Motivating Esl Learners Techniques For The Classroom And Beyond

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Oct 30, 2025, 5:52 AM

motivating esl learners techniques for the classroom and beyond

English as a Second Language (ESL) learners come from a variety of backgrounds and possess unique learning styles. Keeping them motivated and engaged is key to their success. Here are powerful techniques to use both in the classroom and during school breaks to nurture their learning journey: School breaks are a prime opportunity to keep ESL learners engaged with the language in relaxed and fun ways: Remember: Motivated students are successful students. By creating a positive, encouraging environment focused on continuous learning–both within the classroom and out in the world– you’ll empower your ESL learners to reach their full potential.

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Learning can’t always be fun. It’s sad, but true. For some ESL students, English class might seem like more trouble than it’s worth. To others—excepting the few who may want to study abroad or work in the tourism industry—it doesn’t seem as valuable as core subjects such as math or grammar in their native language. In other cases, students may have to take ESL classes just to keep up with other students who speak English natively. And finally, as is the case in most English language centers, parents force children to take English classes with hopes that English language skills will provide more opportunities for them in the future.

However, there are things that we can do on a regular basis to make the necessary (but not so fun) lessons easier to get through and the fun lessons even more enjoyable. RewardsFirst, let’s talk about the most obvious and controversial way to motivate students— rewards. During my first few years of teaching, I utilized intrinsic motivation almost exclusively and rarely rewarded my students. While intrinsic motivation is more valuable for students than extrinsic rewards, I cannot deny that rewards directly motivate my students when given in a controlled manner. Clearly communicate to your students what they must do to earn a reward and find a way to keep track of their earnings. Use a reward system only to encourage positive behavior, and not to punish negative behavior.

For example, if they earn a prize for something they did well, don’t take it away if you catch them misbehaving later. There is a plethora of reward system ideas on the internet for you to look through. Find one that works for you and your class and use it to add another layer of excitement to your lessons. CuriosityAnother way to motivate your students is to pique their curiosity. English is the most widely spoken language in the world, which has resulted in an enormous amount of quality content in English. You can find countless videos, songs, books, articles, etc.

related to your students’ interests in English. Display a map — or better yet use Google Maps — in your classroom to introduce students to places and people they may have never heard of. As a Christian teacher, you have even more access to inspiring English content, and depending on the context in which you teach, you can use English not only to make them curious about the... PraiseUnlike other subjects that always have an obviously right or wrong answer, English can be more complex. Progress can be gradual, and students can have strengths in one aspect of English such as writing, and weaknesses in another such as speaking. This gives us teachers the opportunity to be gracious and generous in our praise.

If a student gives a wrong answer, you may be able to give them praise for using a complete sentence or good pronunciation before you correct them. When the shy students who were previously too timid to speak utter a single, soft-spoken word, you can shower them with praise. This can build their confidence and give them intrinsic motivation to engage in class and improve their English skills. Are you motivated?We’ve all had days on which we roll into class and we’re not “feeling it” so to speak. Whether we’re tired or the lesson we must teach doesn’t interest us, our own lack of motivation will negatively affect our students. One verse that motivates me as a teacher is Colossians 3:23 — “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”[1] Not only does...

I pray that each of my students will be motivated to do well in my class not just for academic achievement, but that the Holy Spirit will transform them to bring glory to Him. We know that for our students to be transformed, we too must be transformed. May Christ motivate each of us as we endeavor to motivate our students. 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. 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. If you’ve ever tried to master another language, you know just how challenging it can be. Perhaps you’ve ordered a meal at a restaurant and felt your face flush as you fumble over a simple phrase, sighing in relief when the server nods and doesn’t ask a follow-up question. Now imagine feeling like this all day, Monday through Friday, while trying to adapt to a new culture, make friends and learn the fundamentals of science, math, social studies, art and literature. This is the reality for millions of K–12 English language learners (ELLs) in the United States. According to the National Education Association, ELL students will make up about 25 percent of the children in American classrooms by 2025.

Teachers are tasked with helping these students develop English proficiency and meet the grade-level content requirements, in addition to all their other duties. Thankfully, there are many practical strategies for teaching English language learners that benefit the entire class. To help you enhance your lessons, we created this guide based on a recent webinar presented by Dr. Nicole Schneider, associate professor at UMass Global. Keep reading to learn how to tailor instruction and ensure accessibility for English as a Second Language (ESL) scholars. While the term “ESL” was the standard for years, many educators today prefer “ESOL”, which stands for English for Speakers of Other Languages.

This phrase is more inclusive and accurately represents the fact that for many ELLs, English is their third or even fourth language.

Motivating Esl Learners Techniques For The Classroom And Beyond

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