The Pros and Cons of Using a Reward System

Are you looking for a way to supercharge your IELTS online course experience? Consider using a reward system.

A reward system is a stimulus-driven strategy. It involves recognizing task completion or desirable behavior with pre-set rewards. When implemented well, it can motivate you to do more and perform better. When implemented poorly, it can derail your test preparations and diminish your chances of acing the IELTS exam. Here’s how.

Using a Reward System: Pros

       ·         You will be more productive. Rewards can push you to achieve more and perform better. They’ll also make you more willing to challenge your abilities.

  

       ·         You will be more motivated to do your best. Rewards give you something to look forward to after working on a difficult review task or completing a complicated IELTS review online packages session.

       ·         You will become more interested in your task. This is an excellent advantage, especially if you find your IELTS studies boring or burdensome.

       ·         You will be more dedicated to your IELTS training. A reward system will have you keeping your eyes on the prize, amplifying your commitment to your IELTS online course tasks.

Using a Reward System: Cons

       ·         You may lose your study drive once you get the reward. This can break your review momentum and sabotage your chances of achieving your IELTS band score objectives.

       ·         You may lose sight of what really matters. If you’re accomplishing study tasks solely for the reward and not for the sake of your original objective (i.e., preparing for the IELTS exam), you have a problem. This is what happens to many reward system users. They do end up completing their workload, but they don’t retain much of what they’ve learned while working on the tasks.

       ·         Your IELTS training may become reward-focused. This is related to the previous point. There’s a risk that you will become addicted to striving for your pre-set rewards that you won’t be able to perform well without them.

So, how can you ensure that your reward system will elevate—not derail—your test preparations? Follow these tips.

         ·         Ensure your pre-set reward is appropriate to the task’s importance.

         ·         Don’t alter your rewards on a whim.

         ·         Reward unexpected accomplishments accordingly.

         ·         Use rewards that contribute something to your IELTS training (e.g., watching an English movie).

Do you want to learn more ways to make your training experience more engaging? Enroll in one of JRooz Review’s IELTS review online packages. 

References:

"A Guide to Time Management." Breaks and Rewards—Time Management—University of Guelph. Accessed March 1, 2019. http://www.learningcommons.uoguelph.ca/guides/time_management/html/breaks_and_rewards.html.

Howlin, Conor A. “The Merits of Using Reward Strategies in the Classroom and How to Maximize their Effectiveness.” Accessed March 1, 2019. http://www.ecwexford.ie/images/journal_issues/2015paper4.pdf

Masum Hussain. "A Study on Incentives, Rewards and Benefits in an Organization." LinkedIn SlideShare. September 12, 2015. Accessed March 1, 2019. https://www.slideshare.net/masumhussain1650/benefits-and-rewards.

McLeod, Saul. "Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs." Simply Psychology. September 16, 2016. Accessed March 1, 2019. https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html.

Ministry of Education, Guyana. "The Advantages of Rewards in the Classroom." Accessed March 1, 2019. http://www.education.gov.gy/web/index.php/teachers/tips-for-teaching/item/2102-the-advantages-of-rewards-in-the-classroom.