Exploring the impact of enhancing student-oriented language mindset and perceived instrumentality in EFL teaching practicum: a quasi-experimental study

Enhancing the ability of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) prospective teachers to apply theoretical knowledge gained in teacher education to teaching practices is crucial. Previous research underscores the need to investigate factors influencing this application. However, none has explored the roles of student-oriented incremental language mindset and perceived instrumentality in applying theoretical knowledge to teaching practices. Working with 84 final-year EFL prospective teachers and utilising a pre-test, post-test quasi-experimental research design with two experimental groups, this study investigated whether EFL prospective teachers perceive the theoretical knowledge gained during teacher education in the context of the Course Content Development in English Language Teaching (CCD) class as influential in improving students’ incremental language mindsets and whether they consider this knowledge instrumental for students’ EFL learning, particularly focusing on how these perceptions influence its application during the teaching practicum. Preliminary analyses and a multinomial logistic regression analysis were conducted. Results revealed diverse cluster compositions regarding changes in EFL prospective teachers’ student-oriented incremental language mindset and perceived instrumentality, indicating varied effects of the interventions within the same groups. Results also demonstrated that as EFL prospective teachers’ student-oriented perceived instrumentality increased, their perceived effectiveness of the CCD class in the EFL teaching practicum improved.