Reducing the rate of attrition among Chinese English teachers: the role of professional identity and self-efficacy

Abstract

Teachers in any academic setting face a variety of educational challenges and adversities, which may result in unpleasant consequences such as teacher attrition. To minimize the rate of teacher attrition, factors inhibiting this negative phenomenon should be widely recognized. With the related literature reviewed, several researchers have endeavored to locate the potential predictors of teacher attrition in mainstream education environments. Yet, few scholars have explored the predictors of this phenomenon in language education contexts. To fill this lacuna, this research delved into the role of professional identity and self-efficacy in predicting Chinese English teachers’ attrition. In doing this, three valid scales were distributed among 442 English teachers. Correlational tests exhibited that self-efficacy and professional identity are negatively linked to teacher attrition. Multiple regression analysis also indicated that self-efficacy and professional identity can remarkably reduce the rate of attrition among Chinese English teachers. The findings may be informative and illuminating for language teachers and teacher educators.