Perceived Competence of Pre-service English Language Teachers: Reasons and Suggestions

Mine Yıldız; Bilal Karaca; Savaş Yeşilyurt

doi:10.19126/suje.1789597

Perceived Competence of Pre-service English Language Teachers: Reasons and Suggestions

Abstract

Teachers’ perceived competence is considered the main starting point of teacher behaviours and is useful in predicting the goals that teachers set for their students. This study aims to investigate to what extent pre-service English language teachers feel competent, what they attribute their competence or incompetence to and what they recommend to become more competent. Data were collected from 97 English teacher candidates using a form developed by the researchers based on English teachers' competencies. The findings pointed out that preservice English teachers feel competent in practically all domains thanks to their teacher training program, teaching practicum and personal traits. Yet, some feel incompetent mostly because of their lack of experience, practice, and theoretical knowledge, personal weaknesses, and both their own and students’ apathy. They suggest that gaining experience, turning their theoretical knowledge into practice, researching, and starting their teaching careers might help them become more competent in these areas. This study provides valuable insights for all stakeholders of English language teacher education programs to train more qualified English teachers.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

Atatürk University

Ethical Statement

Ethics committee approval was obtained from Atatürk University Social Sciences Ethics Committee (Date: 07/05/2023, Number: 07/36)

Thanks

We thank all participants of this study.

References

Akcan, S., Aydin, B., Karaman, A. C., Seferoğlu, G., Korkmazgil, S., Özbilgin, A., & Selvi, A. F. (2017). Qualities and qualifications of EFL professionals: What do intensive English program administrators think? TESOL Journal, 8(3), 675–699. https://doi.org/10.1002/tesj.293
Alibakhshi, G., Nikdel, F., & Labbafi, A. (2020). Exploring the consequences of teachers’ self-efficacy: A case of teachers of English as a foreign language. Asian-Pacific Journal of Second and Foreign Language Education, 5(1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40862-020-00102-1
Atay, D. (2007). Beginning teacher efficacy and the practicum in an EFL context. Teacher Development, 11(2), 203–219. https://doi.org/10.1080/13664530701414720
Atmaca, Ç. (2017). English teachers’ perspectives about teacher competencies in terms of professional identity. Abant İzzet Baysal Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 17(4), 1641-1669. https://doi.org/10.17240/aibuefd.2017.17.32772-363955
Balcı, Ö., Şanal, F., & Üğüten, S. D. (2019). An investigation of pre-service English language teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs. International Journal of Modern Education Studies, 3(1), 41–53. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/ijonmes/issue/46753/586660
Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review, 84(2), 191. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.84.2.191
Barni, D., Danioni, F., & Benevene, P. (2019). Teachers’ self-efficacy: The role of personal values and motivations for teaching. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 1645. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01645
Bergil, A. S., & Saricoban, A. (2016). Milestone in English language teacher education: How to use European profiling grid in the assessment of prospective EFL teachers’ qualifications. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 12(2), 206–220. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/jlls/issue/36115/405551

Bilican, R. (2016). Effectiveness and professional competencies of English language teachers in first five years in Turkey. [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University.
Burns, A., & Richards, J. (2009). Second language teacher education. Cambridge University Press.
Cakiroglu, E. (2008). The teaching efficacy beliefs of pre‐service teachers in the USA and Turkey. Journal of Education for Teaching, 34(1), 33–44. https://doi.org/10.1080/02607470701773457
Cabaroğlu, N., & Öz, G. (2025). Practicum in ELT: A systematic review of 2010–2020 research on ELT practicum. European Journal of Teacher Education, 48(2), 313–332. https://doi.org/10.1080/02619768.2023.2242577
Çelik, S., Erdamar, G., & Çelik, K. (2018). İngilizce öğretmeni özel alan yeterliği ölçeği: Bir ölçek geliştirme çalışması. Türkiye Sosyal Araştırmalar Dergisi, 22(1), 277–298. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/tsadergisi/issue/36249/368824
Chambless, K. S. (2012). Teachers’ oral proficiency in the target language: Research on its role in language teaching and learning. Foreign Language Annals, 45(1), ss. 141–162. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1944-9720.2012.01183.x
Chang, H. (2022). Stress and burnout in EFL teachers: The mediator role of self-efficacy. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 2079. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.880281
Choi, L. J., & Park, M. Y. (2022). Teaching practicum during COVID-19: Pre-service English language teachers’ professional identities and motivation. Sage Open, 12(3). https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440221119472
Cochran-Smith, M., & Fries, K. (2005). The AERA panel on research and teacher education: Context and goals. In Studying teacher education: The report of the AERA panel on research and teacher education (pp. 37–68). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Creswell, J. W. (2012). Educational research Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research (4th ed.). MA Pearson.
Darling-Hammond, L. (2000). Teacher quality and student achievement. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 8, 1. https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.v8n1.2000
de Lima, D. C. (2001). English-as-a-foreign-language teacher-training programs: An overview. Revista Linguagem & Ensino, 4(2), 143–153.
DeMauro, A. A., & Jennings, P. A. (2016). Pre-service teachers’ efficacy beliefs and emotional states. Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties, 21(1), 119–132. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632752.2015.1120057
Dervenis, C., Fitsilis, P., & Iatrellis, O. (2022). A review of research on teacher competencies in higher education. Quality Assurance in Education, 30(2), 199-220. https://doi.org/10.1108/QAE-08-2021-0126
Dey, I. (2005). Qualitative data analysis: A user-friendly guide for social scientists. Taylor & Francis e-Library.
Dicke, T., Parker, P. D., Marsh, H. W., Kunter, M., Schmeck, A., & Leutner, D. (2014). Selfefficacy in classroom management, classroom disturbances, and emotional exhaustion: A moderated mediation analysis of teacher candidates. Journal of Educational Psychology, 106(2), 569. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0035504
Djigić, G., Stojiljković, S., & Dosković, M. (2014). Basic personality dimensions and teachers’ self-efficacy. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 112, 593–602. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.01.1206
Duffin, L. C., French, B. F., & Patrick, H. (2012). The teachers’ sense of efficacy scale: Confirming the factor structure with beginning pre-service teachers. Teaching and Teacher Education, 28(6), 827–834. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2012.03.004
Ehlert, M., De Smedt, F., Van Keer, H., & Souvignier, E. (2025). Time tells: Longitudinal changes in teachers’ beliefs and behaviour when implementing reading innovations. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 40(3), 74. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-025-00975-1
EPG. (2013). The European profiling grid. http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/al/staff/teaching/mann/mann_s/stateof.pdf
Fackler, S., & Malmberg, L. E. (2016). Teachers’ self-efficacy in 14 OECD countries: Teacher, student group, school and leadership effects. Teaching and Teacher Education, 56, 185–195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2016.03.002
Faez, F., & Karas, M. (2019). Language proficiency development of non-native English-speaking teachers (NNESTs) in an MA TESOL program: A Case study. TESL-EJ, 22(4), n4. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1204612.pdf
Freeman, D., Katz, A., Garcia Gomez, P., & Burns, A. (2015). English-for-teaching: Rethinking teacher proficiency in the classroom. ELT Journal, 69(2), 129–139. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/ccu074
Gibson, W., & Brown, A. (2009). Working with qualitative data. SAGE Publications.
Gibson, S., & Dembo, M. H. (1984). Teacher efficacy: A construct validation. Journal of Educational Psychology, 76(4), 569. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.76.4.569
Gordon, D., Blundell, C., Mills, R., & Bourke, T. (2023). Teacher self-efficacy and reform: A systematic literature review. The Australian Educational Researcher, 50, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13384-022-00526-3
Hajovsky, D. B., Chesnut, S. R., & Jensen, K. M. (2020). The role of teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs in the development of teacher-student relationships. Journal of School Psychology, 82, 141–158. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2020.09.001
Hettinger, K., Lazarides, R., & Schiefele, U. (2024). Longitudinal relations between teacher self-efficacy and student motivation through matching characteristics of perceived teaching practice. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 39(2), 1299-1325. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-023-00744-y
Hoang, T., & Wyatt, M. (2021). Exploring the self-efficacy beliefs of Vietnamese pre-service teachers of English as a foreign language. System, 96, 102422. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2020.102422
Holzberger, D., Philipp, A., & Kunter, M. (2013). How teachers’ self-efficacy is related to instructional quality: A longitudinal analysis. Journal of Educational Psychology, 105(3), 774. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0032198
Hoy, A. W., & Spero, R. B. (2005). Changes in teacher efficacy during the early years of teaching: A comparison of four measures. Teaching and Teacher Education, 21(4), 343–356. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2005.01.007
Hughes, A., Galbraith, D., & White, D. (2011). Perceived competence: A common core for self-efficacy and self-concept? Journal of Personality Assessment, 93(3), 278–289. https://doi.org/10.1080/00223891.2011.559390
Jang, H. (2023). The practicum and its effects on the development of Korean pre-service English teachers' perceptions of teaching speaking. TESL-EJ, 27(1). https://doi.org/10.55593/ej.27105a6
Jeon, H. (2018). Teacher efficacy research in a global context. International handbook of teacher quality and policy, (pp. 415–429). Routledge.
Katz, A., & Snow, M. A. (2009). Standards and second language teacher education. In A. Burns & J. C. Richards (Eds.), The Cambridge guide to second language teacher education (pp. 66–76). Cambridge University Press.
Kim, H. J. (2019). Exploring pre-service teachers’ beliefs about English teaching competence, perceived competence, and actual competence. Journal of Pan-Pacific Association of Applied Linguistics, 23(2), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.25256/PAAL.23.2.1
Klassen, R. M., & Chiu, M. M. (2010). Effects on teachers’ self-efficacy and job satisfaction: Teacher gender, years of experience, and job stress. Journal of Educational Psychology, 102(3), 741.
Korkmazgil, S. (2015). An investigation into Turkish English language teachers’ perceived professional development needs, practices and challenges. [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Middle Technical University.
Kurnaz, Y., & Özbay, A. S. (2020). Tracking the pre-service teachers' development of communicative skills and their beliefs towards Communicative Approach. Journal of Pedagogical Research, 4(3), 223-240. https://doi.org/10.33902/JPR.2020064129
Künsting, J., Neuber, V., & Lipowsky, F. (2016). Teacher self-efficacy as a long-term predictor of instructional quality in the classroom. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 31, 299–322. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-015-0272-7
Liakopoulou, M. (2011). The Professional competence of teachers: Which qualities, attitudes, skills and knowledge contribute to a teacher’s effectiveness? International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 1(21).
Ma, K., Chutiyami, M., Zhang, Y., & Nicoll, S. (2021). Online teaching self-efficacy during COVID-19: Changes, its associated factors and moderators. Education and Information Technologies, 26(6), 6675–6697. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-021-10486-3
Ministry of National Education (MoNE). (2006). General teaching competencies. Electronic Journal. https://oygm.meb.gov.tr/meb_iys_dosyalar/2018_06/29111119_TeachersGeneralCompetencies.pdf?
Ministry of National Education (MoNE). (2008). TEDP general teaching competencies (pp. 1–38). https://www.memurlar.net/common/news/documents/242790/yeterlikler.pdf
Ministry of National Education (MoNE). (2017a). General competencies for teaching profession. https://oygm.meb.gov.tr/meb_iys_dosyalar/2018_06/29111119_TeachersGeneralCompetencies.pdf
Ministry of National Education (MoNE). (2017b). Field-specific teaching competencies for English teachers. https://oygm.meb.gov.tr/meb_iys_dosyalar/2017_11/06160113_2-YYretmen_Yeterlikleri_KitabY_ingilizce_YYretmeni_Yzel_alan_yeterlikleri_ilkYYretim_parYa_5.pdf
Ministry of National Education (MoNE). (2018). Uygulama öğrencilerinin Millî Eğitim Bakanlığına bağlı eğitim öğretim kurumlarında yapacakları öğretmenlik uygulamasına ilişkin yönerge. Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı Tebliğler Dergisi, 81(2729), 1–48.
Ministry of National Education (MoNE). (2021). A form for the evaluation of practicum students. Millî Eğitim Bakanlığı Tebliğler Dergisi, 1049–1064. https://oygm.meb.gov.tr/meb_iys_dosyalar/2021_10/03181211_OYGYRETMENLIYK_UYGULAMASI_YOYNERGE_2021_EYLUYL_EK.pdf
Mischo, C. (2015). Early childhood teachers’ perceived competence during transition from teacher education to work: Results from a longitudinal study. Professional Development in Education, 41(1), 75–95. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2014.886282
Pendergast, D., Garvis, S., & Keogh, J. (2011). Pre-service student-teacher self-efficacy beliefs: An insight into the making of teachers. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 36(12), 46–57.
Poulou, M. (2007). Personal teaching efficacy and its sources: Student teachers’ perceptions. Educational Psychology, 27(2), 191–218. https://doi.org/10.1080/01443410601066693
Putwain, D. W., & von der Embse, N. P. (2019). Teacher self-efficacy moderates the relations between imposed pressure from imposed curriculum changes and teacher stress. Educational Psychology, 39(1), 51–64. https://doi.org/10.1080/01443410.2018.1500681
Richards, H., Conway, C., Roskvist, A., & Harvey, S. (2013). Foreign language teachers’ language proficiency and their language teaching practice. The Language Learning Journal, 41(2), 231–246. https://doi.org/10.1080/09571736.2012.707676
Richards, J. C. (2017). Teaching English through English: Proficiency, pedagogy and performance. RELC Journal, 48(1), 7–30. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033688217690059
Rowan, L., & Townend, G. (2016). Early career teachers’ beliefs about their preparedness to teach: Implications for the professional development of teachers working with gifted and twice-exceptional students. Cogent Education, 3(1), 1242458. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2016.1242458
Salvucci, S., Walter, E., Conley, V., Fink, S., & Saba, M. (1997). Measurement error studies at the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). U. S. Department of Education.
Sevimel, A., & Subasi, G. (2018). The factors affecting teacher efficacy perceptions of Turkish pre-service English language teachers. Journal of Language Teaching and Learning, 8(1). https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/jltl/issue/42263/508432
Sharma, U., Moore, D., & Sonawane, S. (2009). Attitudes and concerns of pre-service teachers regarding inclusion of students with disabilities into regular schools in Pune, India. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 37(3), 319–331. https://doi.org/10.1080/13598660903050328
Summers, J. J., Davis, H. A., & Hoy, A. W. (2017). The effects of teachers’ efficacy beliefs on students’ perceptions of teacher relationship quality. Learning and Individual Differences, 53, 17–25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2016.10.004
Taneri, P. O. (2017). The viewpoints of instructors about the effects of teacher education programs on prospective teachers’ affective characteristics. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research, 17(70), 105–120. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/ejer/issue/42480/511719
Tsang, A. (2017). EFL/ESL teachers’ general language proficiency and learners’ engagement. RELC Journal, 48(1), 99–113. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033688217690060
Tschannen-Moran, M., & Hoy, A. W. (2001a). Teacher efficacy: Capturing an elusive construct. Teaching and Teacher Education, 17(7), 783–805. https://doi.org/10.1037/t11400-000
Tschannen-Moran, M., & Hoy, A. W. (2001b). Ohio state teacher efficacy scale. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment. https://doi.org/10.1037/t11400-000
Tschannen-Moran, M., Hoy, A. W., & Hoy, W. K. (1998). Teacher efficacy: Its meaning and measure. Review of Educational Research, 68(2), 202–248. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543068002202
Turkish Education Association. (2009). A summary report of teaching competencies: "Investing in teachers, leaping into the future”. https://ted.org.tr/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Ogretmen_Yeterlik_Kitap_Ozet_rapor.pdf
Tümkaya, G. S., & Miller, S. (2020). The perceptions of pre- and in-service teachers’ selfefficacy regarding inclusive practices: A systematised review. Ilkogretim Online, 19(2), 1061-1077.
Wang, J. H., Chang, C. C., Yao, S. N., & Liang, C. (2016). The contribution of self-efficacy to the relationship between personality traits and entrepreneurial intention. Higher Education, 72, 209–224. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-015-9946-y
Wang, D., Jia, Q., & Mao, L. (2024). Systematic review of language teachers’ self-efficacy research over the past twenty years: A bibliometric analysis. SAGE Open, 14(4). https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440241289194
Wyatt, M. (2018). Language teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs: A review of the literature (2005–2016). Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 43(4), 92-120. https://doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2018v43n4.6
Yilmaz, C. (2011). Teachers’ perceptions of self-efficacy, English proficiency, and instructional strategies. Social Behavior and Personality: An International Journal, 39(1), 91–100. https://doi.org/10.2224/sbp.2011.39.1.91
Yüksel, H. G. (2014). Becoming a teacher: Tracing changes in pre-service English as a foreign language teachers’ sense of efficacy. South African Journal of Education, 34(3). https://doi.org/10.15700/201409161104
Zhang, J., Ye, Z., Chen, S., & Sun, Q. (2025). Association between school climate, teachers’ self-efficacy, instructional practice, and perceived needs in professional development: A structural equation analysis using Shanghai TALIS 2018 data. Large-scale Assessments in Education, 13(1), 33. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40536-025-00268-5

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Other Fields of Education (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Mine Yıldız ^*
0000-0001-6215-4388
Türkiye

Bilal Karaca
0000-0002-2303-7071
Türkiye

Savaş Yeşilyurt
0000-0001-6871-8842
Türkiye

Early Pub Date

April 6, 2026

Publication Date

April 13, 2026

Submission Date

September 23, 2025

Acceptance Date

February 24, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 16 Number: 1

DOI

https://doi.org/10.19126/suje.1789597

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA97BY97TA

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Yıldız, M., Karaca, B., & Yeşilyurt, S. (2026). Perceived Competence of Pre-service English Language Teachers: Reasons and Suggestions. Sakarya University Journal of Education, 16(1), 43-67. https://doi.org/10.19126/suje.1789597

AMA

1.Yıldız M, Karaca B, Yeşilyurt S. Perceived Competence of Pre-service English Language Teachers: Reasons and Suggestions. SUJE. 2026;16(1):43-67. doi:10.19126/suje.1789597

Chicago

Yıldız, Mine, Bilal Karaca, and Savaş Yeşilyurt. 2026. “Perceived Competence of Pre-Service English Language Teachers: Reasons and Suggestions”. Sakarya University Journal of Education 16 (1): 43-67. https://doi.org/10.19126/suje.1789597.

EndNote

Yıldız M, Karaca B, Yeşilyurt S (April 1, 2026) Perceived Competence of Pre-service English Language Teachers: Reasons and Suggestions. Sakarya University Journal of Education 16 1 43–67.

IEEE

[1]M. Yıldız, B. Karaca, and S. Yeşilyurt, “Perceived Competence of Pre-service English Language Teachers: Reasons and Suggestions”, SUJE, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 43–67, Apr. 2026, doi: 10.19126/suje.1789597.

ISNAD

Yıldız, Mine - Karaca, Bilal - Yeşilyurt, Savaş. “Perceived Competence of Pre-Service English Language Teachers: Reasons and Suggestions”. Sakarya University Journal of Education 16/1 (April 1, 2026): 43-67. https://doi.org/10.19126/suje.1789597.

JAMA

1.Yıldız M, Karaca B, Yeşilyurt S. Perceived Competence of Pre-service English Language Teachers: Reasons and Suggestions. SUJE. 2026;16:43–67.

MLA

Yıldız, Mine, et al. “Perceived Competence of Pre-Service English Language Teachers: Reasons and Suggestions”. Sakarya University Journal of Education, vol. 16, no. 1, Apr. 2026, pp. 43-67, doi:10.19126/suje.1789597.

Vancouver

1.Mine Yıldız, Bilal Karaca, Savaş Yeşilyurt. Perceived Competence of Pre-service English Language Teachers: Reasons and Suggestions. SUJE. 2026 Apr. 1;16(1):43-67. doi:10.19126/suje.1789597