The problem addressed through this study was that, in English as a foreign language (EFL) classrooms, adult learners in an intensive English program often suffer from tiredness, mental overload, and not having enough time for learning, these are factors which negatively impact their ability to learn English successfully. The purpose of this study was to explore perceptions of adult Colombian English language learners (ELLs) of how spaced instruction influences their motivations to initiate and maintain the goal of language learning in an EFL environment. This qualitative, narrative inquiry study explored adult Colombian ELLs' perceptions of different spacing schedules in a classroom setting through the participants' stories. The focus of the study was to address two research questions focused on the perceptions and stories of adult Colombian ELLs in an EFL learning environment related to how and if the spacing effect influenced their perceptions of the quality of their learning experience and their appraisal of the learning environment. Thirteen adult EFL students from across Colombia participated in semistructured interviews and completed student journals. Braun and Clarke's six steps to thematic analysis (2006) were used as a guide for data analysis. The findings included four major themes: (a) not enough contact with the target language (TL), (b) difficulty balancing learning and other life demands, (c) perceived failure to achieve desired results, and (d) perceived improvement of ability to communicate in English. The implications of this study were that adult Colombian EFL students rated the quality of the learning experience based on the amount and frequency of contact they had with the TL; that as adult learners, they needed to contend with balancing the desire to learn with other obligations in their personal and professional lives; and that improving oral communication skills was important to them. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]