The relationship between English teachers' professional identityperceptions and self-efficacy beliefs

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between English language teachers' (ELT) professional identity perceptions and self-efficacy beliefs by taking into account the variables such as gender, age, marital status, the faculty graduated from, school types at which they work, teaching experience, and current job title. A total of 290 ELT teachers employed in a state primary, secondary, or high school in Erzurum's central districts participated in the study. The study implemented a mixed method sequential explanatory design. Quantitative and qualitative data were gathered in two phases. For the quantitative phase of the study, "Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale" developed by Tschannen-Moran and Hoy (2001) which was adapted into Turkish by Çapa, Çakıroğlu and Sarıkaya (2005) was used to measure the teachers' sense of efficacy beliefs. "Teachers' Professional Identity Scale" was translated into Turkish by the researcher of the present study and was used to measure ELT teachers' professional identity perceptions. In the qualitative phase, 35 voluntary ELT teachers were interviewed to support the quantitative data to make an in-depth analysis of their professional identity perceptions and self-efficacy beliefs. The findings of the study revealed that the participants had high levels of self-efficacy. As to differences in three dimensions of teacher self-efficacy, teachers felt more efficacious in instructional strategies dimension. Concerning demographic variables, there was a significant difference between the self-efficacy beliefs of ELT teachers in terms of gender, the faculty they graduated from and current job title. On the other hand, participants' professional identity perceptions also were found to be high. In addition, their professional identity perceptions differed significantly according to gender, age, years of teaching experience, faculty graduated from and school type at which they work. Lastly, the results showed that there was a positive correlation between professional identity perceptions and self-efficacy beliefs.