Breaking Barriers: Contextual Factors for Enhancing English as a Foreign Language Teachers’ Teaching Self-Efficacy in Secondary Vocational Schools

Abstract

 When literature on the development of teaching self-efficacy and its efficacy-building experiences is rich in the field of education, still there is a lack of research aiming to consider the influence of contextual factors in enhancing teaching self-efficacy, especially in the context of secondary vocational school English as a foreign language teaching. The current exploratory study is meant to fill the gap by developing a framework for enhancing EFL teachers’ teaching self-efficacy in secondary vocational schools. A semi-structured interview is carried out to explore contextual factors enhancing teaching self-efficacy. 12 experts were involved in the study. Data were analyzed through thematic analysis. Results showed that spiritual, material, and system culture of the school were associated with the enhancement of secondary vocational school EFL teachers’ teaching efficacy. The article concludes by implying recommendations for policymakers and professional development providers in the field of secondary vocational EFL education, as well as suggesting potential avenues for future research.