How to Help Students Stay Motivated Outside the Classroom
Balancing autonomy, empathy, and realistic strategies for long-term engagement
A common question asked by teachers is: “How do I help my students stay motivated between lessons?”
It’s a question we ask because we care. We spend hours preparing engaging lessons, we show up fully, we offer feedback. But what happens when students leave the classroom—or log out of the video call?
Motivation, it turns out, is not just a “student problem.” It’s something we build with them, not for them. And it starts with how we view our role as educators.
Motivation is a Shared Process
Many teachers expect students to be self-directed, especially at higher levels. But autonomy isn’t something that just appears—it’s cultivated. And it has to be modeled.
This is one of the main takeaways from my recent interview with Paulo Camargo, an experienced language teacher who’s taught himself seven languages and currently helps students and teachers develop sustainable learning habits. Paulo has turned his personal experience into a philosophy: motivation thrives when learners feel both capable and seen.
You can watch the full interview on YouTube here:
What Can Teachers Do?
Helping students stay motivated doesn't mean we have to reinvent our lessons—it means we need to give students a reason to keep going, and the tools to know how.
Here are a few of the principles Paulo and I discussed in our interview—and in the course we offer on Student Autonomy:
1. Empathy Comes First
Paulo points out that the teacher’s job isn’t to push—it’s to understand. When students say they “don’t have time,” it’s often true. Instead of insisting they “find time,” we can co-construct routines: five minutes here, ten minutes there. Every bit counts.
2. Autonomy Needs to Be Taught
It’s not enough to assign homework. Students need to learn how to choose content, set goals, and track progress. In Paulo’s course, he walks teachers through how to model this with apps, checklists, and simple decision-making tools. Start small: teach them how to use Google Translate well, or how to pick the right TV show to stretch their comprehension.
3. Routine is More Important Than Intensity
Many students believe that if they can’t study for an hour, they shouldn’t bother. Paulo calls this out: language learning should fit their lives—not take over. A five-minute podcast, a quick vocabulary review, or even brushing their teeth while listening to something in English can have a long-term impact.
The Role of Intrinsic Motivation (and Why It’s Not Everything)
We love to believe that students will learn because they’re excited. But the truth is: motivation fluctuates. Some days, students will be tired, overwhelmed, uninspired.
The key isn’t to expect perfect motivation—it’s to create systems that keep them going anyway.
As Paulo said in our interview:
“Hard work beats talent. Motivation is important, but consistency is what makes learning happen.”
Want to Learn More?
If you’re curious about building more autonomy and motivation into your teaching, I highly recommend Paulo Camargo’s workshop on this exact topic. It’s packed with practical tools, examples, and real-world strategies. My contribution is a unit I recorded about the CEFR.
→ Access the course here: Fostering Autonomy
→ Use the code TEACHEREDUCATION2 for a R$20 discount
Whether you’re teaching teenagers, adults, or teachers themselves, this is the kind of CPD that immediately translates to better classroom dynamics.
Motivation isn’t magic—and it isn’t a mystery. It’s a collaborative process that happens when students feel capable, supported, and respected.
Sometimes, the most powerful thing we can do as teachers is to stop expecting students to be motivated all the time—and start helping them build habits that carry them through the days when they aren’t.