Motivating the Difficult to Teach - The Effective Teacher Series

The motivation of pupils is a matter of perennial concern to teachers of children of all ages and all ability levels. However, developing and maintaining the motivation of pupils who are seen as difficult to teach has been a matter of particular and growing concern. In spite of some recent advances in the understanding of the nature of motivation, little research has been carried out on motivational problems in children seen as difficult to teach. This text draws on studies that seek to determine the nature of the relationship between pupils' particular educational needs and their motivation.;This work serves as an introduction to the developing field of motivation and provides guidance for teachers on implementing the new research in schools. It discusses the dynamics of motivation and introduces a number of motivational styles or common motivational patterns. The elements of school and classroom practice which are likely to maximise adaptive motivational styles and minimize maladaptive ones are also discussed.