A Study on Defining and Evaluating Teacher Self-Efficacy for Pre-Service English Teachers in China
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
Background and Aim: Teacher self-efficacy (TSE) is essential to instructional quality and student learning, yet research has largely overlooked pre-service teachers, particularly in the context of English language education in China. This article aimed (1) to explore the definition and components of TSE of pre-service English teachers; (2) to investigate the current status of TSE among pre-service English teachers.
Materials and Methods: Grounded in Bandura's theory of self-efficacy, a mixed-methods approach was adopted. In the qualitative phase, interviews were conducted with five experts in educational psychology to clarify the definition and components of self-efficacy among pre-service English teachers. In the quantitative phase, a self-developed questionnaire was administered to 40 pre-service English teachers from Liupanshui Normal University in Guizhou Province, China, to examine their current levels of TSE.
Results: The study established a definition of TSE for pre-service English teachers and, building on previous theories, proposed and updated three dimensions of TSE specifically adapted to the Chinese educational context: classroom management, instructional strategies, and student engagement. The findings also indicated generally insufficient TSE among participants (moderate level, M = 3.15), emphasizing the need for targeted interventions and reflective practice in teacher education programs to enhance pre-service English self-efficacy.
Conclusion: This study deepens the understanding of TSE among pre-service English teachers in the Chinese context. It highlights the need to strengthen teacher education programs by addressing gaps in TSE. The findings provide valuable insights for developing more effective training and support strategies for future teachers.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Copyright on any article in the International Journal of Sociologies and Anthropologies Science Reviews is retained by the author(s) under the under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Permission to use text, content, images, etc. of publication. Any user to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of articles, crawl them for indexing, pass them as data to software, or use them for any other lawful purpose. But do not use it for commercial use or with the intent to benefit any business.
References
Anip, A., Saputro, T. E., Suharno, S., & Masykuri, M. (2020). Enhancing pre-service elementary teachers' self-efficacy and critical thinking using problem-based learning. International Journal of Instruction, 13(1), 783–798.
Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. W. H. Freeman and Company.
Berkant, H. G., & Baysal, S. (2018). An analysis of the changes in pre-service teachers' perceptions towards teacher self-efficacy and academic self-efficacy and their relations with several variables. International Online Journal of Educational Sciences, 10(4), 164–182.
Cania, M., Kusriandi, W., & Dwiniasih, D. (2024). EFL pre-service teachers' self-efficacy beliefs during teaching practicum. International Journal of Indonesian Education and Teaching, 8(1), 88–100.
Chen, X. (2022). A study on the relationship between pre-service teachers' self-efficacy and computational thinking level: A case study of a teacher's college in Tianjin. Computer Knowledge and Technology, (20), 166–167+172.
Cronbach, L. J. (1951). Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests. Psychometrika, 16(3), 297–334.
Deng, F. (2011). Self-efficacy and its impact on the professional development of pre-service English teachers. Heilongjiang Higher Education Research, (05), 77–79.
Dong, W. J., & Soransataporn, S. (2012). A study of the self-efficacy of Chinese students in English studies. International Journal of Interdisciplinary Research, 1(1), 1–18.
Gordon, D., Blundell, C., Mills, R., & Bourke, T. (2023). Teacher self-efficacy and reform: A systematic literature review. The Australian Educational Researcher, 50(3), 801–821.
Holliday, A. (1994). Appropriate methodology and social context. Cambridge University Press.
Hu, X. (2025). Research progress and application prospects of teacher self-efficacy. College and Job Vocational Education Development, 14(4), 16–21.
Kasalak, G., & Dagyar, M. (2020). The relationship between teacher self-efficacy and teacher job satisfaction: A meta-analysis of the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS). Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 20(3), 16–33.
Krejcie, R. V., & Morgan, D. W. (1970). Determining sample size for research activities. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 30(3), 607–610.
Li, J. (2021). English communicative language teaching in Chinese senior high schools: Current situation, problems, and countermeasures. In Proceedings of the 2021 2nd International Seminar on Advances in Education, Teaching and E-learning (ISAETE 2021).
Lin, S. (2019). A preliminary study on pre-service primary school teachers' self-efficacy in science teaching. Qiu Xue, (32), 73–76.
Ma, K., Cavanagh, M. S., & McMaugh, A. (2021). Preservice teachers' reflections on their teaching self-efficacy changes for the first professional experience placement. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 46(10), 62–76.
Ma, K., McMaugh, A., & Cavanagh, M. (2022). Changes in pre-service teacher self-efficacy for teaching about professional experience placements. Australian Journal of Education, 66(1), 57–72.
Sogutlu, E. (2022). Pre- and in-service teachers' self-efficacy beliefs: A case study of an English language teacher education programme in Albania. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 21(2), 303–319.
Song, J., Mullick, J., & Jiang, T. (2025). English language education in Chinese primary schools: Exploring EFL teachers' attitudes, self-efficacy, and perceived school environment. Asian Journal of Second and Foreign Language Education, 10, 18.
Tien, E. C., & Hamid, H. (2020). Use of technology in active learning teaching practices to enhance lecturers' self-efficacy in a technical university environment. International Journal of Educational Technology, 9, 436–443.
Tschannen-Moran, M., & Woolfolk Hoy, A. (2001). Teacher efficacy: Capturing an elusive construct. Teaching and Teacher Education, 17(7), 783–805. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0742-051X(01)00036-1
Turner, R. C., & Carlson, L. (2003). Indexes of item-objective congruence for multidimensional items. International Journal of Testing, 3(2), 163–171.
Valtonen, T., Kukkonen, J., Kontkanen, S., Sormunen, K., Mäkitalo-Siegl, K., & Säljö, R. (2023). Teacher self-efficacy and professional development in inclusive education: A longitudinal study. Professional Development in Education, 49(2), 342–357.
Wang, Q. (2020). A study on the relationship between TPACK, technological attitudes, and self-efficacy in technology integration for pre-service international Chinese teachers. Journal of Northwest Normal University (Social Sciences Edition), (05), 127–135.
Wyatt, M. (2018). Language teachers' self-efficacy beliefs: A review of the literature (2005–2016). Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 43(4), 92–120.
Yan, Z., & Sin, K. (2014). Inclusive education: Teachers' intentions and behaviour analysed from the viewpoint of the theory of planned behaviour. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 18, 72–85.
Zou, H., Yao, J., Zhang, Y., & Huang, X. (2023). The influence of teachers' intrinsic motivation on students' intrinsic motivation: The mediating role of teachers' motivating style and teacher-student relationships. Psychology in the Schools, 60(1), 1–15.
