ABSTRACT

The study aimed to describe and correlate Chinese students’ language learning beliefs, digital literacy, and teachers’ pedagogical competence in Comprehensive English instruction. Mixed research approach through descriptive-correlational design and thematic analysis was used. The data were collected through online survey with Comprehensive English teachers and students at Luoding Polytechnic, Guangdong Province, China. Results of the descriptive analysis showed that the students manifested the beliefs about language learning to a great extent, their level of digital literacy in learning Comprehensive English is high, and the teachers’ level of pedagogical competence in Comprehensive English instruction is high. In addition, inferential tests revealed that highest educational attainment is a determinant of the teachers’ level of pedagogical competence in Comprehensive English instruction along writing. Moreover, there exist significant pairwise correlations among the teachers’ level of pedagogical competence in Comprehensive English instruction, the students’ extent of manifestation of the beliefs about language learning, and the students’ level of digital literacy. The problems and challenges encountered by the teachers in Comprehensive English instruction include diverse proficiency levels and learning styles, lack of focus and motivation, limited analytic and critical thinking skills, lack of collaborative skills, inadequate instructional strategies, and technical difficulties. Considering the study’s salient findings, the researcher designed a plan of action to enhance students’ language-learning beliefs and digital literacy, including teachers’ pedagogical competence in Comprehensive English.

Keywords: Beliefs about language learning, Comprehensive English, digital literacy, instruction, pedagogical competence