Rising beliefs but descending self-efficacy when preparing in-service teachers for linguistically responsive teaching – insights from a longitudinal intervention study

Abstract

Fostering teacher beliefs (TB) and self-efficacy (TSE) towards multilingualism in class is key for the successful implementation of linguistically responsive teaching (LRT) aiming to support multilingual students, who are often disadvantaged in class. However, TB and TSE towards multilingualism have not been examined together within a longitudinal LRT intervention. Therefore, 44 teachers were trained in a professional development (PD) workshop about LRT, which they then implemented in their regular German classes. TB and TSE were measured longitudinally (TB pre-PD, post-PD and post-implementation, TSE post-PD and post-implementation). TB significantly improved through PD and remained stable during implementation, while TSE significantly decreased, probably due to unexpected challenges to motivate multilingual students to use their family languages. TB and TSE were moderately correlated when measured at the same time. Longitudinally, post-PD TSE had a positive effect on post- implementation TB when controlling for post-PD TM, but post-PD TB had no effect on post-implementation TSE when controlling for post-PD TSE. Overall, TB remained positive during the implementation of LRT without decreasing along with TSE. Hence, this study makes optimistic for improving TB through PD, but also emphasises that TSE needs further support during implementation.