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Foreign language teacher self-efficacy: A descriptive study of high school foreign language teachers in central Appalachia

Smith-Justice, Ella M.
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9335-0506
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1503071224694554

Abstract Details

2017, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, EDU Teaching and Learning.
This mixed-methods study explores the self-efficacy beliefs of foreign language teachers in central Appalachia, which encompasses eastern Kentucky, north-central Tennessee, southwestern Virginia, and southwestern West Virginia. The participants in this study are high school foreign language teachers in the region; 81 participants completed an anonymous online survey comprised of a demographics and background questionnaire and slightly modified versions of the Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale (Tschannen-Moran & Woolfolk Hoy, 2001) and the Second/Foreign Language Teacher Efficacy Scale (Swanson, 2010a), while 11 of those participants went on to volunteer participation in semi-structured interviews with me about their language teaching experiences in central Appalachia. The questionnaire data revealed that the teachers in this sample are mostly female and primarily teach Spanish, with smaller percentages of French and German teachers. Most of the teachers in the sample are considered veteran teachers, with slightly fewer than half of the veteran respondents having taught between 10 and 19 years. The majority of the survey respondents teach in the state of Kentucky. The analysis of the collected quantitative and qualitative data produced five primary findings: 1) despite the many challenges that they face in their teaching contexts, this sample of central Appalachian foreign language teachers has a high level of self-efficacy for foreign language teaching, and they feel most confident about their efficacy for classroom management (TSES) and content knowledge (FLTES); 2) this sample of language teachers is positively impacted by membership in professional language teaching associations, receiving funding for participation in professional development activities, teaching a high number of students per day, being older in age, and perceiving that foreign language education is valued in their respective schools and states of employment; 3) the sample is negatively impacted by not participating in professional language teaching associations, not receiving funding for professional activities, teaching classes in content areas other than their target languages, and feeling as though foreign language education is not valued in their schools, local communities, and states of employment; 4) despite veteran teachers in the sample producing higher efficacy scores across the board than novice and intermediate language teachers for classroom management (TSES), instructional strategies (TSES), student engagement (TSES), facilitating language instruction (FLTES), and cultural instruction (FLTES), language teaching experience does not have a statistically significant effect on language teacher self-efficacy for this sample; and 5) language speaker status is statistically significant for this group of language teachers for teaching self-efficacy related to content knowledge and cultural instruction. In addition to these findings, I suggest that the unique geographic context of central Appalachia is impactful for language teacher self-efficacy in the region because its topography shapes the population that resides there as well as local attitudes toward global education, while the regional economy simultaneously emphasizes the need for foreign language education for economic diversification, as well as restricts the funds and resources that are available to bolster language instruction. Finally, recommendations for future scholarship are offered, as well as implications for initial language teacher preparation and continued education and learning.
Alan Hirvela (Advisor)
Terrell Morgan (Committee Member)
Francis Troyan (Committee Member)
361 p.
Bilingual Education; Curriculum Development; Education; Educational Leadership; Educational Psychology; Foreign Language; Higher Education; Language; Modern Language; Multicultural Education; Multilingual Education; Secondary Education; Teacher Education; Teaching
language teaching; language teacher self-efficacy; rural; Appalachia

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Smith-Justice, E. M. (2017). Foreign language teacher self-efficacy: A descriptive study of high school foreign language teachers in central Appalachia [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1503071224694554

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Smith-Justice, Ella. Foreign language teacher self-efficacy: A descriptive study of high school foreign language teachers in central Appalachia. 2017. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1503071224694554.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Smith-Justice, Ella. "Foreign language teacher self-efficacy: A descriptive study of high school foreign language teachers in central Appalachia." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1503071224694554

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1503071224694554
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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.