How to keep students motivated during Ramadhan
Ramadhan is here!
For many, Ramadhan is a long-awaited, joyous occasion where one can strive to be a better person and cultivate good habits.
But for us teachers, Ramadhan usually brings about tired students who wish to be anywhere, but in the classroom!
Of course, it’s completely understandable! Everyone is hungry, thirsty, and probably sleepy, too!
But remember, we have to keep the lessons going!
So, what can we do to enhance their motivation during this Ramadhan period?
Look no further, today, we will share with you some tips to keep their spirit high!
1. Don’t be too textbook-focused! Modify it!
Put yourself in your students’ shoes.
You’re tired, you’re hungry, maybe you are even here against your will (i.e., your mom makes you go to class!)
And what awaits you in class?
A boring lesson full of textbook activities!
No wonder you lose motivation and start yawning!
Please, please, please, don’t ever make your class textbook-centered!
Especially not now during Ramadhan when everyone is tired!
Modify it. Use interactive games and activities. You can use web-based games like Kahoot, WordWall, and Quizlet.
As long as the learning objectives are achieved, there is nothing wrong with modifying the activities in the textbook a little.
Again, remember OUR own objective: to make our students love and feel confident in English.
So, if some activities in the textbook don’t help us reach that objective, modify them!
2. Go slower on your teaching pace
We know that you probably have a syllabus to follow.
But again, remember that your students are tired and we should appreciate the fact that they even go to the class at all!
So, slow down the learning pace a bit. Give them a chance to breathe.
Of course, you still have to teach the learning objectives but don’t worry if there are some activities in the syllabus that you can’t do for the time being.
You can catch up after Ramadhan when both you and your students are feeling more energized!
3. Plan your lesson well
If you plan to substitute some activities from the textbook with other activities or games, you need to plan it, and plan it well!
Even if you just want to chit-chat, you need to plan the topics so they are in accordance with the lesson objectives.
How will you lead the conversation? What questions will you ask? Will you be able to redirect the conversation to stay within the learning objectives if it goes a bit all over the place?
The same goes with games! Make sure every activity, no matter how small or simple it is, mindfully plan it so that students can benefit and learn something from it.
Of course, give yourself some leeway and don’t force your class to finish every single thing that you have planned. Treat your plan as more of an anchor, rather than a checklist.
4. Don’t give too many assignments or homework
Go easy on the homework and assignments for the time being!
If you absolutely have to give assignments, make it a group work or a pair work so your students can have a fun interaction with their friends while doing their assignments.
Maybe, you can also switch the type of assignments for the time being. Stop with the boring grammar drills for now and give them fun projects instead! For example, you can ask them to make posters, community leaflets, or make a presentation about their favorite celebrity!
5. Be mindful of your energy too!
Be mindful of your own energy, or as the cool kids call it now, make sure your vibe is Gucci!
What we mean is, if you yourself feel tired and lazy and don’t feel like teaching, trust me, your students will be able to sense it!
If your energy is down, then your students would have no motivation to keep their energy up.
So, even though it might be hard, try to keep yourself highly motivated as you need to radiate that energy to your students!
Give yourself some rewards for getting through the day!
Maybe go out with a friend after, order your favorite food, or watch your favorite series?
We understand how tiring it can be to keep your energy up for the whole day, but if you have something to look forward to by the end of the day, hopefully, it makes things a little easier!
Summary
Ramadhan, although a joyous occasion, can be hard for teachers and students alike. Everyone is probably tired and hungry, but hopefully, these tips can be helpful to make your classes more enjoyable this Ramadhan! Have a blessed Ramadhan and may this month brings joy and happiness for us all 😇
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Take the first step to enjoy a supportive and fun working environment, develop yourself, and get a rewarding job with IELC.
Sincerely,
Anthony McCormick
IELC Managing Director