How to Motivate Students To Study - 11 Study Motivation Tips

How to motivate students to study- “However difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at.” ― Stephen Hawking
Motivation helps us feel good, gives us energy, and drives us to accomplish a goal. Motivation does not happen immediately, and we all go through phases when motivation is difficult to attain. At times, attending classes, doing assignments, and studying for exams may be difficult when a student is not motivated much. With the COVID-19 outbreak, millions of youngsters throughout the world have been forced to study at home. According to recent findings, the pandemic has had a detrimental effect on children's motivation to study. And it was discovered that a child's motivation to learn at home was linked to a variety of factors.

A student may be unmotivated to study for a multitude of reasons. Finding the cause of the problem and assisting the student in developing a plan for overcoming the difficulties that are preventing him or her from completing coursework will assist and motivate them to study more effectively.

It is easier for a motivated student to go the extra mile and complete all of the required tasks to achieve results. Motivated students are able to study with much more focus and with more concentration.

Motivation fluctuates throughout our lives so it can be tricky to know how to motivate students to study. Through this article let us understand exactly how motivation can help students with their studies, how to motivate students to study, and more.

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Why is motivation important?

• Motivation has an impact on cognitive processes and emotional states: Motivation influences how a person pays attention to particular information and tries to grasp the material through experiences, thoughts, ideas, and senses rather than simply memorising facts.

• Students’ performance is influenced by their motivation: Motivation has a strong positive association with students’ academic success.

• It fosters critical thinking: Students who are motivated are not necessarily smarter than others, rather their curiosity to explore the response to a question or understand a topic drives their thinking.

• Students that are motivated have a more optimistic view towards life.

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• How to increase memory power

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Types of motivation

Motivation can be categorized in majorly 2 types: Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation

Intrinsic Motivation: Intrinsic Motivation is when someone does something for the sake of personal fulfillment. When you're doing something because that makes you feel good, is genuinely interesting & challenging at the same time, and provides a sense of satisfaction, you are intrinsically driven. A child learning new vocabulary terms because they like reading is an example of intrinsic motivation.

See also: How to learn faster and remember more

Extrinsic Motivation: Extrinsic Motivation, on the other hand, refers to learning that is motivated by external causes. To put it another way, it is doing something in order to receive a reward or avoid a consequence. A student studying to avoid being grounded by their parents for bad marks is an example of extrinsic motivation.

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How to motivate students to study- Ways to motivate students

1. Focus on a student's strengths rather than weaknesses: When a student's weaknesses are highlighted or they are assigned duties in which they are lacking, they frequently feel under pressure. However, in order to encourage and inspire them, a teacher or parent must first recognise the child's strong areas. They should focus on their strengths before addressing their weaknesses.

2. Connect their school work to something they're passionate about.

3. Students’ efforts should be valued. The child should constantly be given words of appreciation.

4. Assisting them in better understanding their learning style so that they may study more effectively.

5. When students require a little extra motivation to complete a task, tiny rewards serve as the ideal stimulus for motivating them while also encouraging healthy competition among them. Small rewards (a break or a treat) might help students keep their spirits up after completing a task.

6. In the classroom, team-building exercises are a wonderful motivator for students. Teamwork or working as a group is another great activity for students in the classroom setup for motivation. It not only intrigues students by allowing them to interact with their classmates but in a way also benefits the entire class. Shy and inactive students in the class are encouraged to engage in activities that they would not otherwise pursue.

7. Connect students with their role models.

8. Break work into manageable chunks. Break content down into little chunks rather than sitting at your study table for a long period of time.

9. During online classes, take out time to go outside the house for a walk or play.

10. Make daily and weekly plans to check your progress. It is a great way to keep track of yourself especially during online/homeschooling.

11. Create an encouraging study environment.

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• SWOT analysis

• Pros & Cons of Homeschooling for students

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These are the ways that one can learn how to motivate students to study. The term "motivation" in everyday usage means to express why someone does something. It is directly related to academic performance and is considered to be the force that propels human behaviour. Teachers and parents play a significant role in helping students be a better version of themselves. In a student’s life, motivation can arise from within the student (intrinsic) or from outside sources (extrinsic). A student who is genuinely driven does something because he or she enjoys learning new things. An externally driven child is one who performs well in school in order to receive parental acceptance, grades, or prizes. We hope you now have a better understanding of how motivation can help students with their studies.

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Author- This article has been authored by Nikita Kukkar, who is a Counselling Psychologist and has extensive experience in Career Counselling for high school students.