The Importance of Community Outreach Practicum: Pre-service EFL Teachers’ Identity and Self-Efficacy Development

Abstract

This study aims to analyze how an early community outreach practicum in teacher education contributes to pre-service teachers' self-efficacy. The study is informed by Kolb's experiential learning cycle, service-learning and community engagement in teacher education, reflective journaling in pre-service EFL teacher training, and professional identity development. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected from 21 pre-service EFL teachers through pre- and post-questionnaires, pre- and post-focus groups, and reflective journals completed over three weeks. The findings showed that participants began the practicum with high expectations regarding their preparedness and, by the end, reported feeling more confident in their ability to teach successfully. However, reflective journals and the post-focus group revealed that the practicum exposed them to the realities of teaching, leading some participants to question their readiness, particularly in rural school contexts that differed from their university experiences. Despite these initial challenges, participants concluded that the training received at the university had prepared them to face the demands of the classroom. The findings highlight the value of early community-based practicum experiences in strengthening professional identity, reflective practice, and teacher self-efficacy.