Second language learners' motivation and their perceptions of teachers' motivation

International students learning English as a second language in Australia were studied to find how their perception of teachers’ level of commitment to teach them English affects their own motivation to study English. A questionnaire survey was administered on the learners at three different levels of proficiency to also identify the relationship between the levels of study and the learners’ perception of teacher as a factor affecting the learners’ motivation. The results showed that there is a positive correlation between the learners’ motivation and their perception of teachers’ commitment to teach, and the intermediate level is the most problematic stage in English study in terms of motivation. The results also found that the level of study is a factor which affects the learners’ perception of teacher factors which most strongly influence the learners’ motivation. These findings support the general claim that language teachers are one of the most important factors influencing learners’ motivation, but the learners’ level of proficiency may be a factor that needs to be taken into consideration for a further discussion regarding the validity of a certain teaching strategy to motivate second language learners.