Non-material Rewards to Motivate YLs

Teachers use reward systems for a good reason. They work. Rewards motivate learners to work hard, behave well, and get along with others. They also make students happy, and happy makes the world go round. But where do all of those treasure chest trinkets, stickers, and certificates end up when the students get home?

If you’re a parent like me, you know that stickers end up stuck to the inside of your washing machine or tub, tiny toys find their way into the mouths of younger siblings, and fridge material (other than the odd scrapbook keepsake) inevitably ends up in the trash or blue box.

Perhaps it’s time to consider a non-material reward system. Start on the first day of a new term or school year, and your students won’t miss the candy, certificates, and pretty pencils. If your school has a budget for this kind of thing (probably doesn’t) donate the saved cash to a charity of your classroom’s choice!

5 Non-material rewards to motivate Young Learners

1. Invisible Gold Stars: My day-care worker uses this with her kids and she is the most popular woman in our neighbourhood. She rewards good behaviour by sticking an invisible gold star to the kids’ shirts, arms, or foreheads. At the end of the year she has a “gold star party” and the kids bake a star shaped cake and decorate it. My daughter was more excited for the gold star party than the last day of school this year. Instead of adding stickers to vocabulary tests or homework, do a five-second doodle. Chances are students will love your hand drawn silly face more than a sticker from the dollar store.

2. Class Mascot: If you still have a teddy bear or stuffie from your childhood, why not drag it out of the box or closet and give it new life as your class mascot? Introduce Ted to the kids and use it daily to help present one aspect of your lesson, such as “word of the day”. Reward hard workers or good behaviour by allowing one student to have the stuffie on his or her desk for the rest of the day. You can also encourage shy students to participate by letting them hold the mascot while they talk, sing, or present.

3. Theme Day or Party: Kids love parties! You can reward individual behaviour or progress by inviting one student to choose the theme for your next class party or theme day (you may need to offer a few ideas such as pajama, superhero, camping, “red”). Or, use a point system on the board, where good group behaviour or 100% attendance is worth a certain amount of points. Each time the group achieves the set amount (ex. 100 points), throw an afternoon party in class, or have an out of class excursion.

4. Spotlight Show and Tell: Is there anything kids love more than show and tell? Instead of having a certain day designated for everyone to show their favourite thing, why not use show and tell as a daily or weekly reward? Reward students who surprise you with a good grade, improved behaviour, or impressive participation by giving them their moment in the spotlight.

5.Personalized praise song: After much frustration my daughter learned how to put on her own seatbelt this week. We had spent a few weeks earlier singing our family “potty song” for her little brother, and I easily changed it to the seatbelt song (using the same familiar tune). She then spent an extra fifteen minutes putting the belt on and taking it off while I washed the car in the driveway. Kids don’t care what the tune of the song is, as long as it is familiar and they (and their classmates) hear their name in a form of praise. This is easy to do in the ESL class. Your students won’t even care if their personalized song rhymes! Pick one catchy tune such as “I’m a little teapot” for your praise song and change the lyrics up whenever an individual (or the group as a whole) deserves recognition (or needs motivation).

Note: I purposely put zero thought into the rhymes below. When it comes to YL the best things in life often come off the cuff.

(Sing on or off tune to “I’m a Little Teapot”)
Example: recognition of achievement

Johnnie learned a new word.
Johnnie did.
He learned a new word.
Yes he did.
Johnnie learned a new word.
Johnnie did.
Johnnie likes to learn new words.

Example: recognition of meeting a goal

Diana said her r right.
Diana did.
She said her r
just right.
Diana said her r right
Yes she did
She made her r sound just right!

Example: noticing good behaviour

Amy and Ro are sharing
Yes they are
They’re sharing the letters
as they play
Amy and Ro are sharing
Yes they are
It’s nice to see them share today

Example: recognizing group achievement

My kids can learn their numbers
Yes they can
They learn so fast
My oh my
My kids can learn their numbers
Yes they can
They learned their numbers
boy oh boy

Next time…5 Non-material rewards for Youth and Adult Learners