ABSTRACT
There are two sides to this question. Is the course right for the students? And are the students right for the course? Either way, we are talking about the appropriate match between them. If the two are not well matched, it can create all sorts of problems-not least of motivation-that even the best planning and teaching may not overcome. There are various facets to the match. The most basic is that of intention: are the aims of the course reasonably congruent with the personal goals of the learners? They do not have to be exactly the same, but there needs to be enough overlap to satisfy both parties. Even if they do coincide, there may be other kinds of mismatch. The content may not be quite what the learners expected, the course may be pitched at the wrong level for them, the style of teaching and learning may seem alien. They may not feel at home in the group or comfortable in the institution. The course may simply be at the wrong time or in the wrong place for them. It is important to tease out any such problems to see what can be done about them this time or next time round.
