MOTIVATION THROUGH DIFFERENT EYES: TEACHERS AND LEARNERS PERCEPTIONS OF THE STRATEGIES USED IN PORTUGUESE L2 CLASSES

Abstract

: The present paper analyses Portuguese L2 learners’ and teachers’ perceptions of the use of motivational strategies in class. The purpose is to investigate whether the practice of a reflective teaching is implemented, to be attested through a true perception of the use and the impact of strategies in the classroom. Additionally, it seeks to investigate similarities and differences between the learners’ and the teachers’ perceptions of the most and least motivating strategies. The findings obtained through a mixed-method paradigm reveal a relative congruence between the teachers’ reported use of the strategies and the real practices observed, but a relative dissonance between the teachers’ and the learners’ perceptions of the motivational impact of the strategies used in class. Some implications to L2 teaching are discussed, as well as possible topics deserving future investigation.