Quantum mechanics

Scale (ratio)

Mathematics education

Cognitive psychology

Statistics

Cartography

Developmental psychology

Computer science

Psychometrics

Structural equation modeling

LISREL

Likert scale

Burnout

Physics

Confirmatory factor analysis

Construct validity

Psychology

Mathematics

Geography

Clinical psychology

Apprehension

The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher

The purpose of the present study was to design and validate a scale for measuring the sources of English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers’ apprehension (STAS). To design the scale, the data generated from a triangulated qualitative research (Goldast and Ghanizadeh forthcoming) was employed. The model incorporated four factors, including altitudinal, organizational, L2-related factors, and classroom management. A 35-item scale on a 5-point Likert scale was developed. The designed scale was distributed among 198 EFL teachers both from language institutes and schools. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using Lisrel 8.5 statistical package was run. Implementing the modifications resulted in a refined version of the scale comprising 33 items and four factors (L2-related problems, attitudinal factors, classroom management, and organizational factors). It exhibited acceptable reliability and validity indices. To further validate STAS, its association with a highly related construct, i.e., teacher burnout was probed. A model was proposed containing teacher apprehension and teacher burnout. The model was tested via structural equation modeling (SEM). The results demonstrated that the model had a good fit with the empirical data. It was also found that EFL teachers’ apprehension positively and significantly influenced teacher burnout.

Designing and Validating the Sources of EFL Teacher Apprehension Scale (STAS)