• Give learners a sense of control
• Allow learners to plan and set goals for learning
• Allow learners choices in what, how and when to learn
• Teach students self-evaluation techniques
• Give verbal reinforcement conveying the link between effort and level of success
• Use language that implies internal motivation on behalf of the student

How do you remember your own school experience? As educators, we often enjoyed positive experiences with a special teacher and thus, bring to our classrooms that joy of learning. We often teach the way we were taught. Many of our Reluctant Learners do not share the same background. Their "disposition" towards school is often not positive. Their experiences may be synonymous with the words "fear" or "failure."
 

Early school experiences have a lifelong effect on learners. Thus, dispositional barriers hold great implication for whether a student leaves or stays in our programs.  It is unlikely that students leave or stay in a program based on only one factor. Often situational or institutional barriers appear, making it difficult to ensure that retention strategies work. There is no magical solution. However, applying retention strategies does make a difference in retention rates.

Because we are dealing with adults, things happen in their lives that cannot be controlled.  However, there are some general strategies that will help students overcome barriers in their lives.

There are two other factors that must be considered, when developing retention strategies for our classroom.

Learning Differences - Every student has a unique style of learning. As educators we must provide students with the opportunities to use their preferred learning styles to maximize their chances for success.

Cultural Differences - Every student brings unique cultural characteristics and personal values to the classroom. If we take the time to learn about various cultures we can use this information as a valuable tool in the classroom.