Negotiating Sociocultural Constraints Through Self-Efficacy: An Ethnographic Study of English as a Foreign Language Learners in Indonesian Pesantren

Abstract

Although previous studies have examined self-efficacy in language learning, little is known about how it operates within sociocultural constraints, particularly in faith-based educational settings. This study explores how speaking self-efficacy shapes English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners’ negotiation of sociocultural constraints in Indonesian pesantren (Islamic boarding schools). Using an ethnographic approach, the research involved prolonged observation and in-depth interviews with EFL learners who had lived in pesantren for more than three years. The analysis identified five major sociocultural constraints: educational, time-management, environmental, personal–psychological, and policy-related, and five interrelated factors that facilitate constraint negotiation: mentorship and support systems, autonomous learning initiatives, technology and sociocultural adaptation, emotional regulation and self-belief, and the influence of cultural learning environments. Learners employed several negotiation strategies, such as prayer, peer support, English circles, self-reliance, and limited technology use to enhance their speaking self-efficacy. A conceptual model is proposed to illustrate the dynamic interplay between efficacy beliefs and sociocultural constraint negotiation in the pesantren context. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of learner agency and provide pedagogical implications for fostering autonomy and resilience in collectivist language learning environments.

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