Investigating Preservice Teachers’ Self-Efficacy and Motivation to Teach English Language Learners (ELLs)

Abstract

This study investigated preservice teachers’ self-efficacy and attitude in working with ELLs in Arkansas. The investigator employed a within-subject design to examine the interrelationships among social cognitive variables (self-efficacy, motivation, and teachers’ preparation programs) and their role in predicting preservice teachers' confidence to teach ELLs in their future classrooms. The main finding of this study is that preservice teachers who are attending educational programs have high-levels of motivation and self-efficacy to work with ELLs in Arkansas. Furthermore, the results of this study revealed that preservice teachers show a strong and positive correlation between their level of confidence to engage ELLs in class activities, to create instructional strategies tailored for ELLs, and to manage ELLs classroom environment. Finally, the results of this study found that speaking a second-language and the level of intrinsic motivation are significant predictors of preservice teachers’ self-efficacy to work with ELLs in their future classrooms. In general, these results are consistent with previous findings produced in the context of preservice and in- service teachers.