Exploring Language Teacher Efficacy in Japan

by Gene Thompson

Overview

This book examines language teacher efficacy beliefs, focusing on the individual and collective beliefs of Japanese high school teachers. It discusses personal and collective dimensions of language teacher efficacy related to personal second language (L2) capability, instructional L2 efficacy and collective capability towards collaboration. The book provides a detailed discussion about the ways in which these beliefs develop and situates the findings within the wider field of teacher efficacy research. It helps further understanding of factors that may influence teacher self-efficacy and suggests new directions for research to explore in future studies. It will appeal to postgraduates and researchers with an interest in language teacher cognition, the psychology of language teaching and those in the wider fields of self-efficacy, teacher efficacy and teacher agency. It is also of use to those with an interest in the high school English education system in Japan, as well as researchers investigating similar contexts.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781788925389
Publisher:	Channel View Publications
Publication date:	05/14/2020
Series:	Psychology of Language Learning and Teaching , #5
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	6.15(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.45(d)

About the Author

Gene Thompson is an Associate Professor at Rikkyo University, Japan where he carries out research on learner and teacher cognitions, self-efficacy, English medium instruction and teaching English as an international language. He has spent over 15 years working at Japanese schools in the area of language education and has significant experience carrying out language teacher workshops for secondary school teachers in Japan.

Table of Contents

Preface

Chapter 1. Introduction

Chapter 2. Teacher Efficacy as a Form of Self-Efficacy      

Chapter 3. Language Teacher Efficacy     

Chapter 4. Approaches for Investigating Language Teacher Efficacy

Chapter 5. Developing a Language Teacher Efficacy Scale

Chapter 6. JTE Language Teacher Efficacy Beliefs and Dimensions              

Chapter 7. Language Teacher L2 Efficacy and L2 Usage   

Chapter 8. Efficacy for Language Instruction        

Chapter 9. Efficacy Towards Collaborative Practice and Collective Action

Chapter 10. Language Teacher Efficacy Belief Development         

Chapter 11. Where Next for LTE Research?

Editorial Reviews

Thompson’s valuable contribution lies in the comprehensive examination of JTE-TES development and the pivotal findings on JTE self-efficacy beliefs. These insights, rooted in the context of Japanese high school English education, can guide graduate students and researchers studying LTE in various international or domestic settings. 

Sunao Fukunaga

This is a significant and timely contribution to the contemporary research literature on English education in Japan. Thompson’s extensive training experience and deep knowledge of the Japanese context are reflected in the high quality of research displayed in this volume. It is a highly recommended read, not only for researchers and teacher educators in Japan, but for anyone else across the world interested in similar issues regarding language teaching and learning.

Gregory Paul Glasgow

Offering a thorough picture of teacher self-efficacy from a language teaching perspective, Gene Thompson’s book represents a much-needed work in applied linguistics. Although the volume focuses on the Japanese context, most of the discussions have worldwide implications and will be a source of inspiration for researchers interested in language teacher self-efficacy.

Shahab Moradkhani

Gene Thompson deserves great credit for this thoughtful and illuminating exploration of language teacher efficacy (LTE) beliefs in Japan. Strengths of the volume include Thompson’s deep engagement with and theorizing from the literature, his awareness of how to investigate LTE beliefs in a principled way, and his clear, insightful analysis. I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

Mark Wyatt