Getting students to do homework has long been a challenge for teachers. Homework has a negative connotation for students because they view it as an extension of the classroom that intrudes into their leisure time. However, teachers can use several strategies to make homework more interesting and relevant so that students will be encouraged to complete it.

To motivate students to complete homework, emphasize quality, not quantity. For example, if you are teaching subject and verb recognition, do not use the more traditional method of assigning your class to copy 20 sentences from the textbook and identify the subjects and verbs in each. Instead, ask them to write five sentences as they are watching their favorite television program and require that they use characters and plots from the show as their subjects and verbs.

Give students options. For example, if you have taught the parts of speech in English and want to assign homework, allow the students some options such as using their history or science textbooks to find the parts of speech in a section of the chapter they are currently studying. Finding the parts of speech in magazine ads and displaying them on a poster is another alternative. If students know they can have input into their homework assignments, they will be more apt to take interest and do the work.

Do not give negative consequences for homework that goes undone. Instead, reward those who fulfill all the requirements of the assignment by giving extra credit on an upcoming test or by adding one to three points to their average at the end of the grading period. Because homework really should be used to reinforce learning and not teach new concepts, those who choose not to do the work will not be adversely affected.