English language teachers' professional sense of self-efficacy

The aim of this study is to determine professional sense of self-efficacy beliefs of the primary school, secondary school and high school English language teachers. The purposes were dealt with as quantitative and qualitative as the study had quantitative and qualitative dimensions. The subgoals related with quantitative dimension of study are to determine the sense of self-efficacy beliefs of English language teachers about observing and assessing the language development, about cooperating with the school personnel, colleagues, family and society, about organizing appropriate methods and techniques for a suitable classroom atmosphere, and about professional development. Whether the teachers' views about these sub-dimensions differ according to the sex, the station school type, the years of experience, the department graduated, the academic education level, the employment status was tried to determine as study's sub aims. The sub aims related with qualitative dimension of study are to determine English language teachers' views about the features of an effective language teacher, their views about the ways they follow to observe and assess their students' language development, their views about cooperating with the school staff, colleagues, family and society to provide effective language learning, and the way they follow in this direction, their criterions and views about organizing appropriate methods and techniques for a suitable classroom atmosphere, their views about the workouts they attend and/or study to provide professional development, and their views about their strengths and blind sides at language teaching. The study group of the quantitative study consists of English language teachers who work at all of the primary, secondary and high schools in the Elazig city center in 2017-2018 academic year, at first term. Volunteer teachers attended to the study. Overall 295 teachers from 112 schools attended to the study. 30 teachers were reached for the qualitative dimension of the study. 22 of these teacher are bachelor's degree, 4 of them are postgraduate student, and 4 of them are postgraduate diplomaed. 17 of these teachers work at secondary schools, 9 of them at high school, and 4 of them at primary school. 20 of these teachers graduated from English language teaching department, 3 of them from English literature and language department, and 7 of them from other departments. In this study, mixed research design which include both quantitative and qualitative research designs was used. A reliable and valid "English Language Teacher Sense of Self-Efficacy Scale" and "English Language Teacher Sense of Self-Efficacy Interview Form" were used to determine teachers' professional senses of self-efficacy in the study. When examined quantitative dimension, a significant difference was not concluded according to all variables at the result related to sub-dimension of observing and assessing the language development. At the findings related to cooperating with the school personnel, colleagues, family and society, a significant difference was not concluded according to all 6 variables. A significant difference was not reached at all 6 variable at the findings of sub-dimension related to organizing appropriate methods and techniques for a suitable classroom atmosphere. A significant difference was concluded on behalf of male teachers according to sex variable, on behalf of staff teachers according to employment status variable, on behalf of teachers who graduated from English language teaching and English language deparments according to the department graduated variable at the findings of the sub-dimension related to professional development. A significant difference was not concluded at other three variables. English language teachers' various views about self-efficacy beliefs were determined at the qualitative dimension. Most of these teachers thought that English language teachers should have a comprehensive knowledge and skill of the field, and advanced social skills for an effective language teaching. It was understood that English language teachers use assessment and evaluation techniques dependent on students' using English language and communicating in English at of observing and assessing the language development. Moreover, they stated that they considered processual approaches. It was found out that English language teachers cooperate with their colleagues, school, family and society at motivation and increasing success studies problematic circumstances. Teachers had interviews with students' parents and families most frequently for cooperating. English language teachers made use the suitability of student level as a criterion at organizing appropriate methods and techniques for a suitable classroom atmosphere. It was seen that English language teachers preferred attending courses, seminars, conferences to improve their professional development. Being open to new ideas, communication skills and debonairness are English language teachers' strengths at teaching language. Failing at establishing an environment for English communication, and having limited opportunities for practice are the main English language teachers' blind sides to teaching language. Several recommendations are offered based on the research findings.