Student and teacher perceptions of motivational strategies in the foreign language classroom

Abstract

The present paper reports on a study that builds upon Dörnyei and Csizér's and Cheng and Dörnyei's research on the teaching practices foreign language instructors consider most motivational. The study utilized an instrument based on that of Dörnyei and Csizér, but changed the cultural context in which the survey was administered (North America) and added the perspective of foreign language students. The results of the study offer further support to the findings of the earlier studies. Findings also suggest additional cross-cultural differences in perceptions of motivational teaching practices. Furthermore, the present study underscores the importance of including students’ perspectives on classroom practices, as some significant differences were found between teachers’ and students’ responses.