Mind the Gap - Age-Related Differences in Students’ Perceptions of English Foreign Language Teacher and Motivation

Oct 15, 2026

The study examines how students’ age relates to their perceptions of English foreign language teachers and to their learning motivation. It involves 592 participants from higher grades of elementary school. Findings show age-linked differences in perceptions of teacher characteristics and competences. While students generally regard the teacher as most competent in instructional competences, younger students place stronger emphasis on personal characteristics. Motivation declines with age, supporting the need to adapt teaching methodology to different age groups.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages25

Reading Time1 h 3 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Issues related to optimal age for learning a FL

Students’ perceptions and motivation

doi: 10.26529/cepsj.1025 Mind the Gap: Age-Related Differences in Students’Perceptions of English Foreign Language Teacher and Motivation Morana Drakulić1 • The present paper addresses the age issue in the context of learning English as a foreign language in instructional settings. Our attention has been directed towards the examination of potential differences in students’ perceptions of their foreign language teacher and motivation in relation to age. A total of 592 participants attending higher grades of elementary school participated in the research. The results have shown that students’ perception of English language teacher characteristics and competences varies in relation to age. Although elementary school students perceive their language teacher to be the most competent in the area of instructional competences, younger students seem to put more emphasis on teacher’s personal characteristics over professional competences. The study also indicates differences in motivation, with an accentuated decline in relation to students’ age. The study offers a valuable information for teachers and policy makers and emphasizes the need for further adjustment of teaching methodology to various age groups. Keywords: age, foreign language teacher, motivation, students’perceptions 1 Faculty of Teacher Education, University of Rijeka, Croatia; [morana.drakulic@ufri.uniri.hr](morana.drakulic@ufri.uniri.hr). 268 mind the gap: age-related differences in students’ perceptions of english Upoštevanje vrzeli: s starostjo povezane razlike v učenčevih dojemanjih učiteljev angleščine in motivacije Morana Drakulić • V raziskavi smo preučevali vprašanje starosti v kontekstu učenja angle-ščine v učnih okoljih. Pozornost smo posvetili preučevanju mogočihrazlik v dojemanju njihovih učiteljev tujega jezika in motivacije v povezavi s starostjo. Skupno je v raziskavi sodelovalo 592 učencev višjih razredov osnovne šole. Izsledki so pokazali, da učenci različno dojemajoznačilnosti učiteljev angleščine in njihove kompetence glede na starost.Čeprav osnovnošolci dojemajo svoje učitelje angleščine kot najsposobnejše na področju kompetenc poučevanja, pa se je izkazalo, da mlajšiučenci dajejo več poudarka osebnostnim značilnostim kot profesionalnim kompetencam. Raziskava kaže tudi na razlike v motivaciji s poudarjenim upadanjem glede na učenčevo starost. Raziskava daje pomembnevpoglede za učitelje in odločevalce ter poudarja potrebo po nadaljnjem prilagajanju metod poučevanja različnim starostnim skupinam. Ključne besede: starost, učitelj tujega jezika, motivacija, dojemanjeučencev Introduction Learning English as a foreign language (EFL) at an early age has become a more prominent topic in the last two decades or so as both policy makers and field practitioners have begun to realise the potential benefits an early start may bring. This raising awareness is partly the consequence of national politics that advocate the necessity of communication in at least one FL (European Commission, 2006) and the assumption that younger children learn better as well as easier and that the extended period of learning a language leads to higher levels of proficiency and attainment. The impact of the global pressures to learn English from an earlier age gave rise to uncertainties regarding effective programme design for this age group (Enever & Moon, 2009, p. 9). This has, as a consequence, again initiated extended research on the age-related issues in the context of early FL learning in formal educational settings. The age factor in L2 attainment has long been a subject of a debate whether differences in the FL achievement maybe explained in terms of maturational constraints (Critical Period) or in terms of the effect of a wider set offactors. In regard to the latter, a substantial amount of research has turned their focus to the examination of a complex interplay between age and a plethora of variables that may affect the quality of acquisition.

FAQs

How does students’ age affect their perceptions of English foreign language teachers?

Students’ perceptions of teachers’ characteristics and competences vary by age. Younger students tend to emphasize personal characteristics more than professional competences.

What does the study find about motivation across different student ages?

Motivation shows an accentuated decline as students’ age increases.

Why does the research suggest adjusting teaching methods for different age groups?

Because students’ subjective perceptions and their motivation differ with age, teaching methodology may need further adjustment to better match various age groups.

Oct 15, 2026

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