Overcoming Low Teaching Self-efficacy of English as a Foreign Language Teachers in Secondary Vocational Schools

Abstract

The new English curriculum stand (MOE, 2020) has put forward high requirements for China secondary vocational school English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers' qualities. As part of teachers' qualities, teaching self-efficacy determines their teaching practices and students' general achievements. Research has found China secondary vocational school EFL teachers lack confidence in teaching processes (Liu, 2018). Therefore, this study reports on a qualitative study exploring factors contributing to the enhancement of EFL teachers' teaching self-efficacy in China secondary vocational education context. It is based on the views of 12 experts from Higher Education Institutions, Teacher Training Colleges and the Academy of Educational Sciences, and Secondary Vocational Schools in China to learn more about what factors can enhance EFL teachers' teaching self-efficacy in China secondary vocational schools. The interview data were examined using thematic analysis which allows for a detailed exploration of the data, and 12 themes emerged from that analysis in terms of experiences, knowledge, and school culture. These themes encompassed various aspects, including enactive mastery experiences, vicarious learning experiences, interactive experiences, physical and emotional states, learners and learning, the pedagogy and curriculum, the English language, the self, vocational background, school spiritual culture, school material culture, and school system culture. The article concludes by considering the implications of the results for those designing policies and professional learning activities for secondary vocational EFL teachers and suggesting potential avenues for future research.