Teacher and Student Perceptions in Foreign Language Education

Perceptions held by teachers and students in foreign language classrooms shape both instructional design and learning outcomes. Teachers’ beliefs about pedagogy, motivation and cultural integration inform decisions on methodology, materials and class interaction. Students’ attitudes encompass cognitive, affective and behavioural dimensions, influencing engagement, self-efficacy and persistence. Divergences between teachers’ and learners’ views can hinder communication and reduce satisfaction, while alignment fosters autonomy, communicative competence and positive classroom climate. Recent studies emphasise the role of cultural sensitivity, differentiation and learner strategy awareness in negotiating perceptions, underscoring a shift from teacher-centred to learner-centred paradigms. Globally, understanding these perceptions supports the development of inclusive curricula, digital learning environments and professional development that respond to diverse linguistic backgrounds and motivational orientations. Practical applications range from designing collaborative tasks that match learner preferences to teacher training modules that address implicit biases and contextual constraints.

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Teacher and Student Perceptions in Foreign Language Education publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in teacher and student perceptions in foreign language education across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Metacognitive strategies: Learner-driven planning, monitoring and evaluation techniques applied to regulate one’s own learning process.

Communicative competence: The ability to use language effectively and appropriately in real-world contexts, encompassing grammatical, sociolinguistic and strategic knowledge.

Affective filter: Emotional variables such as anxiety and motivation that can facilitate or impede language acquisition by influencing learner confidence.

Differentiation: Instructional practice of tailoring content, process and product to meet diverse learner needs within the same classroom environment.

References

1. Language learning strategies used by Indonesian learners in IELTS. Studies in English Language and Education (2022).
2. Culture teaching in EFL classes: Teachers’ beliefs, attitudes, and classroom practices. Studies in English Language and Education (2022).
3. “Good Foreign Language Teachers Pay Attention to Heterogeneity”: Conceptualizations of Differentiation and Effective Teaching Practice in Inclusive EFL Classrooms by German Pre-Service Teachers. Languages (2022).