Predicting English as a foreign language learners’ motivation through teachers’ credibility and self-efficacy: Using structural equation modeling

Aigui Wang; Hongwu Yang

doi:10.30827/portalin.vi43.29347

Authors

Aigui Wang Suzhou University of Science and Technology, China https://orcid.org/0009-0003-3698-6553
Hongwu Yang Suzhou University of Science and Technology, China (Corresponding author) https://orcid.org/0009-0006-1401-451X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30827/portalin.vi43.29347

Keywords:

Credibility, English as a foreign language, Learner, Self-efficacy, Motivation, Teacher; Teacher-student relationship

Abstract

To boost students’ motivation, educators have a noteworthy impact on this progress, and various aspects associated with teachers such as their traits and beliefs in their abilities. For a long time, it has been broadly acknowledged that self-efficacy is an essential element of motivation that impacts how students engage with their studies. Also, another element is the credibility of the teacher, which pertains to how much the students believe in the teacher. As a result, this study was carried out to inspect the impact of EFL teachers’ self-efficacy and credibility on learners’ motivation. Accordingly, 316 English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners participated in the research. Three scales were given to the students and the gathered information was analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The findings indicated that both teachers’ credibility and self-efficacy have been proven to impact learners’ motivation in the EFL educational field. 68% of changes in the EFL students’ motivation can be predicted by their teachers’ credibility, and about 71% of changes in the EFL learners’ motivation can be predicted by their teachers’ self-efficacy. The outcomes of the study and their implications for teaching were presented, and suggestions for future studies were also provided.

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Author Biographies

Aigui Wang, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, China

Aigui Wang works as an associate professor in Marxist Education and Research at the School of Marxism, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, China. She once obtained her Master’s degree in Education of World History in Soochow University, and got her Ph.D degree in Ideological and Political Education in Soochow University. So far, she has published some papers in the area of Ideological and Political Education in educational context, many of which are SSCI-indexed journals. At present, she has been focusing her research on the theory and practice of Ideological and Political Education Teaching and Learning, as well as educational technology.

Hongwu Yang, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, China (Corresponding author)

Hongwu Yang is lecturer in applied linguistics at School of Foreign Languages and Literature, Suzhou University of Science and technology, also researcher of Center for Overseas Think Tank’s China Studies, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, People’s Republic of China. His research interest lies in teacher professional development, second language acquisition, EFL language teaching and learning in the Chinese context.

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