Boost Students’ Motivation to Learn with these Simple Phrases

The most common question I get asked as an academic coach and teacher trainer is, “How do you motivate students?”

Today, I’m going to share four different phrases you can practice using in your classroom or in your one-to-one coaching sessions that will help bump up students’ motivation—and make you a more skilled coach, even if you’re a classroom teacher.

First, a story to help set the context.

I train educators both in building academic coaching businesses and in becoming more coach-like inside their classrooms. Recently, someone newer to my work shared that she’s still teaching full time while getting her coaching practice off the ground, and she’s struggling to wrap her mind around how to move from teacher mode to coach mode.

For her, those feel like two very distinct modes.

For me, because I’ve been doing this work for a long time, those lines have blurred. When I teach a group of students, I’m coach-like. And when I’m coaching one-to-one, I’m often both coach-like and teacher-like. But it is true that many teachers don’t have much practice shifting from presenting content to being relationally connected one-to-one—and that connection is often where student motivation lives.

I know I started this by saying this post is about helping students be more motivated. But the best way to do that is actually to become more coach-like in your teaching.

This is useful for coaches, teachers, and parents alike. Anyone can use these four phrases with students. Sometimes simply changing our language helps shift our mindset—and that shift alone can change how students experience us.

Four Phrases to Use to Increase Student Motivation

1. “I notice…”

The first phrase I notice myself saying all the time is… well, I just gave you a clue: “I notice…”

This phrase is so deeply embedded in how I work. It moves me away from platitudes, interpretations, and judgments—and toward observable data.

Instead of jumping to something like, “You’re lazy” or “I’m so disappointed in you” (yes, I have heard teachers say this), “I notice” grounds the conversation in what is actually happening.

For example:

“I notice that you’ve had late work for the last three assignments.”

That’s it. Observable data.

When we say “I notice,” we also model metacognitive thinking. We’re showing students how to notice patterns in behavior, context, and outcomes—and how to make choices from awareness rather than impulse.

You can also include yourself in the noticing:

“I notice that I’ve offered help three times, and you haven’t come in yet.”
“I feel a little frustrated because I want to support you, and I’m not sure how best to do that.”

This language opens the door to collaboration. Instead of positioning yourself as the authority who already knows the answer, you’re inviting the student to add information and meaning. You’re on the same playing field, working with the student rather than on the student.

“I notice” is a powerful place to begin.

2. “I’m curious…”

The second phrase I recommend is “I’m curious…”

One important caveat: please be genuinely curious. Don’t say, “I’m curious what you were doing last night?” if you’re actually judging the student.

Instead, try something like:

“I noticed there’s another piece of late work. I’m curious what happened last night.”

True curiosity signals a regulated nervous system. When we’re irritated, overwhelmed, or at our wit’s end, we’re often in fight-or-flight. But when we can find something we’re honestly curious about, it helps keep us in a calmer, more open state.

Curiosity also levels the power dynamic. The student has information you don’t have. When you’re willing to hear it, you often learn something essential about their context—something that helps you support them more effectively.

There are many reasons “I’m curious” supports motivation, but one big one is this: students are more willing to engage when they feel seen rather than judged.

3. “Might you be willing…?”

The third phrase is “Might you be willing…?”

This one can feel easier in one-to-one settings—coaching or parenting—but it’s powerful.

For example:

“Might you be willing to come up with a few ideas for how you could try turning work in differently this week?”

This question invites agency. It nudges students out of passivity and into choice.

If a student says, “Honestly, I’m not willing,” that’s not failure—that’s information. It tells you where you need to work next. Too often students are conditioned to comply rather than choose, and this phrase reminds them they have autonomy.

For classroom teachers, I know this can feel scary. You still need students to complete assignments. So here’s a tweak that works well in group settings:

Invite students to notice their willingness.

“On a scale of one to ten, how willing do you feel right now to engage with this assignment?”

They can still do the work even if the number is low—but now they’re connected to their internal experience. They’re learning that motivation fluctuates, and action is still possible.

That’s an incredibly valuable lesson.

4. “What is the smallest action you’re willing to take right now?”

This final phrase is one of my favorites:

“What is the smallest action you’re willing to take right now?”

This helps students see that the next step doesn’t have to be big or overwhelming. Sometimes the smallest action is literally 30 seconds long: opening a notebook, finding the right page, placing a bookmark, pulling out materials.

You can pair this with:

“What stood out to you from our conversation?”
“What feels most relevant right now?”

This encourages retrieval—students naming what stuck—and then builds a bridge to action.

For students with executive function challenges, motivation and action don’t always line up neatly. Helping them identify a tiny, doable next step can make all the difference.

In classrooms, this can be as simple as ending class by having students write not just the assignment, but the first tiny step they’ll take to start it.

Those are my four phrases.

I’d love for you to run a small experiment with yourself. Try one or two of these phrases, notice how it changes the interaction, and pay attention to what shifts—for you and for your students.

If you want to explore more tools for becoming more coach-like in your teaching and supporting student motivation—especially through language, consent, and executive function—you can browse the free resources in the Visitor’s Center of the Anti-Boring Learning Lab:

Visitor’s Center:
https://antiboringlearninglab.com/resources

A version of the following article was originally published here on November 1st, 2022.