Faculty Sponsor
Debi Brannan
Abstract
Both current and past research examining novice ESOL teachers has focused on issues such as educational background and classroom demographics (Yeo et al., 2008), but little research has focused on potential variables that influences perceived teaching performance. Consequently, the aim of this study is to examine the relationship between gender, optimism, and perceived teaching performance amongst novice ESOL teachers. Graduates from two hybrid TESOL graduate programs (N=47) were sampled and surveyed. Optimism significantly predicted perceived teaching performance, t(43)= 3.17, p=.003 and there was an marginal association between gender and perceived teaching performance, t(43)= -1.92, p=.06. Further analyses indicated that the mean ratings of teaching performance were significantly different between men and women, F(1, 45)= 5.12, p=.03. In sum, our results suggest that gender and optimism are factors in perceptions of teacher efficacy amongst novice ESOL teachers. The findings of this study with optimism, gender, and teaching performance not only add empirical data for this group, but also provides a platform to further examine this unique population.
Recommended Citation
Sturm, DeAnna R.; Conkey, Elizabeth K.; Nibler, Natalie; Brannan, Debi; and Bleistein, Tasha
(2012)
"Gender and Optimism as Predictors of Novice ESOL Teaching Performance,"
PURE Insights: Vol. 1, Article 8.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.wou.edu/pure/vol1/iss1/8
