Factors Affecting Self-Confidence in Tertiary Education Students: A Study of English Classroom-Based Policies

Abstract

English is a language that many people used in speaking and writing. This language is widely used in business, law, and education. This study determines the factors affecting self-confidence among Bachelor of Secondary Education students, addressed to first-year students in utilizing English as a primary language of instruction in Classroom-based English policy. The research followed a quantitative design and adopted a purposive sampling technique. The study was conducted virtually and took place within a month. The study findings indicated that the lack of self-confidence and apprehension of committing errors were the only factors that had a notable correlation with the student’s level of confidence in speaking English within the classroom setting. Furthermore, the study found no significant difference between self-confidence levels and the respondents’ profile characteristics. However, the findings showed that the characteristics of the students, such as gender, age, first language, parents’ educational attainment, school type, and educational resources at home, did not have an impact on their level of self-confidence. As a result, the study’s general conclusion was that the students showed a limited level of self-confidence when speaking English in the classroom environment. To enhance their speaking ability and confidence in front of peers or others, students might have to recognize their areas of weakness and focus on developing their language proficiency. The researchers also recommend conducting a symposium on boosting the self-confidence of the students.