Practice-oriented English courses increasingly focus on employability and workplace-related skills; however, test-centered instruction may limit learner autonomy. This study, grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT), explored changes in learners’ perceptions within a practice-oriented TOEIC (LC/RC) course at a higher education institution. The participants were 39 second-year female students from the same department. Over a 15-week semester, pre- and post-surveys were conducted to assess changes in autonomy, rapport with the instructor, self-efficacy, learning engagement, motivation, and perceived learning achievement. The survey instrument included 7-point Likert-scale items and open-ended questions in the post-survey to enhance the quantitative analysis. Survey items were adapted from existing scales to fit the course context. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (means, standard deviations, and change scores), while qualitative data were analyzed thematically. The results indicated the most significant improvement in selfefficacy, particularly in RC self-efficacy. Autonomy and rapport with the instructor saw modest increases; intrinsic motivation rose, whereas extrinsic motivation remained largely stable. While overall learning engagement decreased, perceived learning achievement improved. Open-ended responses highlighted strategy instruction, systematic feedback, vocabulary support, and a nurturing classroom climate as key factors that enhanced learning and engagement. These qualitative insights complemented the quantitative findings and emphasize the importance of instructional design and task structures that sustain engagement while addressing learners’ psychological needs in practice-oriented English classes.