EXPLORING SELF-EFFICACY AMONG UNDERGRADUATES LEARNING MANDARIN

The increasing global importance of Mandarin has led to a rise in student enrolment in Mandarin language learning. However, learner success depends on both the quality of instruction and psychological factors like self-efficacy. In the context of language acquisition, self-efficacy plays a crucial role in determining how well someone understands language (listening and reading) and how effectively they produce language (speaking and writing). Theoretically, self-efficacy acts as a central mediator of learner agency, influencing the intensity of effort and the degree of persistence maintained when facing linguistic obstacles. High efficacy beliefs are strong predictors of language learning motivation and the proactive employment of self-regulated learning strategies. Conversely, low self-efficacy can trigger avoidance behaviors and heighten foreign language anxiety, serving as a precursor to academic burnout. This study contributes to the field by addressing the lack of research on the dual framework of accepting and producing self-efficacy within a single pedagogical context. Understanding these aspects of self-efficacy offers valuable insights for developing effective learning strategies and curriculum. This study examines the relationship between reception self-efficacy and production self-efficacy in 145 Malaysian undergraduates at the beginning of their Mandarin language learning. The scope of this investigation is limited to the early-stage psychological profiles of these students, focusing on different tasks during the learning of Mandarin. The instrument used is a structured questionnaire comprising three sections: demographic information, reception self-efficacy, and production self-efficacy. The findings show that learners generally perceive their self-efficacy in Mandarin as low to moderate across all four Mandarin language skills: listening, reading, speaking, and writing. This indicates a pervasive lack of high confidence in their receptive and productive abilities. It is important to address the task where learners feel most insecure, tailoring support to improve their perceived competence in Mandarin skills.