To help teachers understand how learners may develop learned helplessness when repeatedly exposed to unsolvable or frustrating tasks—and how this affects confidence and motivation.
🧑🏫 Preparation:
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Divide the class into two groups: Group A and Group B
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Provide each group with a different quiz set (printed or displayed)
📄 Group A: Jumbled Words – Solvable Set
Instructions: Unscramble the following words. Raise your hand when done.
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EACHTER → TEACHER
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NRANIELG → LEARNING
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ROGUP → GROUP
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UCCSSES → SUCCESS
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LHOOSC → SCHOOL
(These are solvable within 1–2 minutes. As they solve, students will feel progress and motivation.)
📄 Group B: Gibberish – Unsolvable Set
Instructions: Unscramble the following words. Raise your hand when done.
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RAKPSI
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TREMOK
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LUTFEP
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HIZMOR
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GROPAN
(These are nonsense words designed to be non-decodable—students will struggle, grow confused, and likely stop trying.)
⏱️ What Happens During the Activity:
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Group A finishes quickly and raises their hands.
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Group B struggles. Some stop trying. Some whisper, “I don’t get it,” or “I must be bad at this.”
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The teacher encourages them but doesn’t reveal the twist—yet.
🗣️ Debrief – The Reveal:
Once both groups are done or the timer runs out, say:
“Group B, you were not given a fair chance. Those words were deliberately unsolvable.
Many of you stopped trying after a few failures. That’s what we call learned helplessness—
when repeated setbacks convince us that we aren’t capable, even when we might be.”
💬 Discussion Questions:
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How did Group B feel when they couldn’t solve the words?
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Did Group A feel more confident after the task? Why?
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How might this relate to students in an exam, especially if they can’t answer the first few questions?
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How can we, as teachers, prevent students from giving up too soon?
🌟 Key Takeaway for Teachers:
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Early failure or confusion in a test or lesson doesn’t mean lack of ability.
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Task design, encouragement, and feedback play a major role in student confidence.
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Create opportunities for early wins, scaffold difficult content, and remind students that every learner has strengths.
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