Importance versus Frequency: Saudi EFL Students’ Perceptions of Teacher Motivational Strategies in the EFL Classroom

Abstract

This paper examines the perception of Saudi female EFL students regarding the relevance and frequency of teacher motivational strategies in the classroom. The goal was to detect any discrepancy between the motivational strategies which teachers believe to be important and those that the students actually see being used. The mixed methods approach was used, where the quantitative data was gathered using a Likert scale survey, while the qualitative data was collected using open-ended questions. The data collection was conducted using a version of the Motivational Strategy Survey by Cheng and Dörnyei (2007) that was modified and translated to suit the Saudi student population in particular. The results demonstrate a high disparity between the significance of the strategies like "Proper teacher behavior" and "Increase learners goal-orientedness" and how they are implemented in the classroom. Although students cited some of these strategies like nurturing self-confidence and rewarding student’s effort as being very effective in motivating them, teachers did not always implement such strategies. The research proposes that teacher motivation practice should be more aligned with the preferences of students to increase engagement and learning outcomes. The study also indicates that teacher professional growth is necessary to help narrow the gap between classroom practices and student expectations.