How to motivate reluctant learners [2 min read]

There are a few times in the academic year (especially at the end of term) when it can feel particularly hard to motivate your learners - and yourself!

Here are my top 5 tips for motivating reluctant learners, which in turn might help bring back some of your own motivation...

1. Prioritise creating a comfortable classroom environment first. Let students build relationships with each other before focusing on the curriculum. You could also consider allowing flexible seating arrangements where students can work with peers they trust. You can always move them away from these peers if they can't focus or behave next to their friends.

2. Break content down to basics. Try to avoid overwhelming students with complex sentences and long texts out of context. Focus on single words and short phrases, then build up to longer texts. This will help them feel successful rather than overwhelmed.

3. Adapt activities to different comfort levels. Not all "fun" activities need to involve speaking in front of the class or making lots of noise. Offer quieter options like puzzles and pair work that let students engage without anxiety.

4. Recognise external factors. Understand that home environment, parental attitudes towards languages, and personal circumstances can strongly impact student motivation. Sometimes just knowing that students feel safe in your classroom is a huge win.

5. Set realistic expectations. In the end, you have to accept that you won't be able to motivate every student to love languages. Focus on making the subject accessible and creating an environment where students can engage at their comfort level rather than forcing enthusiasm.

If you'd like to delve into these ideas in more depth, have a listen to Season 8 Episode 6 of The Kate Languages Podcast where I answered a few of your questions about motivating reluctant, quiet and "low-ability" students.