Sense of belonging and self-efficacy in adult learners of English: Considering the role of the learning experience as an opportunity for English teachers.

• Main Author: Demurtas, Alice, 1993-
• Other Authors: Háskóli Íslands
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: 2021
• Subjects: Enskukennsla; Iceland
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1946/38163

This paper focuses on the sense of self-efficacy in adult learners of English and how it is affected by positive and negative learning experiences over time. In addition, we explored the relationship between positive and negative affect and students’ willingness to practice and engage with the target language. Eight participants, living in Iceland and with varied language backgrounds from across Europe, completed an online questionnaire encouraging them to focus on their experience learning English. Their responses were analysed using thematic analysis and the results showed how their strong sense of belonging to a community of peers was the main factor positively influencing their learning experiences and their metacognitive beliefs. In particular, we found that when teachers encourage students to frequently engage with the target language and explore it without fear, students will in turn acquire stronger self-efficacy beliefs, knowing they have all the tools to make calculated decisions to steer their learning process towards success. Finally, the results also provided us with a useful set of suggestions and strategies that educators can use to facilitate their students’ learning process and to encourage the development of autonomous learning practices. Keywords: self-efficacy, adult learners, learning experiences, learning process, learning strategies, autonomous learning.