摘要：AbstractThe declining level of the English language proficiency among Malaysian graduates has caused great concern among employers in Malaysia. Many studies have been conducted on self-efficacy in second and foreign language settings; however, there is a paucity of research on self-efficacy in relation to speaking ability in second language learning, especially among technical college students in Malaysia. This study has been conducted to investigate differences, if any, in self-efficacy in speaking English among 60 technical college ESL students based on gender during two different semesters. Research was conducted using a questionnaire adapted from previous research. The students’ perceived self-efficacy of speaking ability was measured using three constructs, namely ability, activity perception and aspiration. In general, the findings have shown that female students and Semester 5 students tended to possess high levels of self-efficacy. Implications of the findings in relation to theory and practice of self-efficacy and speaking proficiency are further discussed in the paper.
