A Probe Into Three Chinese Boys' Self-Efficacy Beliefs Learning English as a Second Language

In this case study, we investigate three Chinese boys' self-efficacy beliefs learning English as a second language across English language learning tasks and home-based and school-based contexts. Participants reported higher self-efficacy to complete listening and speaking activities than during reading and writing activities. All participants claimed limited vocabulary and reported low self-efficacy for reading tasks that demanded advanced vocabulary. Our analyses provide descriptive evidence for associations between the participants' self-efficacy beliefs and various factors, such as content area expertise, English proficiency self-perceptions, task difficulty level, social persuasion, interest, attitude toward the English language and the English-speaking community, as well as the social and cultural context in which development is occurring.