Student expectations of TESOL programs : student and teacher perspectives

Most practitioners teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) will agree that students come with some expectations about course content and teaching methodology and that these expectations play a vital role in student motivation and learning. However, the study of student expectations h...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Australian review of applied linguistics 2006-07, Vol.29 (1), p.4.1-4.21
Main Authors: Bordia, Sarbari, Wales, Lynn, Pittam, Jeffery, Gallois, Cindy
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Classroom Research
Course Content
English (Second language)
English as a second language learning
English teachers
Expectation
Interviews
Language acquisition
Language Teachers
Learning Motivation
Morale
Motivation
Psychology
Research methodology
Second Language Instruction
Second Language Learning
Student Attitudes
Student expectations
Student motivation
Teacher Attitudes
Teaching
Teaching Methods
TESOL
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Summary:Most practitioners teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) will agree that students come with some expectations about course content and teaching methodology and that these expectations play a vital role in student motivation and learning. However, the study of student expectations has been a surprising omission from Second Language Acquisition research. In the studies reported here, the authors develop a model of student expectations by adapting the Expectation Disconfirmation paradigm, widely used in consumer psychology. Student and teacher perspectives on student expectations were gathered by interviews. Responses shed light on the nature of expectations, factors causing expectations and effects of expectation fulfilment (or lack of it). The findings provide new avenues for research on affective factors as well as clarify some ambiguities in motivational research in second language acquisition. The model presented here can be used by teachers or institutions to conduct classroom-based research, thus optimising students' learning and performance, and enhancing student morale. [Author abstract]
ISSN:0155-0640
1833-7139
DOI:10.2104/aral0604