Motivation in adults

As teachers, we are more than aware that motivation plays an extremely important part (if not the most important one) in the learning process. Due to adult’s characteristics, roles in life, etc. their motivation is obviously not triggered by the same factors as children’s or teenagers’ are.

How to motivate an adult learner

First of all try to find out which that particular learner’s reasons for attending classes are, and then try to enhance those reasons, by showing him/her the great benefits lessons may bring to them. Likewise, try to discover the factors that might prevent them from learning, and decrease those factors.

Bear in mind that every student have a different style of learning and different intelligences, thus make your material as varied as possible so that everybody can have access to it in their own way.

Finally, take into account the following factors, which are crucial to ensure that learning is really taking place:

• Students must be motivated.
• They must improve their good learning habits and get rid of the bad ones.
• They must remember what they learn as time goes by.
• They must be able to aply what they learn in a different situation.

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