Discovering Learners' Perceptions of ESL Classroom Teaching/Learning Activities in a South African Context

Abstract

Every day, ESL teachers make many decisions in their classrooms about language teaching/learning processes. These include decisions about which activities their learners might possibly enjoy, which are most effective, and which would provide learners with skills that they could use for academic and communicative purposes. The learners, however, are seldom involved in this decision-making process. I argue in this article that they should be. I report on a study that investigated high school ESL learners' perceptions of the language teaching/learning activities they encountered in their classes. Using multimethod, qualitative research procedures, I discovered that the perceptions of these learners often surprised their teachers. I recommend that teachers constantly monitor their learners' perceptions of classroom life. Once they are aware of them, they can, if necessary, plan and implement alternative practices. Finally, I suggest ways in which this can be done.