Getting students to stay engaged during a 50-minute class session is one of the main challenges faced by lecturers and, indeed, the students themselves. Maintaining their motivation over the course of an entire term is equally, if not more, difficult. For many students, the key motivators are high grades and the use of gamified educational technologies. However, sustainable motivation requires more than just external rewards.
As a lecturer and teacher trainer, I have developed several strategies to help keep both students and educators satisfied and engaged.
1. Diverse assessment methods
One of my primary approaches is offering a variety of assessment tools to cater to different learning styles. Solely focusing on exams won’t bring out the full potential of all students. Some may find presentations, projects or creative tasks more engaging and accessible.
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Providing diverse assessments balances challenges with attainable goals. While I prepare my course outline before the semester starts, I negotiate assessment methods with students during the first week. This gives them a say in how they will be evaluated and fosters a sense of autonomy.
2. Feedback and feedforward
Students need to understand their strengths, weaknesses and areas for improvement. To support this, I provide both feedback – focused on past performance – and feedforward – offering suggestions for future growth. Learning becomes more effective and meaningful when students are actively engaged in the process. Those who can see their own progress are more likely to stay motivated.
To reinforce this, I use before-and-after examples of student work to highlight tangible improvement. Shifting the focus from grades to personal growth helps students recognise their development – and success itself becomes a powerful source of motivation.
3. Fair and transparent grading
One of the most critical aspects of student motivation is fairness. When students perceive that grading is unbiased, they are more likely to stay engaged. I ensure that every assessment has a clear rubric or set of criteria. This way, when students question their score, I can provide evidence to support it.
But this is not a charity. Students must understand the reasons behind their scores and be given the necessary feedback to improve. Fair, constructive evaluation fosters trust and leads to motivation.
4. Positive classroom climate
A classroom environment that is both friendly and professional promotes motivation. Strong lecturer-student relationships, coupled with subject-matter expertise, inspire students to engage. Students who view their instructors as role models tend to be more attentive and responsive.
I often use humour as a teaching tool – usually in the form of light-hearted anecdotes – to maintain attention and foster a relaxed atmosphere during class. These moments create memorable connections to the content and encourage participation.
5. Cultural relevance and reflection
Ending each session with reflective questions such as “What did you learn?”, “What do you believe?”, “How does this relate to your culture?” or “How is this viewed in your country?” helps students connect the material to their personal experiences. This approach not only validates their identities and makes learning more meaningful but enhances motivation by fostering a sense of relevance and inclusion.
6. Collaboration and shared goals
Motivation is amplified through social interaction and collaboration. Encouraging students to work together, and with the lecturer, promotes a sense of shared purpose.
For instance, if a student and I co-author a conference paper, we present it together. This reinforces the idea that I am there to support and stand beside them, not just evaluate them from a distance.
7. Appointing a lecturer assistant
A recent strategy I have employed, with surprisingly effective results, is appointing a teaching assistant. At the beginning of the course, I selected a student to serve as a liaison between myself and the 90 students in the class. This assistant was responsible for managing presentation topic selections and keeping me informed. More importantly, they served as a point of contact for peers, answering questions at times when I was unavailable – even during late hours, when I might be asleep!
At the end of the semester, my student received a stamped recommendation letter from me in recognition of their contribution. I found that the student assistant was so motivated by the role that their performance reached an exceptional level. Interestingly, other students expressed a desire to take on this role in future, showing that it not only helped with classroom logistics but served as a motivational tool.
By employing these approaches, I strive to create a learning environment where students feel heard, challenged, supported and – most importantly – motivated, not just by the pursuit of high grades but by a genuine appreciation for the value of learning itself.
Hanife Bensen Bostanci is associate professor and lecturer in English language teaching at Near East University.
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