Exploring Perceived Self-Efficacy Development, Opportunities, and Challenges Among English Pre-Service Teachers

Drawing lessons from pre-service teachers’ (PST) practicum experiences and understanding their self-efficacy are crucial for enhancing the effectiveness of teacher education programs. This study aimed to explore perceived teaching self-efficacy, opportunities, and challenging experiences relevant to teaching among English PSTs in Thai small school settings. The participants included Thai fourth-year students, majoring in English education, who took part in a semester-long school practicum of sixteen weeks. Five-point Likert scale questionnaires and face-to-face semi-structured interviews were employed as the data collection methodologies. The results obtained as extracted from quantitative data revealed that the students’ self-efficacy levels differed in various domains of content delivery, teaching strategies, and classroom management. Across the three groups of PSTs (male, female, and non-binary), content delivery (M = 4.22) and teaching strategies competence (M = 4.11) received high ratings, implying that the participants felt confident in delivering English content and applying pedagogical strategies during their teaching practice. In contrast, classroom management (M = 3.58) was rated at a neutral level, suggesting comparatively lower confidence in managing classroom situations. Further findings from the qualitative interview data presented the opportunities experienced by PSTs, expressed as (1) professional learning opportunities in real-world settings, (2) interpersonal skills development, and (3) problem-solving skills development, and some of the challenges that might be encountered include (1) multitasking and role overload, (2) limited resources and support systems, and (3) authoritative personal image in the classroom. The study’s implications and recommendations for further replication are also provided.