The 3 Main Elements of Intrinsic Motivation

November 5, 2024

Behind the Book understands that true and sustained motivation comes from within, which is why intrinsic motivation is a key driver behind our school programs. Research shows that increasing students’ desire to read has a far-reaching impact on their reading competence, school success, and life trajectory. By customizing our programs and allowing students to make choices about the activities, the books, and the theme, Behind the Book creates an environment where motivation can thrive. 

What are those elements? 

Autonomy: Empowering Students Through Choice

Autonomy is voice- it is having a say and having your perspective taken into account. As highlighted in the Behind the Book programs, autonomy is a crucial component of intrinsic motivation. We emphasize this principle by offering students meaningful choices throughout their workshops. Educators can foster a sense of ownership and self-direction in the learning process by allowing students to select projects, books, or themes that resonate with them.

Key Strategies to Implement Autonomy: 

• Offer choices that students genuinely care about

• Take students' perspectives into account when presenting options

• Ensure students feel informed and competent about their choices

Competence: Building Skills and Confidence

Behind the Book recognizes that students thrive when they feel capable and confident in their progress. By offering optimal challenges and providing support through active guidance and constructive feedback, educators reduce the risk of failure- a detrimental impact on students' motivation. 

Key Strategies to Implement Competence:

• Create clear goals and standards of excellence

• Offer guidance through step-by-step instruction, coaching, or modeling

• Provide constructive feedback on students' work

Relatedness: Fostering Connections Through Literature

Relatedness is social interactions characterized by warmth, acceptance, and care. Behind the Book recognizes how essential this sense of relatedness is for motivating students. By integrating collaborative activities and a wide array of diverse books and authors, our program creates opportunities for students to connect with both the workshops and each other. 

Key Strategies to Implement Reladness:

• Use select diverse books that offer children the opportunity to both see reflections of themselves and to observe differences in the world 

• Incorporate face-to-face interactions and team-building games

• Use community-building exercises and have student-led discussions

By focusing on these three basic psychological needs – autonomy, competence, and relatedness – Behind the Book creates a learning environment that nurtures intrinsic motivation. This approach not only enhances students' engagement with reading and writing but also fosters a lifelong love of learning.