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First off I would love to Thank the Staff at ITTT For putting together a well thought out, informative,thought provoking lesson.I would like to expound upon the subject of Motivating Students in the class room as well as on the various online platforms now in use and popular in many non-English speaking countries around the world. Motivating unwilling Students in the class room is probably one of if not the biggest challenge teachers face on a daily basis lesson after lesson day in and day out. The reasons and factors for lack of motivation are varied and widespread. Im sure all teachers have experienced an unwilling pupil at some point of their teaching career.If not don't despair you soon will. One of the biggest factors plagueing the students of today is that teachers find themselves in direct competition for for the Students attention with various electronic devices and media including but not limited to on line games-chat groups-you tube (or its counter part depending where they live) as well as social media such as face book,Claass ni ki, we chat and so on again depending where they reside and what is available to them. I see this on a daily basis and it affects Students of all levels beginners and near native speakers alike as well as girls as hard as it is to believe. I find that teachers and Parents alike are frustrated beyond words and often at a loss as to how to prevent it. I have found several ways to combat this and divert the Students attention away from their cell phone and online gaming platforms. 1. I often get Students to talk about the very thing that is the root of the problem with Probing questions such as -Who is the most powerful character in the game what are his ''superpowers'' or what are his or her weaknesses. What do they look like? What are their personalities like? 2. How good are you at this game? what is your ''ranking'' -Are you the best? If they are not the best -I ask them Why not? what could you do better? how often do you play? What do your Parents think about it. Who do you play with? 3. Share- I share stories,Pictures, informative articles,current events often times tying it in with what ever the lesson might be -Such as a very common topic is talking about ''animals'' or the environment. 4. Engage-I ask Students questions on their daily lives such as their parents , grandparents,aunts uncles and so on -Where do they live? What do they do for a living and so on. 5. With the harder to engage Students I get them to talk about what interest them -Do they have a particular hobby they are passionate about -Is there someone they have a crush on or vice versa. 6. Travel-Tell me about a place you have been to or my favorite is where did you go on your last vacation-What was it about (what ever country) they visited that they liked or disliked about what ever place they visited last? What did you dislike? Would you go there again?-where would you like to visit? Why? 7. Cultural differences-Kids love to learn about ''life in another country-What is it like? What is different or what is the same. Weather, entertainment, leisure activities,I often relate stories about ''Culture shock'' or discuss differences between different countries such as the United States VS United Kingdom compared to Australia New Zealand or any other English speaking country they have visited or are familiar with. 8. Dreams -What is your biggest Dream? What is on your mind? Students are always willing to talk about what they are passionate about -What their hopes and dreams are. How they hope to achieve their dreams-Some Students have already had dreams come true They love to talk and expound on the subject- In closing I would like to say There are as many different reasons for lack of motivation as there are Students. The key lies in finding out what makes them ''tick'' or Giving them something that turns on the ''motivation switch'' in their mind and going from there -Building on their interests,passions, dreams and keeping them focused in the lesson at hand and maintaining and building the rapport to keep them motivated and interested in learning about the world and people around them. I would like to thank the Staff at ITTT and wish every one a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New year.
