Competency Beliefs, Teaching Confidence and Teaching Performances of English Major Graduating Students in Teaching Practice

Abstract

This study endeavored to explore the competency beliefs, teaching confidence in teaching practice, and teaching performances of graduating English major students at Bahir Dar University (BDU). Pre-and post-teaching practice explorations were made using questionnaires, interviews, and documents analyses. Pearson’s Correlation Co-efficient and descriptive methods were employed for analysis,. Findings indicated a strong correlation between the trainees’ competency beliefs in their linguistic capacity and knowledge of methods. Their competency beliefs, however, had no significant relations with their teaching confidence and teaching performance. The instructors reported the trainees had low level of competence. The trainees’ interview indicated that there was a mismatch between their expectations and the classroom realities. Finally, it was concluded that many of the trainees may have been equipped with theoretical knowledge, but they lacked adequate teaching practice and language command. Therefore, it was recommended that the trainees be offered additional skill courses to enhance their language capacity, more practice time be arranged, and methodology courses be designed to integrate awareness creating and practice.