Mohd Iqbal Ahamat, Muhammad Kamarul Kabilan, Nabilah Abdullah
In pursuit of internationalisation, Malaysia undertook the alignment of its English language curriculum with the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) in 2017. This step prompted a comprehensive restructuring of materials, assessments, and teaching methods for all English language teachers, while simultaneously creating distinctive high-stakes scenarios for their rural counterparts compared to those in urban areas. With the use of the Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES) and seven semi-structured interviews, this mixed-method study, involving descriptive, correlation, and thematic analysis explored the level of underprivileged teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs (TSEB), the relationship between TSEB with the frequency of training attended, and issues regarding the newly implemented curriculum that might affect their TSEB. The quantitative findings revealed that rural schoolteachers possessed high levels of TSEB in all three dimensions: student engagement, instructional strategies, and classroom management. It was also reported that there was no significant relationship between TSEB and the frequency of training attended. However, the outcome of the semi-structured interview contradicted the quantitative findings in which most respondents indicated that CEFR-related training, along with teaching materials and assessment, could affect their TSEB, especially in dealing with the new curriculum. The rationale behind these findings was discussed, and pertinent recommendations were outlined at the end of the study. © 2026, Asociacion Mexicana de Maestros de Ingles MEXTESOL A.C. All rights reserved.
Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Terengganu, Kuala Nerus, Malaysia; Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia; Universitas Negeri Malang, East Jawa, Indonesia; Universiti Teknologi MARA Selangor, Puncak Alam Campus, Selangor, Malaysia
