Examining the Sources and Development of EFL Learner Self-Efficacy Through Narrative Inquiry

Examining the Sources and Development of EFL Learner Self-Efficacy Through Narrative Inquiry

Student engagement with language learning is a vital concern for all language programs, and self-efficacy is a primary factor that can impact a student’s level of engagement with various tasks in the language learning classroom. In this study, the language learning histories of two female Japanese university students were analyzed through an analysis of narrative approach using a series of journals and interviews to determine potential patterns in the development of their self-efficacy, as well as their engagement with language learning. The narratives of the two participants revealed that as their self-efficacy for specific domains and tasks increased, their engagement with the macro-skills of language learning changed. Thus, it is possible that through understanding the sources of self-efficacy and how they contribute to an individual’s belief in their capabilities, teachers and researchers might also better understand various patterns of engagement and disengagement with language learning. The discussion section also considers how the experiences of the women in this study might relate to the experiences of students in other contexts, as well as how teachers might address developing the self-efficacy of their own students.

Student engagement with language learning is a vital concern for all language programs, and self-efficacy is a primary factor that can impact a student’s level of engagement with various tasks in the language learning classroom. In this study, the language learning histories of two female Japanese university students were analyzed through an analysis of narrative approach using a series of journals and interviews to determine potential patterns in the development of their self-efficacy, as well as their engagement with language learning. The narratives of the two participants revealed that as their self-efficacy for specific domains and tasks increased, their engagement with the macro-skills of language learning changed. Thus, it is possible that through understanding the sources of self-efficacy and how they contribute to an individual’s belief in their capabilities, teachers and researchers might also better understand various patterns of engagement and disengagement with language learning. The discussion section also considers how the experiences of the women in this study might relate to the experiences of students in other contexts, as well as how teachers might address developing the self-efficacy of their own students.