Estimated reading time: 9 minutes
The perfect learner is driven to learn. They know exactly where their strengths lie. They are able to make progress, step by step, always knowing which step they need to take next. They are not distracted by their learning environment and never let negative emotions get in the way. Unfortunately, the perfect learner does not exist. Barriers to learning take many different forms and will, at some point, get in the way of every child’s learning journey.
A barrier to learning is anything that prevents learners from fully engaging in learning. One of the most common barriers that is encountered in the classroom is a lack of motivation – some students seek out opportunities to extend their learning; some students simply complete the work that they’ve been set; others seem to drag their heels and fail to complete the shortest of tasks. To understand why this happens and what motivates students, we first need to take a look at the two main types of motivation: intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation.
According to Professors of Psychology Ryan and Deci, intrinsic motivation is defined as "the doing of an activity for its inherent satisfactions rather than for some separable consequence". When intrinsically motivated, a child is driven to act for the joy or challenge of an activity, not because of any external pressures or rewards.
Extrinsic motivation is defined as doing an activity to attain a certain outcome or, indeed, to avoid a separable outcome. Take reading as an example. Some students may be intrinsically motivated to read because it brings them pleasure and satisfies their curiosity about the world around them, while other students may be indifferent about reading but are extrinsically motivated to do so. A young student may receive a sticker for each book they read at home, or they may have to complete a quiz on a book that they have read. Their motivation might come from the reward of the sticker, or the consequence of performing poorly in the quiz if they do not read the book, rather than an innate desire to read.
A student cannot realistically be expected to be intrinsically motivated in all areas of their learning, just as we know that we do not always feel motivated to do everything we ought to do, be it cleaning, going to the gym or sorting out life admin. Intrinsic motivation is driven by one's interests. A student may push themselves beyond their peers in maths (as they have a hunger for the subject), but may coast along in art (a subject in which they derive little joy from the creative process). However, there are certain things that teachers can do to help develop students’ intrinsic motivation.
Developing solid foundations
Ensuring that students have a solid foundation of knowledge that they can build upon is key. Identifying and quickly filling gaps helps to prevent students coming unstuck and losing momentum. Intrinsic motivation will naturally increase if students feel they are able to build up to tackling complex tasks.
Think of it this way – if somebody asked you to play a fairly complicated board game which you’d never heard of before, without a rulebook or any explanation of how to play at all, you wouldn’t be very motivated to take part. You would most likely find no enjoyment in playing, because you would know you have no chance of succeeding without having at least a basic understanding of how the game is played.
That doesn’t mean that the game is not something that you could find enjoyable, though. If the rules were very clearly explained to you and you were able to ask questions so that you fully understood how to play, you might discover that you actually quite enjoy the game. Even if you didn’t win that day, you might feel motivated to play it again and keep improving.
Similarly, a student might not derive any satisfaction from learning a particular topic if there are gaps in their knowledge that prevent them from actively participating in classroom discussions and understanding the rest of the content that is presented to them. If these gaps are filled in, they will be more engaged and motivated to build upon their knowledge.
Setting clear goals
Clear, manageable goals, set with the student and not for the student, will help students to take agency over their learning. Setting key targets along a student's learning journey helps them to celebrate the small wins and motivates them to keep striving.
For students to meaningfully contribute in the discussion around these goals, they must be aware of their strengths and weaknesses. Teachers can directly communicate these with students through feedback. However, encouraging students to reflect on their learning is extremely important and will allow them to take agency over their learning.
Making sure that students have access to the resources they need to help them move onto the next step that will take them towards their goal is also vital. A child will not be intrinsically motivated if they can see the ceiling.
Providing regular feedback
In order to keep pushing themselves, students need to know that they are on the right track. Feedback needs to honestly highlight learners’ weaknesses in order to deal with any misconceptions that arise, but focusing specifically on strengths is also crucial. Pinpointing why a student has performed well provides more useful information than simply saying, “Great job, well done”.
Earlier this year, we were joined by former teacher, education consultant and best-selling author Tom Sherrington for an online event, where he shared several pieces of advice on providing effective feedback that helps students to make progress. You can read the full article here.
Even with the best will in the world, it will never be possible to spark a student’s intrinsic motivation in all areas of their learning. In the classroom, just as in real life, there will be many things that we have to do that, if we were given the choice, we would prefer not to.
Students may often find themselves in situations where they need to complete a task that they dread. Motivating them extrinsically through rewards or punishment (i.e. staying behind at lunch to complete unfinished work) can help to prevent their negative feelings towards a task becoming a blocker.
However, there is of course a downside to extrinsic motivation. Studies have shown that extrinsic motivation produces only short-term effects at best (Benabou and Tirole, 2003), and that it creates dependencies (Deci et al., 1999). If students are so used to being rewarded for their work and continue to ask “What do I get if I do this?”, those creating the incentives stand in the way of their students becoming independent learners. Striking a balance between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation is key.
Understanding exactly why individuals may lack motivation can be a minefield. It is very personal and linked to previous experiences and delicate emotional balance. However, by understanding how to harness intrinsic motivation and carefully motivate students extrinsically when necessary, teachers can help alleviate one of the biggest barriers to learning.
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