Togzhan Kuanyshkalieva

English Teacher

Secondary School No. 33 named after Kasym Kaisenev

Atyrau, Kazakhstan

HOW TO MAKE THE LEARNING PROCESS INTERESTING FOR EVERY STUDENT?

Abstract

In the context of modern secondary education, particularly in English language teaching, student disengagement remains one of the most persistent challenges. This article explores evidence-based strategies to transform English lessons from obligatory tasks into personally meaningful and emotionally rewarding experiences for every learner. Drawing on Self-Determination Theory (SDT), the L2 Motivational Self System (L2MSS), and extensive classroom research, the paper presents practical, classroom-tested approaches that foster intrinsic motivation, reduce language anxiety, and accommodate diverse learner profiles. Special attention is given to the realities of heterogeneous Kazakhstani classrooms.

Introduction

The ultimate measure of a successful English lesson is not how much grammar was explained or how many new words were introduced, but whether students leave the classroom more willing to use English than when they entered. In an era of short attention spans, digital distractions, and varying levels of learner motivation, keeping every student interested has become the central pedagogical challenge.

Traditional teacher-centered methods — lecturing, drilling, and testing — often fail to ignite genuine curiosity, especially among adolescents who already question the relevance of school subjects. When motivation is low, students participate minimally, avoid speaking, give short answers, and quickly forget what they have “learned.” Conversely, when interest is high, students volunteer ideas, take risks with language, persist through difficulties, and retain knowledge longer.

This article argues that it is possible to design English lessons that are engaging for nearly every student — even in large, mixed-ability classes. Achieving this requires moving beyond surface-level “fun activities” toward a systematic approach grounded in motivation psychology, personalization, emotional safety, and dynamic lesson architecture.

1. Understanding Why Students Lose Interest

1.1. Psychological Barriers to Engagement

Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000; Ryan & Deci, 2020) identifies three universal psychological needs:

-Autonomy — the need to feel volitional and self-endorsing in one’s actions

-Competence — the need to feel effective and masterful

- Relatedness— the need to feel connected to others

When these needs are frustrated, motivation becomes controlled (driven by external rewards/punishments) or disappears completely (amotivation). In many English classrooms:

- Autonomy is limited by rigid curricula and teacher control

- Competence is undermined by public error correction and tasks that are too difficult or too easy

- Relatedness suffers in emotionally unsafe environments where students fear ridicule

Zoltán Dörnyei’s L2 Motivational Self System (2005, 2009) further explains that language learning motivation depends heavily on two future self-guides:

-Ideal L2 Self — the vivid image of oneself as a fluent, confident English user

- Ought-to L2 Self — the sense of obligation to meet external expectations

In many schools the Ought-to L2 Self dominates (“I have to learn English because of exams / trilingual policy / parents”), while the Ideal L2 Self remains weak or absent. Without a desirable future vision, sustained effort is unlikely.

1.2. Language Anxiety and Demotivation

Foreign language classroom anxiety (Horwitz et al., 1986) prevents many capable students from speaking. Common triggers include:

- Fear of negative peer evaluation

- Teacher correction in front of the class

- High-stakes performance pressure

Demotivation (Dörnyei, 2001) — the loss of previously held motivation — often results from:

- Irrelevant or repetitive content

- Overemphasis on accuracy over communication

- Lack of success experiences

- Poor teacher-student relationship

- Predictable lesson routines

Preventing demotivation is far more effective than trying to reverse it once it has taken root.

2. Core Strategies to Foster Interest

2.1. Personalization: Making English Relevant to Their Lives

The single most powerful way to generate interest is relevance. When students see that English helps them express their own thoughts, share their culture, discuss their passions, or imagine their future, the subject transforms from obligation into opportunity.

Practical personalization techniques:

- Replace generic textbook topics with student-generated content:

“Describe your family” → “Describe how your family celebrates Nauryz”

“Talk about your hobbies” → “Which video game do you play most and why is it better than others?”

- Use future-oriented tasks to strengthen the Ideal L2 Self:

“In 2035, where will you live and work? Will you need English? Why?”

“Imagine you are working for an international company in Atyrau — write an email to a foreign colleague.”

- Allow topic choice within grammatical frameworks:

Second conditional → “If you could change one thing about your school, what would it be?”

Present perfect → “Tell me three things you have never done but want to try.”

2.2. Supporting Autonomy Through Meaningful Choices

Even small decisions increase perceived autonomy:

- Choice of partner/group size

- Choice of task format (poster, video recording, comic strip, written paragraph, voice message)

- Choice of sub-topic (“We are studying food — choose: national Kazakh dishes, fast food, or healthy eating”)

- Choice of response mode (spoken, written, drawn)

2.3. Dynamic Lesson Design: Variety and Pace

Modern students’ attention typically wanes after 8–12 minutes of the same activity type. Effective lessons follow a varied rhythm:

1. Emotional warm-up (3–5 min): personal question, emoji check, song snippet

2. Input phase (5–7 min): short video, song lyrics, meme, TikTok clip

3. Vocabulary/grammar game (5–8 min)

4. Controlled practice with personal content (8–10 min)

5. Freer productive activity (speaking/writing)

6. Creative mini-output (quick writing, caption, comment)

7. Reflection / exit ticket (1–2 min)

2.4. Gamification and Positive Emotion

Low-preparation, high-impact gamified elements:

- Kahoot / Quizizz vocabulary races

- Taboo (describe without using forbidden words)

- Hot Seat / Find Someone Who…

- Chain stories (each student adds one sentence)

- Two Truths and a Lie

- Class team scoreboard for participation, creativity, accuracy

The key is inclusive competition: everyone should have a realistic chance to earn points.

2.5. Creating Psychological Safety

Lowering language anxiety is non-negotiable for speaking development:

- Explicitly normalize mistakes: “Mistakes are normal. They show you are learning.”

- Praise specific language use: “Great! You used ‘have been to’ perfectly.”

- Start with low-risk tasks: pair work → small groups → whole class

- Use anonymous tools (Mentimeter, Padlet) for initial responses

- Implement a “Wrong Answer Jar” — symbolic reward for brave attempts

3. Addressing Common Challenges in Real Classrooms

- Heterogeneous proficiency levels — offer tiered tasks (basic / extended versions)

- Large classes (30+ students) — use pair/group work and quick mingle activities

- Limited technology— many games (Taboo, board race, chain story) require only paper and voice

- Deep demotivation— start with very short, success-oriented tasks to rebuild competence

- Curriculum and exam pressure — integrate exam skills into personalized, interesting formats

4. Measuring Success Beyond Test Scores

Indicators of genuine engagement:

- Increased voluntary participation

- Longer and more complex utterances

- Students asking questions and making suggestions

- Fewer refusals to speak

- Students asking “What are we doing next lesson?”

These signs are often more valuable than immediate test results.

Conclusion

Making learning interesting for every student is not about being an entertainer or using the latest apps. It is about consistently designing lessons that:

- connect English to students’ real lives and future dreams

- give them meaningful choices and ownership

- provide frequent experiences of success and positive emotion

- protect them from fear and humiliation

- maintain a dynamic, varied pace

When these principles are applied systematically — even imperfectly — English ceases to be “just another subject.” It becomes a bridge to self-expression, global connection, personal identity, and future opportunity. That transformation is the true measure of a successful language teacher.

References

- Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The “what” and “why” of goal pursuits.

- Dörnyei, Z. (2009). The L2 Motivational Self System.

- Horwitz, E. K., Horwitz, M. B., & Cope, J. (1986). Foreign language classroom anxiety.

- Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2020). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation.

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