Cover not available

Article published In: Australian Review of Applied Linguistics
Vol. 29:1 (2006) ► pp.4.1–4.21

Get fulltext from our e-platform
JBE logo with link
PDF logo with download linkDownload PDF

Student expectations of TESOL programs

Student and teacher perspectives

 | University of South Australia
 | University of Queensland
 | University of Queensland
 | University of Queensland
Open Access logo
Available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC) 4.0 license.

For any use beyond this license, please contact the publisher at rights@benjamins.nl.

Published online: 1 January 2006
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.2104/aral0604
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, we 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.
References (40)
Alsop, Thomas. 1979. ‘A need to discover how students have been taught foreign languages’. Foreign language annals 121: 197–199. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Antier, Maurice. 1976. ‘Language teaching as a form of witchcraft’. ELT journal 311: 1–10. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Au, Shun. 1988. ‘A critical appraisal of Gardner’s social-psychological theory of second-language (L2) learning’. Language learning 381: 75–100. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Bassano, Sharron. 1986. ‘Helping learners adapt to unfamiliar methods’. ELT journal 401: 13–19. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Belmechri, Faiza; Hummel, Kristen. 1998. ‘Orientations and motivation in the acquisition of English as a second language among high school students in Quebec City’. Language learning 481: 219–244. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Clément, Richard; Kruidenier, Bastian. 1985. ‘Aptitude, attitude, and motivation in second language proficiency: A test of Clément’s model’. Journal of language and social psychology 41: 21–37. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Crookes, Graham; Schmidt, Richard. 1991. ‘Motivation: Reopening the research agenda’. Language learning 411: 469–512. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Csizer, Kata; Dörnyei, Zoltan. 2005. ‘Language learners’ motivational profiles and their motivated learning behaviour’. Language learning 551: 613–659. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Curtin, John. 1979. ‘Attitudes to language learning: the adult student’. ELT journal 331: 281–284. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Dörnyei, Zoltan. 1994. ‘Motivation and motivating in foreign language classroom’. The modern language journal 781: 273–284. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 2005. The psychology of the language learner: Individual differences in second language acquisition. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Frank, Jerome. 1968. ‘The influence of patients’ and therapists’ expectations on the outcome of psychotherapy’. British journal of medical psychology 411: 349–356. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Gardner, Robert; Lambert, Wallace. 1959. ‘Motivation variables in second language acquisition’. Canadian journal of psychology 131: 266–272. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 1972. Attitudes and motivation in second language learning. Rowley, Mass.: Newbury House.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Gardner, Robert; Santos, E. 1970. ‘Motivational variables in second language acquisition: a Philippine investigation’. Research bulletin 1491. London, Ontario: Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Gardner, Robert; Smythe, Padric; Clément, Richard. 1978 ‘Intensive second language study in a bicultural milieu: An investigation of attitudes, motivation and language proficiency’. Language learning 291: 305–320. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Gass, Susan. 2001. ‘Innovations in second language research methods’. Annual review of applied linguistics 211: 221–232. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Lalonde, Richard; Gardner, Robert. 1984. ‘Investigating a causal model of second language acquisition: where does personality fit?’ Canadian journal of behavioural science 161: 224–237. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Lukmani, Yasmeen. 1972. ‘Motivation to learn and language proficiency’. Language learning 221: 261–273. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Martin, Susan. 2003. ‘Using SERVQUAL in health libraries across Somerset, Devon and Cornwall’. Health Information and libraries journal 201: 15–21. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Masgoret, Ann-Marie; Gardner, Robert. 2003. ‘Attitudes, motivation, and second language learning: A meta-analysis of studies conducted by Gardner and associates’. Language learning 531: 123–163. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
McKinney, Vicki; Yoon, Kanghyun; Zahedi, Fatemeh. 2002. ‘The measurement of web-customer satisfaction: An expectation and disconfirmation approach’. Information systems research 31: 296–315. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
McNamara, Timothy. 2001. ‘The roots of applied linguistics in Australia’. Australian review of applied linguistics 241: 13–29. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Miller, John 1977. ‘Studying satisfaction, modifying models, eliciting expectations, posing problems, and making meaningful measurements’. In Conceptualization and measurement of consumer satisfaction and dissatisfaction edited by Hunt, Keith. Bloomington: School of Business, Indiana University.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Noyes, Robert; Levy, Marvin; Chase, Charle; Udrey, Richard. 1974. ‘Expectation fulfilment as a measure of patient satisfaction’. American journal of obstetrics and gynaecology 1181: 809–814. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Nunan, David 1994. Research methods in language learning. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 2001. ‘English as global language’. TESOL quarterly 35 (4): 605–606. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Oller, John; Baca, Lori; Vigil, Alfred. 1977a. ‘Attitudes and attained proficiency in ESL: A sociolinguistic study of Mexican Americans in the southwest’. TESOL quarterly 111: 173–183. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Oller, John; Hudson, Alan; Liu, Phyllis. 1977b. ‘Attitudes and attained proficiency in ESL: A sociolinguistic study of native speakers of Chinese in the United States’. Language learning 271: 1–27. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Oxford, Rebecca; Shearin, Jill. 1994. ‘Language learning motivation: Expanding the theoretical framework’. The modern language journal 781: 12–28. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ozge, Uzan. 2001. ‘Patient satisfaction with nursing care at a university hospital in Turkey’. Journal of nursing care quality 161; 24–33. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Parasuraman, A; Zeithaml, Valarie; Berry, Leonard. 1985. ‘A conceptual model of service quality and its implications for future research’. Journal of marketing 491: 41–50. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 1988. ‘SERVQUAL: A multiple item scale for measuring consumer perceptions of service quality’. Journal of retailing 641: 12–40.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Richards, Lyn; Richards, Tom 1981. NUDIST: A computer assisted technique for thematic analysis of unstructured data. Bundoora, Vic.: Dept. of Sociology, La Trobe University.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ross, Caroline; Frommelt, Gayle; Hazelwood, Lisa; Chang, Rowland. 1987. ‘The role of expectations in patient satisfaction with medical care’. Journal of health care marketing 71: 16–26.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ross, Catherine; Wheaton, Blaire; Duff, Raymond. 1981. ‘Client satisfaction and the organization of medical practices: Why time counts’. Journal of health and social behavior 221: 243–255. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Santos, Jessica; Boote, Jonathan. 2003. ‘A theoretical exploration and model of consumer expectations, post-purchase affective states and affective behaviour’. Journal of consumer behaviour 31: 142–156. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Spolsky, Bernard. 2000. ‘Anniversary article: Language motivation revisited’. Applied linguistics 211: 157–169. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Tan, Kay; Kek, Sei. 2004. ‘Service quality in higher education using an enhanced SERVQUAL approach’. Quality in higher education 101: 17–24. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Tremblay, Paul; Gardner, Robert; Heipel, Gerwin. 2000. ‘A model of the relationships among measures of affect, aptitude, and performance in introductory statistics’. Canadian journal of behavioural science 321: 40–48. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cited by (11)

Cited by 11 other publications

Sander, Zoe Maj, Vivien Rieder & Birgit Spinath
2025. Expectations versus reality: motivational outcomes of unmet course-specific expectations in higher education. International Journal of Educational Research 134 ► pp. 102843 ff. DOI logo
Mori, Yoko
2024. Navigating SoTL Horizons. In Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) in Asian Higher Education [Advances in Higher Education and Professional Development, ], ► pp. 221 ff. DOI logo
Mori, Yoko & Elke Stracke
2022. Student teachers’ expectations and their sense of fulfillment in a TESOL program. Australian Review of Applied Linguistics 45:3 ► pp. 322 ff. DOI logo
Alshahrani, Abdulaziz
2019. Teaching Arabic as a Second Language (TASL): Simulation of the Canadian/ American Exemplary TESL Models. A Feasibility Study in Promoting a Saudi-Owned TASL Programme. SSRN Electronic Journal DOI logo
Iglesias, Montserrat
2015. Language Travel Demand: New Insights into Language Tourists’ Perceptions. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 199 ► pp. 149 ff. DOI logo
Hartmann, Andreas & Marieke Hietbrink
2013. An exploratory study on the relationship between stakeholder expectations, experiences and satisfaction in road maintenance. Construction Management and Economics 31:4 ► pp. 345 ff. DOI logo
Bordia, Sarbari, Elizabeth V. Hobman, Simon Lloyd D. Restubog & Prashant Bordia
2010. Advisor–Student Relationship in Business Education Project Collaborations: A Psychological Contract Perspective. Journal of Applied Social Psychology 40:9 ► pp. 2360 ff. DOI logo
Walker, John
2010. Chapter One ELT as a service. In Service, Satisfaction, and Climate: Perspectives on Management in English Language Teaching [Innovation and Leadership in English Language Teaching, 2], ► pp. 3 ff. DOI logo
Walker, John
2011. English Language Teaching management research in post-compulsory contexts: still ‘crawling out’?. Research in Post-Compulsory Education 16:4 ► pp. 489 ff. DOI logo
Bordia, Sarbari, Lynn Wales, Cindy Gallois & Jeffery Pittam
2008. Antecedents and consequences of TESOL student expectations. Australian Review of Applied Linguistics 31:2 ► pp. 15.1 ff. DOI logo
Bordia, Sarbari, Lynn Wales, Cindy Gallois & Jeffery Pittam
2008. Antecedents and consequences of TESOL student expectations. Australian Review of Applied Linguistics 31:2 ► pp. 15.1 ff. DOI logo

This list is based on CrossRef data as of 6 december 2025. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.

Mobile Menu Logo with link to supplementary files background Layer 1 prag Twitter_Logo_Blue