How To Motivate Esl Students Encourage English Use Outside Class

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Nov 1, 2025, 3:01 PM

how to motivate esl students encourage english use outside class

When I think about how to motivate ESL students and get them to practice English beyond the classroom, one private student of mine from Brazil comes to mind. She’s 65, lives in Rio de Janeiro, and we meet online twice a week. She’s really lovely, she’s been having lessons with me for over 5 years – I know, the commitment! She’s really motivated but doesn’t get many chances to use English outside of our lessons. To help, I set up a simple routine for her with listening and speaking tasks using WhatsApp. Each week, she records a quick summary of an article she’s read (which she chooses herself!), and we discuss it as a warm-up in the subsequent class.

She also sends me voice messages ( around 1 minute long) about her day. Simple, right? This approach has boosted her confidence and language skills. Why not try something similar with your students? This example shows the importance of learner autonomy—something we’ve all heard of. In short, it’s about students taking charge of their learning by setting goals, choosing activities, and reflecting on their progress.

It helps them manage their learning even when they’re not in class. So how can we, as teachers, encourage this autonomy? How can we motivate our ESL students to practice English on their own? Don’t worry, we’ve got some strategies for you. Here are 8 ways how to motivate ESL students and encourage them to use English outside class by fostering learner autonomy. Stay connected with industry news, resources for English teachers and job seekers, ELT events, and more.

Teaching English as a foreign language comes with its own unique set of challenges, especially when it comes to keeping students motivated. Whether you’re teaching online or in person, figuring out how to motivate ESL students can be the difference between a classroom filled with energy and engagement or one where students are counting down the... Let’s explore 10 proven strategies to keep your students motivated and engaged. Goal setting is fundamental for keeping track of students’ progress, building students’ self-esteem and confidence, and keeping students motivated. Goals give students purpose, so establishing clear, achievable goals for your students is crucial. At the beginning of a course, work with your students to set both short-term and long-term goals.

These goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). For example, a short-term goal might be to learn 10 new vocabulary words related to a particular topic by the end of the week, while a long-term goal could be to improve speaking fluency... Setting goals helps students see their progress and gives them a sense of accomplishment, which is a great motivator. Read about eight engaging ESL vocabulary games for teaching in person or online. You’d attract bees with honey rather than vinegar—and the same idea applies to motivating the students in your ESL classroom. One of the toughest tasks a teacher can have on their plate is to motivate their students the right way.

This means motivating them from the inside rather than from the outside. Let me show you several classroom strategies that’ll bring out the best in your students and get them excited about learning English. Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download) Start at the beginning of the school year with clear rules.

Above all, you need to explain from day one that this is an English class, and English will be the medium of communication. Have realistic expectations too, depending on the language level of your students. Obviously, different age groups “ring the bell” concerning language or maturity levels. Your students also won’t develop their language at the same rate, face the same struggles, or excel in the same areas. Do you remember yourself as a schoolboy or a schoolgirl? Did you always want to go to school, do homework, and prepare for exams?

Probably not. Sometimes your students feel the same way. Lack of motivation is a common state for many people, not only for students. However, it is possible to cope with it. In this blog, you will find useful tips and practical exercises to keep students motivated in English classes. Also, you are going to find an answer to the question of why your students lack motivation.

Students with low self-esteem often avoid activities that they feel are too difficult. Such students do not even try to do something because they are afraid to fail and feel even worse about it later. Delivering super lessons is only part of our job as EFL teachers. Our main aim should be to inspire students to use their English outside of classes, to take ownership and practise in their own time. This is because English that is limited to lessons will not progress quickly. Equally, students who only practise in lessons can become fearful of actually using the language outside of the safety of the classroom.

With this in mind, how best can we help build that bridge between classroom and real-life English? I have listed a few ideas below because, with just a little thought, I believe it is possible encourage even the most reluctant of learners to enjoy exploring the language outside of formal lessons. 1. Start a closed Facebook groupPose a question each week that you’d like the class to respond to. Here's an example:"Where would you most like to live and why?" Encourage students to comment on posts. As a teacher I wouldn’t correct publicly because this is about stimulating English conversation rather than grammar-shaming, but when you post you could include a tip on how to respond correctly.

E.g: "This week’s question is: where would you most like to live and why? (Second conditional, everyone!)" Why this works: Feedback is motivational and the collaborative nature of the task should keep people engaged. 2. Mimic what they read and listen to in their own languageIn class, get students to ask their partners about what they like to read/listen to in their own language. Then as homework, encourage each student to find a blog, songs, news articles etc.

in English to read/listen to between lessons on their chosen topic. Next week, have them talk to their partner about what they are reading/listening to and why it is interesting. Try to incorporate a slot each week where students can briefly share what they are doing in English outside of class with each other. Why this works: It is essentially individualised homework. Students are more likely to engage in English outside of class if they find the topic interesting. Having a deadline (next class) and knowing they are having to feed back keeps the task in focus so they more likely to do it.

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Speaking practice is crucial for ESL learners to improve their language skills. Making sure students feel comfortable and eager to share their thoughts is key to getting them to speak more. To make your students feel more confident speaking, it’s essential, as a teacher or facilitator, to use engaging strategies and activities that interest them. Focusing on real-life communication, encouraging students to interact with each other, and discussing topics that relate to their lives can really boost their willingness to join in. The aim is to make the ESL classroom an exciting place where every student is actively involved in speaking, which will help them develop their language abilities and feel more self-assured. Engaging and motivating English Language Learners (ELLs) can be challenging, but with the right strategies, you can create an inclusive and dynamic learning environment.

Here are 15 tips to help keep your ELL students engaged and motivated in their learning journey. Creating strong relationships with your students is crucial. They need to trust you to learn from you. Take the time to get to know your students and understand their interests and backgrounds. This connection can help you tailor your lessons to be more engaging and motivating ELL students Selecting high-quality, relevant texts will capture your students’ interest and make learning more meaningful.

Choose texts that reflect their experiences, cultures, and interests to make the content more relatable and engaging. Make sure your ELL students have a part in what the class is doing. Modify assignments and use lot’s of demonstration in the ESL classroom so that they can participate, even if it means providing additional support. This inclusion helps them feel valued and motivated. Click here to learn more about how to use demonstrations in your ESL classroom! Incorporating your students’ languages and cultures into lessons and classroom decor.

This can make multilingual students feel more connected and respected. This practice also enriches the learning environment for all students.

How To Motivate Esl Students Encourage English Use Outside Class

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