Various commentators have argued for years that the study of teachers' selfefficacy beliefs, largely dominated by quantitative research methodologies, has been confused. Contentious issues include the very conceptualization of these beliefs, how they are defined and accessed through research and how the research is used. One of the biggest anomalies is that, despite claiming that these beliefs are task-specific, many quantitative researchers have both assessed them globally and portrayed them as hard to impact. In contrast, some qualitative researchers have emphasized the task-specific nature of these beliefs and their potential for transformation through self-doubt, reflection and learning. This literature review examines these and other contentious issues, focusing on studies published in international peerreviewed journals in the last few years, looking, through the use of search terms and the surveying of abstracts followed by detailed reading, for evidence of developing understandings and changing research practices. This review highlights continuing misalignment between theory and method in much of the literature, but also identifies promising research directions. Mixed methods and qualitative research designs seem to have the potential to produce insightful findings that can make the study of teachers' self-efficacy beliefs of greater use to teacher educators than has previously been the case.

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Drawing on data from observations and interviews, this article presents a case study of one teacher's efforts to overcome low self-efficacy beliefs in teaching English to young learners in a Middle Eastern context. It provides insights into the growth processes involved, highlighting how the teacher drew reflectively upon her experiences to develop deeper practical knowledge and stronger self-efficacy beliefs with regard to the particular task, while supported by a constructivist teacher education programme.

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Unfortunately, despite encouragement from the literature, it seems that many teachers only rarely engage in action research. For this to change, further support may be required from in-service language teacher education courses that include an action research component. In this paper, I report on one such course: an in-service BA TESOL run by a British university for the local Ministry of Education in a Middle Eastern country. Using qualitative case study methodology, I identify the achievements of four teachers who engaged in action research as part of their studies on this course and draw on their own words as they reflect on the benefits of researching their own practice. Conclusions focus on elements of the programme that may have helped them.