10.57647/jals.2025.0502.07

The Impact of Mentorship on Enhancing Novice EFL Teachers' Self-Efficacy: Insights from EFL Teachers in Iran

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  • Ali Kondori1,
  • Mitra Zeraatpishe*2,
  • Hamid Ashraf1,
  • Khalil Motallebzade3,
  1. Department of Foreign Language Teaching, ToH.C., Islamic Azad University, Torbat Heydarieh, Iran
  2. Department of Foreign Language Teaching, Ma.C., Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran
  3. Department of English, Tabaran Institute of Higher Education, Mashhad, Iran

Received: 2025-08-30

Revised: 2025-09-12

Accepted: 2025-11-10

Published in Issue 2025-12-30

Copyright (c) 2025 Ali Kondori, Mitra Zeraatpishe, Hamid Ashraf, Khalil Motallebzade (Author)

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Kondori, A., Zeraatpishe, M., Ashraf, H., & Motallebzade, K. (2025). The Impact of Mentorship on Enhancing Novice EFL Teachers’ Self-Efficacy: Insights from EFL Teachers in Iran. Journal of Applied Linguistics Studies, 5(2). https://doi.org/10.57647/jals.2025.0502.07
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Abstract

This study investigated the impact of mentorship on enhancing the self-efficacy of novice EFL teachers in Iran. By employing an exploratory mixed-methods research design, it explored the transformative impact of mentorship programs on teachers' professional confidence and performance. To collect the required data for this study by using purposive sampling method, a total of 110 participants, including 100 Iranian novice EFL teachers (mentees) and 10 experienced EFL teachers (mentors) from Khorasan Razavi province (specifically Torbat-e Heydarieh and Mashhad), Iran, were selected. In the quantitative phase to measure self-efficacy, participants completed questionnaire of the 24-item TSES (Tschannen-Moran & Hoy, 2001), adapted for EFL contexts. The quantitative findings revealed significant improvements across four critical dimensions of self-efficacy: instructional strategies, classroom management, student engagement, and professional adaptability. At the start of the intervention, novice teachers reported low self-efficacy scores, reflecting their struggles in transitioning from theory to practice. However, after a year-long structured mentorship program incorporating regular feedback, reflective dialogue journals, and classroom observations, their self-efficacy scores increased substantially. The qualitative data further underscored the importance of mentorship in fostering professional growth. Interviews and reflective journals used as qualitative instrument to reveal that effective mentors, characterized by strong interpersonal skills and subject matter expertise, provided targeted support and encouragement, enabling novice teachers to build confidence in their pedagogical decision-making. The findings also addressed contextual challenges within the Iranian EFL educational system, where novice teachers often lack access to formal professional development opportunities. Mentorship emerged as a critical support mechanism, bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application while empowering teachers to develop a deeper understanding of their professional potential. This study contributed to the existing literature by validating the theoretical intersections between mentorship and self-efficacy, offering valuable implications for teacher education programs in EFL contexts. It emphasized the need for mentorship models that address specific cultural and institutional challenges to ensure sustainable professional development for novice teachers.

Keywords

  • Iranian EFL Context,
  • Mentorship,
  • Novice EFL Teachers,
  • Self-efficacy
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