Motivation Basics
What is motivation?
The desire or reason behind why a student chooses to learn or engage
What does “attention span” mean?
The amount of time a person can stay focused on a task
A student is excited to share answers but struggles to stay seated for long periods. What is the likely issue?
Attention
What short physical activity can help reset attention?
Movement or stretch break
A student participates in class because they genuinely enjoy the topic. What type of motivation is this?
Intrinsic motivation
What type of motivation comes from personal interest and enjoyment?
Intrinsic motivation
True or False: Students can pay attention longer if they are motivated.
True
A student refuses to start an assignment because they feel the work is pointless. What is the issue?
Motivation
What is one strategy teachers use to make learning more meaningful?
Connecting content to real life
A student keeps zoning out because the lesson feels irrelevant. Is the issue motivation, attention, or both?
Motivation
What type of motivation is based on rewards or grades?
Extrinsic motivation
What type of attention is used when ignoring distractions to focus on one thing?
Selective attention
A student starts the task strong but quickly loses focus and gets distracted by noises. What issue is this?
Attention
What is the term for breaking lessons into smaller pieces to maintain attention?
Chunking
A student checks their phone every few minutes. Name one possible cause
Low attention span, distraction, boredom, or stress
What kind of mindset helps students stay motivated by believing their abilities can grow?
Growth mindset
What is “cognitive load”?
The total amount of mental effort being used in working memory
A student says, “I’m never going to be good at this, so why try?” What issue does this fall under?
Motivation
What teacher behavior improves both attention and motivation through emotional support?
Building positive teacher-student relationships
A student tries to listen to the teacher while doing homework in another class. What type of attention are they using?
Divided attention
What is one major factor that can decrease a student’s motivation even if the content is interesting?
Lack of relevance, poor environment, or weak teacher-student relationship
Which type of attention becomes weaker when students try to multitask?
Divided attention
A student keeps checking their phone, is bored by the lesson, and can’t remember instructions. What’s the issue?
Both motivation AND attention
Name one reason why visuals help attention
They reduce cognitive load or increase engagement
A student struggles to focus during a long lecture with no breaks. Which principle explains why they lost attention?
Cognitive load theory