Self-Efficacy: A Key to Improving the Motivation of Struggling Learners

Abstract Many struggling learners resist academics because they have low rather than high self-efficacy for academics. Such students give up or avoid tasks similar to those previously failed. A key to reversing that perspective—to getting struggling learners with low self-efficacy to invest sufficient effort, to persist on tasks, to work to overcome difficulties, to take on increasingly challenging tasks, and to develop interest in academics—is for teachers to systematically stress the development of high self-efficacy. In this article, the authors explain how teachers can strengthen struggling learners' self-efficacy and increase their motivation for school work.