Answer:

STRATEGIES FOR INCREASING STUDENT MOTIVATION IN MATH

STRATEGIES FOR INCREASING STUDENT MOTIVATION IN MATH1. Call attention to a void in students’ knowledge

2. Show a sequential achievement

3. Discover a pattern

4. Present a challenge

5. Entice the class with a “gee whiz” mathematical result

Step By Step Explaination:

STRATEGIES FOR INCREASING STUDENT MOTIVATION IN MATH

1. Call attention to a void in students’ knowledge: Revealing to students a gap in their understanding capitalizes on their desire to learn more. For instance, you may present a few simple exercises involving familiar situations, followed by exercises involving unfamiliar situations on the same topic. The more dramatically you reveal the gap in understanding, the more effective the motivation.

2. Show a sequential achievement: Closely related to the preceding technique is having students appreciate a logical sequence of concepts. This differs from the previous method in that it depends on students’ desire to increase, not complete, their knowledge. One example of a sequential process is how special quadrilaterals lead from one to another, from the point of view of their properties.

3. Discover a pattern: Setting up a contrived situation that leads students to discover a pattern can often be quite motivating, as they take pleasure in finding and then owning an idea. An example could be adding the numbers from 1 to 100. Rather than adding the numbers in sequence, students add the first and last (1 + 100 = 101), and then the second and next-to-last (2 + 99 = 101), and so on. Then all they have to do to get the required sum is solve 50 × 101 = 5,050. The exercise will give students an enlightening experience with a truly lasting effect. There are patterns that can be motivating, especially if they are discovered by the student—of course, being guided by the teacher.

4. Present a challenge: When students are challenged intellectually, they react with enthusiasm. Great care must be taken in selecting the challenge. The problem (if that is the type of challenge) must definitely lead into the lesson and be within reach of the students’ abilities. Care should be taken so that the challenge does not detract from the lesson but in fact leads to it.

5. Entice the class with a “gee whiz” mathematical result: There are many examples in the mathematics realm that are often counterintuitive. These ideas by their very nature can be motivating. For example, to motivate basic belief in probability, a very effective motivation is a class discussion of the famous birthday problem, which gives the unexpectedly high probability of birthday matches in relatively small groups. Its amazing—even unbelievable—result will leave the class in awe.

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