Effective Strategies to Spark Motivation and Engage Reluctant Learners

In this dynamic Critical Agendas session, experienced educator Sally Learey tackles one of teaching's most persistent challenges: reaching the students who seem to have checked out. Rather than offering generic motivation tips, this workshop digs into the psychology of reluctant learners — examining why students disengage and what specific, evidence-based strategies can reignite their curiosity and participation. Learey draws on her extensive classroom experience to share practical techniques that work across subject areas and year levels, from low-barrier entry activities that reduce the anxiety of participation to structured collaboration approaches that give reluctant learners meaningful roles. The session is built around the understanding that motivation is not a fixed trait but a responsive state that educators can influence through intentional design of learning experiences, classroom culture, and relationship-building. Participants will explore how to create conditions where engagement becomes the path of least resistance — through strategic use of choice, relevance, challenge calibration, and positive feedback loops. This is a particularly valuable session for educators who find themselves investing significant energy in a handful of disengaged students, as it provides systematic approaches rather than one-off interventions.