Bridging Teacher Competence and Efficacy in EMI: Evidence from Thai EMI Teachers

Abstract

This study examines teacher competence and teacher efficacy in English-Medium Instruction (EMI) and explores the relationship between these constructs in a Thai school context. Data were collected from 83 Thai EFL teachers in the EMI context using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation. The results indicate that teachers reported a high level of competence (M = 3.64, SD = 0.79), encompassing pedagogical, language-related, assessment, and inclusive practices, but only a moderate level of efficacy (M = 3.26, SD = 0.93), revealing a gap between perceived ability and confidence in practice. A strong and statistically significant positive relationship was found between competence and efficacy (r = .818, p < .01), suggesting that competence serves as an important foundation for teachers’ efficacy in EMI. However, the moderate level of efficacy highlights the influence of linguistic and contextual factors, particularly teachers’ self-perceived English proficiency. The findings also indicate that teacher competence and teacher efficacy in EMI extend beyond general pedagogy and involve linguistic, interactional, and translanguaging-related aspects of classroom practice. Furthermore, the results suggest that teacher competence and teacher efficacy in EMI are closely intertwined, highlighting the need for more context-sensitive conceptualizations of EMI teaching.