An Investigation of Pre-Service EFL Teachers’ Self-Efficacy Beliefs

Özgül Balci,Selma Durak Üğüten,Fahretti̇n Şanal

doi:10.51383/ijonmes.2019.35

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate pre-service English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs. The study was a descriptive study based on a single screening model. A total of 291 freshman, sophomore, junior and senior students studying at a state university in Turkey during the fall semester of the academic year 2018-2019 participated in the study. Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES) which was originally developed by Tschannen-Moran & Woolfolk Hoy (2001) and adapted into Turkish by Çapa, Çakıroğlu, and Sarıkaya (2005) was used to determine pre-service EFL teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs. Pre-service EFL teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs were analyzed by descriptive statistics. Differences in participants’ self-efficacy perceptions by class level were analyzed by one-way ANOVA. The Tukey multiple comparison test was used to determine significant differences among the different class levels. Research results revealed that pre-service EFL teachers had relatively high-level teacher self-efficacy perceptions in general and for classroom management, student engagement and instructional strategies subscales. Also, it was found that juniors had significantly higher scores than sophomores in both total scale and student engagement subscale. Total and subscale scores at other class levels did not differ significantly. It was suggested that pre-service EFL teachers’ self-efficacy perceptions should be considered with greater attention in the ELT program at the university and special efforts are required to strengthen seniors’ self-efficacy perceptions.

Highlights

Barbaranelli, Caprara, and Pastorelli (1996) suggest that people’s selfefficacy beliefs are the most essential mechanisms of personal agency in terms of human functioning, that is, unless they believe they are capable of making the necessary changes by their own actions, they will not come into action about it
The researcher argues that self-efficacy beliefs are manifested in human behavior through four processes which are listed as cognitive, motivational, affective and selection processes which are in harmony with each other
The researcher suggests that self-efficacy beliefs affect the initiation of a behavior by a person, the amount of effort expended, and the amount of time that a person spends to sustain that effort when encountered with obstacles

Summary

Introduction

Bandura, Barbaranelli, Caprara, and Pastorelli (1996) suggest that people’s selfefficacy beliefs are the most essential mechanisms of personal agency in terms of human functioning, that is, unless they believe they are capable of making the necessary changes by their own actions, they will not come into action about it. 2) and it is suggested that self-efficacy, which is explained as people’s beliefs about themselves, has a profound effect on their way of thinking, feeling and motivating themselves. The researcher argues that self-efficacy beliefs are manifested in human behavior through four processes which are listed as cognitive, motivational, affective and selection processes which are in harmony with each other. The researcher suggests that self-efficacy beliefs affect the initiation of a behavior by a person, the amount of effort expended, and the amount of time that a person spends to sustain that effort when encountered with obstacles. The researcher clarifies that the efficacy expectation only is not enough for the performance to take place if a person lacks the required capabilities; strong efficacy expectations give a person incentive to act. Tschannen-Moran, Woolfolk Hoy and Hoy (1998) indicate that self-efficacy is related to “self-perception of competence rather than actual level of competence” (p. 211) and it is different from other concepts of self (eg, self-concept, self-worth, and self-esteem) because it is specific to a certain activity

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