Reigniting Interest—Engagement Strategies for Task-Avoidant ED Students

By Charles Mathison

In classrooms serving students with Emotional Disabilities (ED), task refusal is often less about skill and more about lack of motivation or fear of failure. When students have faced years of academic struggle, they begin to disengage—not because they can’t learn, but because they’ve stopped believing that learning is for them.

To reach these students, we have to go beyond compliance. We need to spark interest, agency, and relevance. Here are four high-impact strategies to re-engage even the most avoidant learners:

🎮 1. Gamify the Work

Turning tasks into games lowers anxiety and raises curiosity. Add fun. Add challenge. Add rewards. Even simple tasks become more tolerable (and even exciting) with a playful frame.

Try this: Race the teacher: “Let’s see who finishes these 3 questions first.” Beat your best: “Last time you did 4; let’s see if you can do 5.” Use dice, spinners, or stickers to create game dynamics.

🧠 2. Incorporate Interests

If a student loves superheroes, sneakers, or horror movies—use it. By connecting content to what they care about, you tap into intrinsic motivation.

Example: Instead of a generic writing prompt, try: “What superpower would help you finish school work faster?” Or in math: “You have 8 sneakers and want to wear a new pair every day. How many weeks can you go?”

👥 3. Use Positive Social Pressure

Many ED students want connection—but struggle to show it. Strategic peer pairings or “co-working” with the teacher can build motivation without putting students on the spot.

Try: Work alongside the student, doing a task next to them Pair with a calm, encouraging peer who models persistence Use “mirror work”: “ Watch how your classmate started. Now you try the same.”

4. Let Them Lead

Students who’ve felt powerless light up when given agency. Let them set the pace, pick the materials, or even create the problem for the teacher to solve.

Say: “Today you get to be the teacher—create a question and I’ll answer it.”

Motivation isn't a switch you flip—it’s a flame you nurture. By leaning into creativity and student choice, we can transform avoidance into engagement. At WB Coaching, we help teachers find small shifts that spark big change. A professional development worksheet based on this article can be downloaded here

Teacher Worksheet_ Reigniting Interest – Engagement Strategies for Task-Avoidant ED Studen.

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Bibliography:

Fernández-Rio, J., & Méndez-Giménez, A. (2022). The impact of gamification on emotional well-being and social skills in education. Education Sciences, 12(2), 212. https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/2/212

Kurniawan, W., & Siswanto, T. (2024). Active gamification strategies for learners with disabilities. Smart Learning Environments, 11(1). https://slejournal.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40561-024-00309-6

Marques, M. M., et al. (2022). Game-based learning for students with disabilities: A systematic review. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 886150. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8861503/