A Study of students attitudes towards teaching English at the department of sociology

Abstract

The present study investigates the attitudes of Sociology students towards teaching English within their academic context, focusing on the perception of relevance, usefulness, and applicability of English to their disciplinary and professional needs. Using a quantitative descriptive survey design, data were gathered through a structured questionnaire from undergraduate students, measuring cognitive, affective, and behavioral components of attitude, besides subjective norms and perceived behavioral control, as put forward by the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Data will be collected online and on paper to maximize response. The instrument has Likert-scale items (from "strongly disagree" to "strongly agree"). The results showed that students held generally positive cognitive attitudes; they regarded English as a useful tool for accessing international sociological literature, improving communication, and increasing employability. Affective responses were more ambivalent, with many students reporting motivation but significant anxiety and uncertainty about their ability to teach the language. Behavioral intentions were moderate, with students reporting conditional willingness to engage in teaching-related activities if proper training and support were provided. Findings emphasize the need to contextualize English training through ESP approaches in relation to the discipline and to improve students' self-efficacy through focused training and mentoring. This study concludes that Sociology students' attitudes toward teaching English are determined by both perceived instrumental value and their perceived self-efficacy in performing tasks related to teaching. It contributes to the growing body of literature in disciplinary language learning through the request for context-sensitive instruction approaches in English language teaching

Recommendations go toward incorporating more discipline-based English training and building up supportive pedagogical structures to facilitate more positive engagement.