This paper will study the question of how relevant the teacher-student relationship is to student motivation and achievement. Through an examination of recent research literature, it will demonstrate that indeed the quality of this in-class relationship can affect a student's attitude toward both the study of English as a Foreign Language and education in general. This paper will necessarily look at the basic characteristics that go into a "good relationship." The best place to begin is with an examination of The Affective Filter Hypothesis, which states that highly motivated students who are not at all anxious in theclassroom will be better able to acquire a foreign language. Therefore, improvements in the teacher-student relationship which allow for greater motivation and decreased anxiety should automatically enhance language acquisition.
