Self-Efficacy in Language Learning 1

Running head: SELF-EFFICACY IN LANGUAGE LEARNING

Self-Efficacy and the success of Language Learners – Research Proposal

C. Michael Sturgeon

University of Tennessee Knoxville

 Self-Efficacy in Language Learning 2

Introduction

The study of language learning and how one is successful at the task of obtaining

conversational as well as reading and writing fluency is the question many have posed. This

research, which I am proposing to accomplish, is to look into the specific area of self-efficacy

and try to discover its affect(s) if any on the language learner. According to research, recent and

dated alike, there is suggestion that the learners‟ self-efficacy attributes to their success rate

(Chularut & DeBacker, 2004; Bandura, 1996). Bandura suggested that this could be true in any

academic setting (Bandura, 1996); therefore I seek to discover if it is specific to the language

learners‟ experiences and the learners‟ perceived self-efficacy. Self-efficacy and perceived self-

efficacy are the concerns of this research.

I will first try to adequately define self-efficacy and perceived self-efficacy. To define

self-efficacy, each aspect of this compound word needs to be analyzed. Merriam-Webster‟s

Collegiate Dictionary 2003 defines: Self as “belonging to one‟s own,” or “an individual‟s typical

character” and Efficacy is “the power to produce an effect.” Therefore, a precise definition of

self-efficacy is an individual‟s ability to produce a desired response. Perceived self-efficacy is a

person‟s belief about one‟s ability to produce a desired response. The example of producing a

desired response would be to become fluent in another language, if that is so desired of course.

The research articles which I have perused commonly focus on quantifiable factors and

specifically foreign language learning. This, in and of itself, is not necessarily detrimental to the

research. However, there are ELL students that are living in the environment where their studied

language is spoken. The studies that I have come across for ELL students also seem to have

completed their research dependent on quantitative findings. Again, I agree that these studies

have a purpose in the field, but I do not believe that they have a full picture of what happens
 Self-Efficacy in Language Learning 3

within the learners‟ experience. Self-efficacy is not physically observable at all times.

Moreover, the students that are learning English are of a different culture, therefore by allowing

their behavior to tell that they are or are not of a high self-efficacy would be mistaking. Various

cultures behave in various manners, depending on the context and the happenings within the

environment. For this reason, I must have a good understanding of the cultures I will study

beforehand; which are Russian and Ukrainian EFL students, and primarily Asian ELL students.

Stevick (1980) argued that the language learning success is less dependent on the strategies and

materials, and more on what goes on inside the individual learner. The inclusion of interviews of

the observed language learners will help to reveal what goes on inside the learner. It has been

suggested that language instructors not look into the intellectual aspects of language students, but

to keep in mind that they are not just cognitive or machines, but whole persons. Therefore the

language instructor should also focus on the social and affective aspects of the learners (Oxford,

1994).

Before going further, I want to clarify the difference of ELL (English Language

Learners), formerly known as ESL, from EFL. ELL (English Language Learners) refers to the

learner of English that is living in an English speaking environment. EFL (English as a Foreign

Language) refers to the learner that is studying English, but does not live in an English speaking

environment.

The matter that there are ELL students surrounded by English speaking persons alone has

an affect on their learning experience compared to the student studying English as a foreign

language; therefore not living in an environment where it is spoken. By the mere fact that the

ELL student finds that he or she will be required to speak English will have an affect. The

practice gives opportunity for improvement; this is one affect I am referring to.
 Self-Efficacy in Language Learning 4

My central research problem is that of self-efficacy being a significant factor in language

learning. Does self-efficacy and/or perceived self-efficacy truly have a significant impact on a

student‟s success in language learning?

Method

Rationale

After going through multiple articles, I have not seen qualitative research that is showing

how or if the ELL or EFL students‟ self-efficacy is affecting their progress, as previously

mentioned. So, why is there a need for it? As I have mentioned earlier in this proposal, the

learners‟ self-efficacy is not something that I believe can be accurately measured in a

quantitative research. Numbers will give some information and allude to the thought that self-

efficacy does affect the success or failure of the learner, yet to know if the learner sees this as a

part of their success or not would require a qualitative type research project. The quantitative

research I refer to is primarily speaking of academic success in general. According to Barnhardt

(1997), people with a high self-efficacy are more likely to succeed at language learning.

However, Barnhardt does not give reference as to how she has come about this knowledge.

There is a need for more concretely supported research. We think of people that do not perceive

themselves capable of a task appearing to have already given up (Barnhardt, 1997); so her

statement therefore makes logical sense, yet the empirical evidence is not presented. There are a

number of rationales for this research, some of which I have just stated, one being the gap in the

literature of empirical evidence to support the thought that self-efficacy does or does not have a

significant impact on the learners‟ successes. Because of the lack of published information

specific to ELL/EFL students‟ learning experience as it is related directly with self-efficacy,

 Self-Efficacy in Language Learning 5

qualitative research in this area is needed. The need for qualitative research is evident because

self-efficacy is not necessarily recognized by the learners‟ outer appearance or behavior.

Bandura postulated that people are self-organizing, proactive, self- regulated and self-reflective

(Bandura, 1994). This may be true, but how do we know what is happening in a learner‟s brain.

As was so appropriately stated by Grenfell “…it is not easy to get inside the „black box‟ of the

human brain and find out what is going on there. We work with what we can get, which, despite

the limitations, provides food for thought” (Grenfell & Harris, p. 54).

Secondly, in my judgment the publications that address this matter in a superficial

manner signify the need for more research. The more significant argument would be that this is

a crucial issue; therefore there is a need for instructors to be informed in order to potentially

modify their instructional approaches / strategies. Modification would be so that ultimately the

instructor will be ready to deal with this matter within any given instructional session or

throughout a longer time period.

Research Tradition

I have chosen the research tradition of phenomenology to explore the experience of the

language learners‟ perception of self-efficacy and how they see it as possibly an impacting their

progress, be it successful or not. From their experiences and how they make meaning of them,

the tradition of phenomenology is best fit; appropriate for discovering if there is a possible affect,

negative or positive, based on their self-efficacy. This was my choice based on the fact that the

groups I will observe are ELL students here in America and EFL students in Ukraine that have

had diverse experiences in language learning. I will also interview and ultimately try to see if the

collected data will indicate if they have experienced the phenomenon of self-efficacy affecting

their language learning progress at one time or another. This tradition is best fit because the
 Self-Efficacy in Language Learning 6

essence of phenomenology research concentrates on the meanings of individual experiences. The

student may be having a difficult time or experiencing great success during the process of

learning the new language. This study looks into what is really occurring behind the language

learning difficulties and successes. According to Creswell a phenomenological study takes an

approach to “…study the problem that includes entering the field of perception of participants;

seeing how they experience, live, and display the phenomenon and looking for the meaning of

the participants‟ experiences” (p.31). The objective of this research is to have an understanding

of the experience(s) the participants live through and make meaning; this is the qualitative

research tradition phenomenology (Creswell, 1998). "Researchers search for essentials, invariant

structure (or essence) or the central underlying meaning of the experience and emphasize the

intentionality of consciousness where experiences contain both the outward appearance and

inward consciousness based on memory, image and meaning." (p.52)

The researcher that applies the phenomenological approach to his or her research is trying

to ultimately make meaning of the experience the participants are facing in what may appear to

be an ordinary situation (Bogdan & Biklen, 2003). In this research, the experience would be that

of the language learners‟ self-efficacy and perceived self-efficacy and how it may or may not

have an impact on their success or failure of learning English. The question that could be asked

is, “does this learner have a low self-efficacy and therefore experience a struggle in language

learning or high self-efficacy and feel successful in his or her language learning experience.”

The learners‟ self perceptions of their abilities to accomplish the task of learning another

language, and how that perception affects their successes, are what this research is proposing to

reveal. Psathas suggests the phenomenological study should begin with silence because the

researcher is not to enter the study assuming he or she has an understanding of the meaning yet.
 Self-Efficacy in Language Learning 7

The phenomenologist emphasizes on making an effort to view the participants‟ behavior

subjectively (p. 23). I propose to view the participants‟ behaviour and make some conclusions

based on that.

Since the purpose of a grounded theory study is to generate a new theory based on the

researchers discoveries it is not fitting for my study. It is not fitting because my objective is to

see and understand the phenomenon of the ESL students‟ experiences, being positive or

negative. However, I do see how this topic of research could fit in grounded theory if the

researcher had is as his or her objective (Creswell, 1998).

If my desire was to study a specific group or culture and how they live, the ethnography

approach would be preferable, but again, this is not my purpose of study, and I am not studying a

culture in the sense of how they live their lives and what their customs are. This would call for a

prolonged study within the specific group and immersion on a day to day basis to see how life in

general is handled (Creswell, 1998). However, I will have to include the cultural understandings

that are directly applicable to the ways Ukrainians, for instance, learn compared to a setting in

the United States. My primary objective it not the culture, though culture and language are

tightly knit together. If my language study was that of slang, for example, ethnography would

definitely have to be a part of the study. Since my study is of the perceived self-efficacy and

how it relates to success in language learning, I do not believe this is necessary.

When seeking to find the perfect tradition, I looked at all five that Creswell presents and

found that there could almost always be a way to make a certain study fit if desired. However,

the biographical mode of research is not applicable for this study. That is primarily because I

am not seeking to study an individual person and what they may have experienced. “Whereas a
 Self-Efficacy in Language Learning 8

biography reports the life of a single individual, a phenomenological study describes the

meaning of the lied experiences of several individuals about a concept or the phenomenon”

(p. 51). The study of one individual on this topic would not reveal that self-efficacy has any

affect on others when learning either a second language or experience difficulties as an ESL

student. I may learn how this one individual has experienced language learning and possibly

even have self-efficacy emerge as an aspect that did affect their learning, but this would not be

enough for the obtained information to be transferable. In light of that, the biographical approach

would not be appropriate for this study.

In a case study there is the examination of one setting. (Bogdan & Biklen, 2003)

Merriam (1988) refers to the tradition of a case study to be one that focuses on a specific event

and/or single subject; whereas I would want this research to ultimately entail multiple sites. This

is a phenomenon that does not occur in only one location, which means this study would afford

multiple case studies; so case study is not completely out of the question. At this time, my

preference is to avoid multiple case studies. However, I will keep an open mind about case

studies as they could potentially become the tradition to adopt for this study.

Inquiry paradigm

The qualitative inquiry paradigm that I subscribe to is the constructivism paradigm. I felt

this was the appropriate paradigm partially because of my own ontological beliefs. In the past

the instructivist theory paradigm dominated language learning research. In recent years this has

changed in that the constructivist theory paradigm has become the popular language learning

paradigm (Rüschoff & Ritter, 2001). This is one reason that I have select constructivism as the

adopted paradigm for this research project. My other rationale is because the construction of

knowledge and the processing of new information are viewed as highly important factors in
 Self-Efficacy in Language Learning 9

language learning (Rüschoff & Ritter, 2001). My personal view on language learning also has

influenced my decision to use the constructivist paradigm. This is because I, along with many

others, believe that learning should be an active and socially interactive process where

knowledge is something that must be constructed and less like something that can be transferred

(Harper, 1996). Along with interviews, I will observe, as stated earlier, students working

together in social setting and studies gaining (or constructing) an understanding and knowledge

of the English language. In looking at these, I would see my research project best fit under the

constructivist paradigm.

For the purpose of clarification a brief explanation of the difference between

constructionism and constructivism is needed. “We understand `constructionism' as including,

but going beyond, what Piaget would call `constructivism'” (Papert, p.3). Constructivism refers

to the theory that says knowledge is built by the learner, not supplied by the teacher. On the other

hand, constructionism is referring to the “…idea that this happens especially felicitously when

the learner is engaged in the construction of something external or at least shareable . . . a sand

castle, a machine, a computer program, a book” (Papert, p.3).

Subjectivity statement

In my years growing up, I observed my father working very hard to learn Spanish without

taking any courses. He would fly our family to Mexico, and we would have him as our

translator. Though he struggled with the language learning as an autonomous learner, he did

succeed to some degree. It was my understanding that this was the way to learn a language.

Being able to do what he was able to do, without taking classes, was intriguing to me. When I

tried to accomplish this in my teenage years, I felt as though I was a failure and my father

contributed to this belief.

 Self-Efficacy in Language Learning 10

While in high school I faced many episodes over very low self-esteem. Upon going to

college my mind was set to change this image of a failure and to shed the self-esteem issue. Of

course, I soon discovered that college was a challenge. After a successful semester of working

very hard, I concluded that possibly I didn‟t need to work so hard to succeed in college. This

was a mistake on my part. During my second and third semesters I was informed by two

different professors that I should not be in college because I was “not college material.” It was

very easy for me to accept this as factual after hearing it over and over from around the age of

eleven till in my second year of college. The college expelled me after my grades continued to

drop. My conclusion was that I could not learn, and that was just a fact I would have to accept.

After a long journey into obtaining a BS degree and later an MS, I felt more confident in

my abilities. As I continued to believe in myself more, others did also. I took on new

challenges. One of which was to learn the Russian language. After continuously working at

learning the language for two years, the opportunity for me to visit a Russian speaking country

came my way. Of course, I took advantage of this I discovered while in Ukraine, that I had quite

a journey of language learning ahead of me.

After visiting Ukraine two years in a row, I decided it was the place I wanted to return for

a long visit. I applied for a Fulbright grant as a lecturer to go to Ukraine and this is where I saw

the lack of self-confidence re-emerge. I certainly did not believe that I, of all people, could win

this grant. However, there were others that did believe in me, and this affected how much I

believe in myself. Upon receiving the letter congratulating me for becoming a Fulbright Senior

Scholar, I began to see that I had changed from the times in my life when I questioned my

abilities. It was obvious to me that the people I surrounded myself with had made a difference,
 Self-Efficacy in Language Learning 11

and it was because their belief in me ultimately made me believe that I could accomplish the

goals set before me.

The next part of my personal belief ideologies comes from that six month experience in

Ukraine. In working with students at the college level in America I have always tried to give

affirmation in order to help the student remove doubt that they could tackle the tasks set before

them. While working with the Ukrainian university students I observed many students, the

majority, that did not trust their own abilities and were living a life with a defeated attitude.

These students did not believe that they could have any control over the direction life would take

them.

One factor that stood out dramatically was their silence when questions would be posed.

Speaking in class to the instructor was difficult because they studied English under a Ukrainian

professor that had the same difficulties pronouncing the English language as they did. The

students did not have any problem speaking up in class if it was in their native tongue. I wanted

to do something about this problem. To make a difference, I worked with the students in small

groups outside of the university in a relaxed setting. It was surprising to them that I would not

judge their speaking abilities; therefore as they become more and more comfortable, they spoke

more. By speaking more they started to see a progress in their English speaking fluency.

I see these experiences throughout my journey to discover more about myself and the

desire to make a difference in others lives as very much impacting my research. As Bogdan and

Biklen would suggest, it is best to select a study for which you have a passion. I am personally

driven by my experiences to discover more about self-efficacy impacting the language learning.

If I have participants that do not have a high self-efficacy, and believe in self attitude, my

discoveries could potentially be useful enough to help them in their language learning
 Self-Efficacy in Language Learning 12

difficulties. If in fact, I discover that my personal experience is transferable; transferable in the

sense that my experience was not unique. My experiences have exposed me to the phenomenon

of language learning and self-efficacy and I felt that it was the self-efficacy that made me

successful. These are my ideological beliefs and could potentially contribute to the research and

language learning environments in the end. On the other hand, my personal experience could be

a hindrance to the study if I allow my own experience to overshadow my research process. If, by

chance, there is no significant connection between self-efficacy and a persons success in

language learning, my bias experience could hinder me from recognizing other factors that may

be significant to the learners‟ successes and or fail.

Theoretical framework

The theoretical framework from which I will be basing my research and findings is

phenomenonography. This framework is applicable to this particular research project because it

focuses on the learners‟ experience(s) and looks into their perspective of what happens or does

not happen during the process of learning (Marton & Entwistle, 1983). This research project is

focused on the higher education learner, therefore the scope of phenomenonography is without

question, the ideal theoretical framework from which I should base this study.

Phenomenographic research primarily focuses on higher education and the learning that occurs

in the group. “Initial studies focused on student learning experience in reading articles, attending

lectures, writing essays, solving problems, and studying; more recent work has examined the

cross-cultural aspects of student learning experiences” (Marton & Entwistle, 2006).

In this study I want to see what is occurring in the learning process for the second

language learner as well as have an understanding as to what may be occurring within the learner
 Self-Efficacy in Language Learning 13

that is affecting the learning. From my understanding of the phenomenographic approach, this is

the framework that is built on bringing about these understandings of the learner.

Research site

Based on their collected data, Dörnyei and Csizér suggested that there is a growth in the

importance of learning a “World language” such as English, versus French or Japanese (Dörnyei,

2002) therefore I believe there is a need to focus research on ELL and EFL students alike. Since

I presently reside in an English speaking environment, ELL would be the first study of choice.

After completion, I intend to move to Ukraine where I have already made connections with the

administration of a university that teaches English as a foreign language. In May, when I was

visiting the Pedagogical University of Ukraine in Poltava, they informed me that they would be

pleased to work with me in any studies pertaining to language learning. The number of students

involved in the observation will be approximately 60. As for interviews, the amount is yet to be

decided upon.

My second site is located on University of Tennessee Knoxville campus at the

International House. I have already attained approval for observing sessions at the English

Table. The number of students observed per English Table is approximately 11 and I intend to

observe two groups, therefore observing approximately 22 ELL students. For both sites I will

submit an IRB form for approval to record and take notes on observed sites. In my write up the

participants names will be change to pseudonyms to fulfill the promise of confidentiality.

Proposed data collection and analysis methods

While in Ukraine, I will observe classes teaching English as well as individual students

studying English in groups. Based on previous experience, I do know the students study in
 Self-Efficacy in Language Learning 14

groups. In the process of observing, I will also schedule times to interview a number of the

students; as many as necessary. When I experience data saturation, I will know that I can stop

and begin to categorize and analyze my findings. I will follow the same plans at the U.S. site,

UTK I-House.

The observations will be completed and field notes will be taken, noting the experiences

of the participants. After studying through the large sum of data collected, I will look for themes

and categories. In particular, I want to see if there are indications of self-efficacy actively

displayed in the final field notes. In concluding this research I will write this up in a thick

description in order to help the reader see what has occurred as well as to know if research is

transferable [Lincoln & Guba;(as cited in Creswell, 1998)]. The interviews will be recorded and

then transcribed into a readable format with numbered lines on the pages for ease of referencing.

The transcribed interviews will be handled similarly as the observations in that I will look over

them to find themes and categories and sub-categories as well of course. The analysis through

reviewing the themes and categories will reveal, from the learner‟s perspective, what goes on as

they learn individually as well as in as classroom setting and/or in a social setting with peers.

The combination of these two types of data could be very promising for this research topic.

I will use a number of techniques for verification. One that I will employ is “member

checks” which will provide a check of the accuracy of my transcribed information. My

interpretation of what occurs will be viewed by participants. The other technique that I want to

adopt for this research project is triangulation. Instead of having one type of data, such as an

interview, I plan to collect data from interviews, observations and, if possible, documentation on

students that could also add to this picture.

 Self-Efficacy in Language Learning 15

Preliminary findings

My findings from the observation differ from those of the interview in that the interview

revealed more information about the individual learners. What I believe to be important in the

observational findings is the fact that the instructor showed attentiveness and use body language

as well as words to affirm the learners when the opportunity was before him. The instructor

avoided correcting the students, which struck me as odd in sense. Based on my experience of

teaching overseas, I have heard EFL students cry out for correction. So, this is possibly a

cultural matter, knowing that in America many would perceive correcting someone as an act of

rudeness. On the other hand, he could have had other reasoning, suspecting the ELL students

would avoid speaking in the future out of the fear of making a mistake. Bandura did state that

we are self-regulating people (Bandura, 1994), so there is the philosophy that people will

discover their mistakes on their own. The ELL students were also very attentive as the instructor

spoke; therefore I would say they were quite serious about the learning of the English language.

They, as he, showed attentiveness through body language, and would ask questions. And last,

but not least, they helped each other, peer to peer instructing when there was a need. This is

where I see them together constructing knowledge and understanding together. Their body

language when speaking to each other seemed to show that they were at ease. This could

possibly be interpreted as confident, as they were speaking in their own language. My findings

of the observation of the students is a bit shallow and would require more visits to get a better

picture of what is truly happening.

From my interview with the student, however, I believe my findings are much deeper in

results. Once the student was in America, he felt that his improvements happened in an
 Self-Efficacy in Language Learning 16

expedient manner. It was very apparent to me that he was proud of his success in learning

English. There were two reasons he gave for his success in learning English. One was

immersion in the country and the other was his self confidence, believing that he could learn

English, which is referred to as perceived self-efficacy. When talking about his improvements in

English, not only did he recognize them, as Bandura has stated about self-regulating (1994), but

showed that it occurred in a shorter time period when in the United States. My findings suggest,

at least from the interview, that there is a connection between the learners‟ self-efficacy and their

success in language learning.

My belief, based on the preliminary findings, is that in the research there will be a

common finding suggesting high self-efficacy to contribute to a learner‟s success. I also have a

suspicion that there will be findings that suggest a low self-efficacy contributes to a learner‟s

lack of success or difficulties in the learning of another language. Lastly, I anticipate finding that

a highly perceived self-efficacy would link to success, just as a lowly perceived self-efficacy

would link to lack of success. These are speculations on my part, but I am basing these on the

literature reviewed and the preliminary findings.

Conclusion

According to Chamot, there are a number of methods that have been used to find out best

language learning strategies, but the most frequent is through questionnaires (Chamot, 2004).

This is again, a quantitative way of getting results. I believe this is an area of concern for both

the language learner and the instructor alike. If self-efficacy has this much impact on a learner‟s

rate of success, how does the student come about a high self-efficacy? This is a question that

needs to be answered based on the research results. The findings will be of value to instructors

as they seek new strategies in language teaching. So, the primary audience this research is aimed
 Self-Efficacy in Language Learning 17

for is the language instructor. The amount of literature that I have come across in the process of

studying the research has revealed to me that there is a large amount of studies researching

language teaching strategies. This implies to me that there is a concern about the success of the

language learner. So, this information would be of most value to the same audience.
 Self-Efficacy in Language Learning 18

References

American Psychological Association. (2001). Publication manual of the American Psychological

Association (5th ed.). pp. 196-311. Washington, DC: Author.

Bandura, A. (1994). Self-efficacy. In Encyclopedia of human behavior (Vol. 4,

pp. 71-81). New York: Academic Press.

Bandura, A., Barbaranelli, C., Caprara, G.V., & Pastorelli, C. (1996). Multifaceted
Impact of self-efficacy beliefs on academic functioning.
Child Development, 67, 1206-1222.

Barnhardt, S. (1997). Self-Efficacy and Second Language Learning. The NCLRC

Language Resource. Retrieved July 17, 2006 from
http://www.nclrc.org/readings/hottopics/selfefficacy.html

Bogdan, R., & Biklen, S. (2003). Qualitative research for education: Allyn and Bacon Boston.

Chamot, A. (2004). Issues in language learning strategy research and teaching. Electronic
Journal of Foreign Language Teaching, 1(1), 14-26.

Chularut, P., & DeBacker, T. K. (2004). The influence of concept mapping on

achievement, self-regulation, and self-efficacy in students of English as a second
language. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 29(3), 248-263.

Creswell, J. (1998). Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Traditions:
Sage Publications.

Dörnyei, Z. & Csizér, K. (2002) Some dynamics of language attitudes and motivation:
Results of a longitudinal nationwide survey. Applied Linguistics,23(4), 421-462.

Grenfell, M., & Harris, V. (1999). Modern Languages and Learning Strategies: In Theory
and Practice: Routledge.

Harper, B. (1996). Using cognitive tools in interactive multimedia. Retrieved August 5, 2006
from http://auc.uow.edu.au/conf/Conf96/Papers/Harper.html .

Marton, F. & Entwistle, N. (no date). Phenomenonography.

[Electronic version]. Retrieved July 18, 2006 from
http://tip.psychology.org/marton.html

Marton, F., Hounsell, D. & Entwistle, N. (1984). The experience of learning. Edinburgh:
Scottish Academic Press.

Merriam, S.B. (1988). The case study research in education: a qualitative approach.
San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
 Self-Efficacy in Language Learning 19

Oxford, R., & Shearin, J. (1994). Language Learning Motivation: Expanding the Theoretical
Framework. The Modern Language Journal, 78(1), 12-28.

Papert, S., & Harel, I. (1991). Situating Constructionism in Constructionism. Ablex

Publishing Corporation, Norwood, NJ.

Rüschoff, B., & Ritter, M. (2001). Technology-Enhanced Language Learning: Construction of

Knowledge and Template-Based Learning in the Foreign Language Classroom.
Computer Assisted Language Learning, 14(3), 219-232.

Stevick, E. (1980). Teaching languages: a way and ways: Newbury House Publishers.

Inc, M. (2003). Merriam-Websters Collegiate Dictionary.

Retrieved Aug. 4, 2006 from http://www.merriam-webster.com
 Self-Efficacy in Language Learning 20

Appendix A

Site Description

The participants of this ELL research project are ELL students of University of

Tennessee and the English Language Institute (ELI) attending the English Table in the

International House, located on the University of Tennessee Knoxville campus. The ELI

students are attending the institute in order to improve their English speaking and comprehension

skills. Many of these students come without any skills in speaking English. The English

Language Institute helps students to improve their Test of English as Foreign Language

(TOEFL) scores in order to study in a university in America. In addition, the objective is also to

learn more about the American culture. The summer English Table at the International House is

an opportunity for international students to practice and improve their spoken English skills.

Every Monday and Wednesday from 4:00pm to 5:00pm the students have a formal gathering in

which to practice. A native English speaker [American] leads the discussion in which he or she

plans to teach different aspects related to the American

English language and the American culture. There will be a

maximum of eleven ELL students attending the session

which I will observe. Each participant will be from a

country other than America.

I am placing a layout of the room below (See Figure 1). The room is arranged as a

conference room with a conference table in the middle of the room. The chairs are extremely

comfortable, and when people are comfortable they are usually more relaxed. The room has a

map of the world on one wall and a small white board on another. There are no windows in this

room; which eliminates outside distractions. The room, being a conference room, allows all
 Self-Efficacy in Language Learning 21

students to see each other. This room is conducive to conversation, as the students are abe to see

each other without making an effort. The room is not very large at all and would be at full

capacity with eleven students in the room.

Figure 1 - English Table Layout

Since I do not have a vehicle here on campus, location has an impact on many of my decisions I

chose the International House based on it being at a convenient location. Likewise, the students

do not have vehicles either, so this location has made it possible for all to attend without too

much difficulty. The convenience of location could potentially have an impact on the attendance

Permission was obtained from the Director of the International House. The International House

Director requested a detail explanation of the project before giving permission. Upon the

receiving my explanation and purpose for the research there was no hesitation in giving written

permission, via email, for multiple observations if I desired to do so. The permission was

received via email.

 Self-Efficacy in Language Learning 22

Appendix B

Interview Protocol

- Equipment will be tested before formal recording.

Small talk: The subject, whom I will refer to as Ming, will be interviewed at 10:30am.
I will intentionally spend some time just conversing with him to help ease
any possible nervousness on his part, as well as mine. I will inquire as to
what he is studying here at UTK and see how he responds to this type of
„small talk‟ topic. If it is positive, I will continue on it for a short period.
Ming has been informed that this will not be over 45 minutes of his time,
and the recording will not be longer than 30 minutes.
After seeing that he is appearing to be relaxed, I will remind him of my
area of interest for this interview. Following the introduction, I will also
reaffirm that this recording will be confidential then ask permission to
begin to record; then flow into the interview with a lead off question.

Topic domain: - Experience when first learning English – confidence level

- Self-perception relating to language learning abilities.

Leadoff questions: As best as you can remember, could you please describe your first time
learning English.

Covert categories: Studious learner, educational settings (classroom, tutor etc),

self-efficacy, self perception of language learning easy or difficulty,
experience with U.T. faculty.

Possible follow-ups:
 Family upbringing your opinion, do you feel that how you see yourself
attributes to your language learning abilities?
 Were you a diligent student, meaning, studying on your own because
you wanted the language so much?
 What kind of experience did you have in the classroom settings? Did
you ever consider the learning process easy? Difficult? Or you just
didn‟t think about it?
 We you motivated by yourself or by others?

Completion: Thank Meng for the opportunity to interview and for his time.
 Self-Efficacy in Language Learning 23

Appendix C

Themes & Analysis - observation

As I read through my field notes, I took note of the items that I would call themes. First

would be the roles of those involved. This would be “Instructor” and “ELL Students.” Then I

looked for things that struck me as important and / or repeated through the observation session.

The following are the themes that I found worth recognizing.

 Instructor

 Affirming

 Body language

 Attentiveness

 Instructing – taking advantage of opportunities

 Not correcting students

 ELL Students

 Attentiveness

 Body language

 Instructing via assisting (interaction)

 Self-Efficacy in Language Learning 24

Appendix D

Themes & Analysis – interview

Categories from the interview:

 Comparing self with others

 Feeling accomplished

 Immersion

 Improvement recognition

 Feeling accomplished

 Confident in self

 Knowing potential

 Accomplishing potential
 Self-Efficacy in Language Learning 25

Appendix E

Permission statements of interviewee/observee

obtaining observation permission

Initial e-mail:
-----Original Message-----
From: Nobody [mailto:nobody@utkux.utcc.utk.edu ]
Sent: Wednesday, July 12, 2006 2:24 PM
To: rhea@utk.edu
Subject: IHouse website comment

A comment from the IHouse website has been sent to you by Michael
Sturgeon - msturgeon@gmail.com
Subject : International House Observation
Hello;

My name is Michael Sturgeon. I am in the PhD program here at UTK studying Language,
Cultures and particularly language learning. As I am presently taking a course in Qualitative
Research, it was suggested to me by my professor that I should contact the International House
for my observation assignment. I would like to know if it would be okay for me to visit and
speak to someone about this. Just let me know who and when
I can visit. Thanks in advance ... I look forward to your reply.

Michael Sturgeon
--
Michael Sturgeon
msturgeon@gmail.com
http://faculty.leeu.edu/~msturgeon

Received reply from e-mail #1

On 7/13/06, Rhea, Lee (Lee) <jrhea4@utk.edu> wrote:

Dear Michael Sturgeon,

I would be happy to talk with you about your research plan. These kinds of things are usually
fine, but I would need to talk with you and see what you have in mind as we do have some
restrictions.

What kinds of things are you wanting to observe and when did you have in mind? During the
summer, we only have English Table going on if you are looking a language study. During the
 Self-Efficacy in Language Learning 26

fall, we have several tables going on and there would be more opportunities then. But I am not
sure if that is what you are asking about or not.

Let me know what you have in mind and I would be happy to help with what I can. You can
also come in and we can talk about it if you would like.

Thanks,

Lee

Lee Rhea
Coordinator, International House
Center for International Education
1620 Melrose Avenue
Knoxville, TN 37996-3531
(865) 974-3177
Fax: (865) 974-2985
rhea@utk.edu

E-mail reply (my #2 e-mail)

From: Michael Sturgeon <msturgeon@gmail.com> Mailed-By: gmail.com

To: "Rhea, Lee (Lee)" <jrhea4@utk.edu>
Date: Jul 12, 2006 6:55 PM
Subject: Re: IHouse website comment
Reply | Reply to all | Forward | Print | Add sender to Contacts list | Delete this message | Report phishing |
Show original | Message text garbled?
Hello Lee,

Thank you for your quick reply. My research is merely observing learners at the English Table.
As we are learning in this class, all we do in qualitative observations is note what is happening
and catch what emerges in the process. If there is something that emerges in the process that fits
within my interests of language learning, then it is to be noted and as a phenomenon per se, I
may want to later interview an individual from that observation. I would do it off to the side. I
have been an EFL/ESL teacher, but here and in Ukraine.

This project is only an academic exercise and will not be published in my dissertation. I am not
sure if that is one of the concerns, but if it is, no worries.

So, if it is okay to observe the group at the English Table, please let me know of a time. If you
will be around on Thursday, I would like to just come by and meet you if possible. Just let me
know of a time that works for you. I am living on campus for the next four weeks to get two
courses out of the way, so I am around and the times during the day are open.

Thanks again,
 Self-Efficacy in Language Learning 27

Michael
- Show quoted text -
Permission e-mail from International House Director

: Rhea, Lee (Lee) <jrhea4@utk.edu>

To: Michael Sturgeon <msturgeon@gmail.com>
Date: Jul 12, 2006 8:21 PM
Subject: RE: IHouse website comment
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Michael,

That sounds just fine. The English Tables are Monday and Wednesday from 4 to 5 p.m. You can come
to any and all that you would like to come to. I will let the instructor know. The summer person is
inexperienced, but is very energetic so it should be interesting. The reason why I was asking what you
have in mind, is that we have a considerable amount of informal interactions going on here each day also
and we occasionally will have someone who wants to conduct interviews or research a topic. The
students don’t generally mind, but there have been a few times that these things have gone beyond what
some people have been comfortable with. So, I like to have some idea of what the plan is before
students start.

I will be around all day, but I believe I have many meetings tomorrow especially in the afternoon. If you
are in the area, probably the morning would be the best time to catch me tomorrow. I’ve taught ESL/EFL
in Japan and in the U.S. also, but it has been a few years now. If there is anything we can do to help with
your project, let us know. Feel free to come to the classes for your observations.

Thanks,

Lee

Lee Rhea
Coordinator, International House
Center for International Education
1620 Melrose Avenue
Knoxville, TN 37996-3531
(865) 974-3177
Fax: (865) 974-2985
rhea@utk.edu
 Self-Efficacy in Language Learning 28

CONSENT FORM

As part of the requirement for CSE560, at The University of Tennessee, I (Michael Sturgeon)
would like to conduct a thirty minute interview with Hai (ELL student).

The purpose of the interview is to try to understand the interviewee‟s (Hai) experience, or
perceived experience learning English.

The interview will be audio-recorded and later transcribed for the purpose of analyzing. The
participant will remain anonymous. The recording of our conversation will only be heard by
myself (Michael Sturgeon) and will be destroyed after the interview is transcribed onto paper.
Everything you tell me will be kept confidential.

Your participation in this interview is on a voluntary basis, and if you feel uncomfortable at any
time during our conversation, we can stop the recording and/or the interview immediately.

Signing your name below indicates that you have read and understand the contents of this
Consent Form and that you agree to take part in this study.

________________________________ ____________________________
Participant‟s Signature Date