TEACHERS PERCEPTIONS OF STUDENTS FOREIGN-LANGUAGE ACADEMIC SKILLS ANDAFFECTIVE CHARACTERISTICS

The relationship between teachers) perceptions of students' foreign la nguage (FL) academic skills and affective characteristics and their pe rformance on tests of native language skill and FL aptitude was examin ed. Students were divided into HIGH, AVERAGE, and LOW groups according to their scores on each of seven native language skill measures and a FL aptitude test. Teachers' perceptions and end-of-the-year FL grades were compared by group, Results showed that students who scored lower on the testing measures were perceived by teachers as having weaker F L academic skills and less positive affective characteristics (i.e., m otivation, attitude, anxiety) than students with strong native languag e skills and FL aptitude. Results also showed that students who scored lower on the testing measures made lower FL grades than did students who scored higher on the measures. Differences in teachers' perception s of students' FL academic skills and affective characteristics may be associated with their level of native language ability and FL aptitud e.