Various studies support the significance of encouraging students’ intrinsic motivation as

it can help them achieve academic success (Huitt, 2011; Gottfried et al., 2005). This part
of the paper includes practical strategies, based on empirical evidence, for improving
academic intrinsic motivation in students regardless of their abilities or grade levels.

Only few studies investigated the role of peers’ influence on students’ motivation. Those
that did, found that children seem to become more concerned with their peer
relationships as they enter adolescence, making peers a highly influential factor on
students’ learning motivation (VanZile-Tamsen & Livingston, 1999). Moreover,
Kindermann (1993) found that students’ motivation has a tendency to increase through
the years when they’re involved in highly motivated peer groups, meanwhile students’
motivation decreases when they’re in less motivated peer groups. Therefore, it is
recommended that students should associate with peers who share similar achievement
and positive motivational characteristics as their discussions may influence their
choices, engagement and career aspiration (Ryan & Deci, 2000).

Other findings have indicated that parents also influence their children’s learning
motivation (Afzal et al., 2010; Fulk & Montgomery-Grymes, 1994; Gottfried, 1990). Upon
analyzing these findings, students who are often encouraged and supported by their
parents are more likely to demonstrate better academic achievements with more
persistence and they put more effort in completing difficult learning tasks (Ryan & Deci,
2000; Afzal et al., 2010). It is necessary for parents to support students’ engagement by
emphasizing the value of learning, and if possible, empathize with their responses to
academic failures, as suggested by Schunk (2009).

Apart from parental influence, teachers also is a substantial influence on students’

motivation for learning (Fulk, 1994). Fulk also suggested that teachers shouldn’t stress
formal assessments, grades, or other performance goals upon their students. Instead, it
would be a better approach for teachers to motivate students by implementing the
syllabus and instructional practices, offering encouragement and social support they
offer, creating pleasant learning experiences, assisting students to discover their
strenghts, and by serving as role models (Fulk, 1994).