Drawing from research in educational psychology and in applied linguistics, this chapter profiles adolescents’ social maturation and their developmental needs. It explores how this time of transition towards greater independence has implications for teaching and learning. It focuses on the key characteristics of a supportive learning environment, and illustrates these through examples from classrooms and the voices of teachers and students. It discusses the impact of teacher expectations and it describes the complementary roles that teachers and peers play. It highlights the importance of positive classroom relationships. It discusses how teachers need to provide adolescent language learners with activities that match their interests and encourage them to engage in the learning process. The chapter concludes by describing the successful classroom as one that provides a balance of challenge and support.

At the heart of this chapter’s fertile question is the recognition that effective professional relationships are built – only rarely do they ‘grow themselves’ – and that a range of resources need to be in place for development to happen.