Motivating Students Teacher Quality - a NSW Community Languages Schools Program Initiative Sabine Hauth AICLS 2009

Why should I come to Community Language School?

What reasons can we, as teachers, give students to come to Community Language School? How can our teaching styles encourage students’ motivation?

Student motivation is a challenge teachers face. It is very complex and interrelated with a range of factors that teachers need to consider.

Meaningful goals: Teachers who set goals that are meaningful, realistic and achievable are likely to motivate their students. In these cases, students are motivated because they can see why learning about what is being taught is important.

Being a child of two cultural backgrounds, she has become a curious and empathetic person, always interested and understanding of other cultures and traditions. (Swedish, 9 years old)

Being a Chinese-English bilingual student, she often shows high self esteem. She says: “Learning Chinese is not a very hard thing to do. I like to learn Chinese and learning Chinese makes me smarter!” (Yvonne, Chinese, 8)

She has obtained a different perspective of the world from learning Mandarin as her second language.... She is not a child from a migrant community and as such she provides a strong role model to other Australian Students of any background of the benefits to be gained from second language education throughout the various community language programs. (Mandarin, 7)

Warmth and enthusiasm: Teachers who are enthusiastic about what they are teaching and who can present material in a sensitive, caring way are likely to motivate their students

Establish core rules, routines and a discipline plan Know your students Build trusting relationships Share decision making Value individuals and develop self-esteem Develop communication skills

Exchange Ideas Reflect upon and share the techniques you have used with students with low levels of motivation. What has worked? What didn’t work? What else could you try?

Ideas…. Set some time aside to discuss the following questions with your class. Sit the students into groups of 3 – 5 and let them answer the questions as a group and then report back to class. Have a parent evening and discuss with them “How to motivate my children to come to CLS.” Find out the reasons why parents bring their children, and give them more reasons. (see list)

STUDENT DISCUSSION 1.Why do you attend a community language school (CLS)? 2.Do you think it was a good decision? Why? If not, why not? 3.How has it helped you? 4.Has it helped you in any way with the work you do at Monday to Friday school, and/or work? 5.Why do you think it is important to learn a language other than English?

6. What has been the best thing about attending the CLS? 7. What advice would you give to a friend who was interested in attending your CLS? 8. What is one word that comes to mind when you think of your CLS? 9. How could your CLS be even better?