperley, 2007). Giving feedback allows students to understand what mistakes they have made and how they can improve upon them in the future, helping them become better learners overall (Kluger & DeNisi 1996). Additionally, offering personalized feedback can be beneficial because it allows students to see how their hard work has paid off (Butler et al., 2007). Acknowledging progress made creates an atmosphere where students feel supported which further adds to the level of motivation felt towards achieving academic goals.
Suggest strategies that help motivate typical adolescent students
Finally, including hands-on experiences throughout the curriculum provides another way of engaging adolescents in their education (Woolfolk Hoy et al., 2000). Physical activity exercises such as simulations and role playing provide additional opportunities for active learning which increases student engagement levels within the classroom setting (Fogarty et al., 2011). By allowing adolescents multiple avenues in which to interact with course material it keeps them from becoming disinterested by allowing new perspectives on topics being covered within the class(OECD/CERI 2012.).
In conclusion, there are numerous strategies available when attempting to motivate typical adolescent students. Incorporating meaningful activities into lesson plans offers them opportunity for real world application of knowledge learned while providing regular feedback ensures that any errors or misunderstandings get quickly addressed before further hindering progress(Mallett & Johnson 2015; Hattie & Timperley 2007; Kluger & DeNisi 1996; Butler et al., 2007). Lastly incorporating hands-on experiences into courses gives opportunities for active learning keeping teenage engagement levels up while still covering all required content areas(Woolfolk Hoy et al., 2000; Fogarty et al., 2011; OECD/CERI 2012.). Using these strategies will provide a solid foundation needed when striving towards successful educational outcomes with any group of teenagers regardless if it be in traditional school settings or alternative means such as homeschooling or online classes..