Essay
How can teachers motivate pupils who find learning difficult? Final year exam essay
- Module
- Psychology and education
- Institution
- University College London (UCL)
How can teachers motivate pupils who find learning difficult?
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
Content preview
Title of the essay:How can teachers motivate pupils who find learning difficult?
Exam candidate number: FVWV0
Word count: 2288
Abstract
Motivating pupils who find learning difficult could be considered a teacher’s most
fundamental task, due to the role of educational settings as primary environments
within pupils’ socialization and development. The current essay aims to explore the
practical implementation of several empirically supported approaches to increasing
motivation. This is done by considering the teacher-pupil communication and the
content and context of pupils’ motives for learning. Moreover, the importance of
possible developmental and cultural bases for individual differences in motivation is
highlighted. Future research may aim to integrate motivational models within the
educational field while adopting an ecological-systems perspective, in order to inform
more complete and effective teachers’ interventions.
, 2
Question 3. FVWV0
Overcoming or ameliorating pupils’ learning difficulties within the educational
system is of tremendous importance, as it impacts on their mental and emotional
development, as well as on the future course of their lives. However, these difficulties
are hard to address, especially in low achieving pupils. This is reflected by the
commonly mentioned phenomenon of a “tail of underachievement”, whereby children
who underperform in school also seem to be the hardest to motivate academically
(Frederickson, Miller & Cline, 2008; Masters, 2016). The current essay outlines
several approaches to motivating pupils, with the practical goal of inducing an optimal
level of intrinsic motivation and self-regulated behaviour, within an individuated
approach. It is argued that this may be done effectively by considering the
effectiveness of teacher-pupil communication, the cognitive and affective elements
associated with motivation and classroom diversity.
Firstly, an essential step in reaching and motivating children who find
learning difficult is ensuring appropriate teacher-student communication. Research
suggests that particularly within the early years of education, the differences between
children’s home environment and the more demanding school environment may limit
their interactions with the teacher and the involvement with the curriculum
(Frederickson, Miller & Cline, 2008). This limitation may represent an important
source of individual differences in motivation and performance, highlighting the
importance of appropriate communication strategies. For example, Gregory (2005)
argued that such strategies could include the use of ‘playful talk’ within the home
environment, which teachers may suggest to parents when their pupils are enrolled
in their first years of school. Moreover, studies endorse teacher’s use of open-ended
questions within the class, arguing that this communication strategy may encourage
pupils’ participation and sustained shared thinking within the classroom (Siraj-
Blatchford, Muttock, Sylva, Gilden & Bell, 2002). The direct link between the teacher-
student communication, motivation and performance is explicitly highlighted, for
2
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller TeodoraConstantinescu. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £5.99. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
75632 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy revision notes and other study material for 14 years now