An exploration of principals' leadership characteristics and teacher self-efficacy through the lens of ELT teachers

This study aims to explore the effect of school principals' leadership characteristics on English teachers' self-efficacy levels. The research was conducted with a total of 168 English teachers working in various primary, secondary and high schools in Mersin, Türkiye. Data were collected through Rating of Principal Characteristics (RPC) (Walker, 2011) and Teachers' Sense of Efficacy (TSES) (Tschannen-Moran & Hoy, 2001) scales. The findings indicated that principals who exhibit strong leadership qualities can positively influence teachers' confidence in their instructional abilities. Moreover, regression analysis demonstrated that leadership perceptions significantly predict self-efficacy levels. The results show the important role of school principals in supporting and enhancing teachers'' professional competence. Despite these contributions, the study is limited by its geographic scope as it focuses solely on ELT teachers in Mersin. This may affect the generalizability of the findings. Future research could investigate these relationships in different educational and cultural contexts. The study's implications suggest that school principals should adopt leadership practices that prioritize teacher support, collaboration and professional development as these factors play a key role in enhancing both teacher efficacy and overall educational quality.