Do prospective classroom teachers perceive themselves as effective and willing to teach young learners English?

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the perceived efficacy and willingness levels of prospective classroom teachers to teach English at the primary level. The study was designed as a baseline descriptive survey, followed by complementary correlational and ex post facto models. Participants were 251 prospective classroom teachers. Data was collected with “The Perceived Efficacy and Willingness Scales for Teaching Young Learners English.” Prospective classroom teachers, particularly females, were found willing to teach young learners English as a Foreign Language (EFL). However, participants, particularly males, perceived themselves as ineffective at performing critical classroom activities for teaching English. Freshmen felt more effective than seniors at teaching young learners EFL. Also prospective classroom teachers of all grades from 1st to 4th years were similarly willing to teach young learners English. Path analysis revealed significant positive associations among perceived efficacy (PE), willingness (WILL), and perceived level of English proficiency (PEP). PEP was found directly responsible for about half (R2 = .48) the variance in PE. PEP indirectly and positively affected WILL through PE’s full mediation effect. Lastly, PE directly and positively predicted WILL, with an R2 of 0.16.