This article reports on a comparative study of teacher and student perceptions on effective instructional practices in the Spanish heritage language classroom. The data were collected through an online questionnaire administered to 460 students in different Spanish courses and 9 instructors at a large university as well as focus groups. Based on the results, it is suggested that teachers work toward a mutual understanding with students about the main classroom pedagogical activities, methods, and tools to prevent student dissatisfaction and disengagement.