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Copyright of Retos: Nuevas Perspectivas de Educación Física, Deporte y Recreación is the property of Federacion Espanola de Asociaciones de Docentes de Educacion Fisica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper presents findings from a quantitative investigation of preservice teachers' beliefs about using students' home languages as resources in educational environments. The study looked into the relationships between preservice teachers' professional learning opportunities and their home language beliefs, which had been mostly ignored in prior research. An anonymous survey was used to obtain data from five different teacher education institutions (n = 819) in Flanders (Belgium). Multilevel regression analysis revealed a significant relationship between attending multilingual education courses and holding positive beliefs about students' home languages. There was no association between fieldwork and teachers' home language beliefs. The paper concludes with a discussion of the theoretical and practical implications, limitations and recommendations for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

English features prominently in global communication as part of the knowledge economy in Indonesia and worldwide. Meritocracy represents a key concept within the rhetoric of this economy, as it promises that how well people do in life is not determined by external matters, but mostly by how hard they try. Included here is how hard they study English, and how well they perform on measures of English proficiency. No previous research has, however, considered English teachers' beliefs about the role of English in meritocracy. This is perhaps surprising given that the literature has increasingly highlighted the role of teachers as changemakers. To explore this issue, the present study considered the views of 260 English teachers in Indonesia. Findings revealed statistically significant correlations between teachers' beliefs in meritocracy for their own careers and for their students, on the one hand, and their views of English as a tool for success, on the other hand. This study not only makes an empirical contribution to the limited literature on the role of meritocracy in language education, but also advances conversation on language education from a multilingual and multicultural perspective by addressing the limits of meritocracy through Global Englishes with a translanguaging orientation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global expansion of English has raised a call for English-language teachers around the world to frame English as an international language (EIL). This is especially true in rapidly developing contexts such as China, where teachers are expected to prepare learners to engage effectively in intercultural interactions. As such, the present study sought to investigate pre-service English teachers' beliefs about EIL and the impact of teacher education on informing these beliefs. Data were gathered from an online EIL perceptions questionnaire delivered to 75 Chinese pre-service English teachers who, at the time, were studying for an MA TESOL degree in the UK. Follow-up, semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight participants. The findings indicate that although the participants generally held positive beliefs about EIL, and the MA programme had played a critical role in favourably influencing these beliefs, they were misaligned with the participants' imagined implementation in their future teaching practices. This misalignment suggests that the transition from theory to practice is often complex and is likely an issue that many teachers in similar situations experience. Thus, suggestions for future research are proposed alongside practical ideas for educators regarding how to integrate EIL into their teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The learning environment for students is affected by factors inside and outside of the classroom. Research denotes the relationship between students' learning environment and teachers' satisfaction with their job. Job satisfaction for teachers consists of several interpersonal, classroom, and school factors known as teacher working conditions (TWCs). Few studies attempt to understand TWCs and job satisfaction for teachers in an urban school district; which is of particular importance as approximately 20% of teachers in the U.S. instruct in urban environments. This study analyzes teacher responses from an annual TWCs survey through a principal component analysis and hierarchical multiple regression. Results indicate that teachers' satisfaction with campus school culture and ratings of campus behavioral response were positively associated with job satisfaction. As learning environments across the U.S. continue to require highly qualified teachers, this research underscores how one urban school district was able to retain teachers and keep their teachers satisfied with their job. This study contributes an initial conceptualization of urban TWCs and the importance of school administrators' addressing of these to maintain high job satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study used semi-structured focus group interviews to examine specific literacy beliefs of 21 elementary pre-service teachers (PSTs) from five teacher education programs across the eastern, southern, and central parts of the USA. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed for statements about literacy beliefs. Each belief statement was also tagged as being positive (+), negative (-), or equal (=) to further identify the nuanced ways in which PSTs expressed each belief. Compared to findings in the field, this study (1) provides clearer explanations and categories of PSTs' literacy beliefs, (2) captures nuanced understanding of PSTs' literacy beliefs by examining their affective connotations, and (3) provides an emic perspective from PSTs across contexts. In doing so, the results expand on previous frameworks of literacy beliefs. Further, beliefs related to Teacher Strategy, Engagement, and Literacy Approach were discussed the most by PSTs. Literacy beliefs shared less frequently included beliefs about Culturally Responsive Teaching, and some Literacy Components (LC), such as, LC-Spelling, LC-Emergent Literacy, and LC-Fluency. Of the top three literacy beliefs shared by PSTs, references about Engagement were the most positive. The study suggests implications for literacy teacher educators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teachers’ beliefs play a key role in pedagogical decision-making processes and thus in the educational practices applied in the classroom. Beliefs concerning mathematics have been a subject of research interest given their impact on teacher behaviour. However, little is known about specific teacher beliefs regarding mathematics education in students with an intellectual disability. The purpose of the present qualitative study was to explore the beliefs of 14 teachers and head of studies at eight special schools in Chile regarding mathematics education for students with an intellectual disability. Results reveal beliefs that place considerable emphasis on the functional teaching of mathematics, with a strong focus on handling money and practical activities. According to this perspective, mathematics can contribute to the development of autonomy and to occupational inclusion for people with an intellectual disability. The primary findings point to the need for formal teacher training in the discipline of mathematics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teaching methods to promote cooperative learning may shape mathematics teachers' roles in the classroom, requiring a shift from direct supervision to delegating authority to small groups of students. While it is widely acknowledged that mathematics teachers' beliefs play a crucial role in shaping their instructional practices and behaviors, there is limited research on how mathematics teachers' beliefs about their professional roles influence their scaffolding behaviors in cooperative learning environments. The aim of this qualitative study is to investigate mathematics teachers' beliefs about their roles in cooperative learning and the relationships between their beliefs and instructional scaffolding practices, which are highly important in cooperative learning environments. In this study, we investigate the teaching practices of four middle school mathematics teachers in Beijing, China, through videotaping of their teaching and semi-structured in-depth interviews. The results show that the participating in-service mathematics teachers held conflicting beliefs about their roles, oscillating between direct supervision (as specialist and controller) and delegation of authority (as observer and facilitator). These beliefs could be identified in different patterns of teacher–student interaction, including unidirectional interactions, non-scaffolding interactions, and scaffolding interactions. In this paper, we critically examine these findings and conclude with a reflection on the limitations of this study and its implications for future research and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of between‐desk instruction during inquiry‐based learning to deepen learning is well recognised in some curriculum areas but remains under‐researched in geography. Inquiry‐based learning incorporates the use of generative questions and inquiry methods to support student‐driven investigations. This paper reports on a study of teacher–student interactions during geography inquiry‐based learning. A cross‐case fine‐grained analysis of two teachers' video‐recorded lessons in a classroom laboratory using a kikan‐shido coding framework showed that "guiding" was the dominant between‐desk function used. The teachers differed in whether guiding was mainly used for task completion or to deepen student understanding. Semi‐structured interviews revealed that the characteristics and sequence of these guiding actions were influenced by teachers' beliefs. Those beliefs mediated how teachers guided students during the inquiry, debunking a dichotomous view of inquiry‐based learning as either teacher or student directed. We conclude that inquiry‐based learning is a necessary and complex interplay of teacher‐directed and student‐directed activities and that more research on the elements contributing to the kikan‐shido functions performed by teachers could help better identify and strengthen teacher practice for inquiry‐based learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early mathematics skills are predictive of later achievement, but there is evidence teachers generally provide little mathematics instruction in preschool classrooms. We conducted this survey study to better understand teachers' reported beliefs about their own mathematics skills, expectations, and practices for children with and without disabilities, and the impact of these reported beliefs and practices on the perceived effectiveness of their instruction. We found teachers had less confidence in their own mathematics skills than their mathematics teaching abilities and had differing expectations for children with and without disabilities. Their beliefs about their own mathematics abilities predicted their perceived effectiveness for typically developing children only, but their beliefs about their teaching abilities predicted their perceived effectiveness for children with and without disabilities. Implications include the need to better prepare and support teachers to teach mathematics to all children and collect data from varied sources on teachers' practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teacher education research, by and large, has been profoundly influenced by psychological interpretations of beliefs, particularly the assumption that teachers attempt to reconcile, rationalize, minimize, or avoid contradictions. Building on research across multiple disciplines, which demonstrates that people live harmoniously with contradictions in many situations, we argue that suppositions that people feel compelled to address contradictions have obscured the multitude of inconsistencies that teachers navigate without notice in their everyday lives. Through a multisited, in-depth analysis of a teacher across planning, teaching, debrief and interview contexts, we show that what appears to be contradictory from the perspective of researchers is not necessarily inconsistent for teachers. We explore the theoretical, methodological, and professional learning implications of this shift in interpreting teacher contradictions and inconsistencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyzes teachers' perceptions and experiences using an educative curriculum designed to promote high levels of mathematical discourse. After participating in 2 days of professional learning, grade 3 teachers implemented a predifferentiated and enriched mathematics unit in their classroom. The curriculum was designed to be educative, meaning that teaching it served as professional learning. During implementation, researchers conducted an observation of each treatment teacher and after implementation was complete teachers participated in a post interview about their experiences. Findings from this qualitative study indicate that after teaching the curriculum teachers understood the value of oral discourse and how to implement it in their classroom and could identify student benefits from participating in this type of curriculum. This study illuminates promising practices that may support teachers in implementing research-based best practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This critical qualitative inquiry employed a Disability Critical Race Studies Counter-Narrative framework (DCCN) to explore the contrast between educator and Black student understandings of the special education placement process and their implications. Interviews with 21 members of school personnel and 20 Black students between the ages of 14 and 18 were cross-referenced to narratively reconstruct the special education placement process in Quebec, Canada. Analysis of the results reveals a striking gap between educator and student understandings of the process, which can be linked to adverse student experiences. Subsequently, implications for enhancing educators' knowledge of diverse learners and professional practices are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India's long tradition of storytelling is well integrated into the social and cultural lives of people. It is a recognized resource for religious and secular moral education. While the desirability and usefulness of storytelling as a general pedagogical tool finds mention in national school and teacher education policy, there is limited research on teachers' beliefs and actual practices. Writing tends to be directive, based on deficit assumptions regarding practice. This paper presents perspectives and beliefs of secondary school government teachers from one State in India. It is based on an exploratory study involving observations of two schools and interviews with seven teachers. Observation and interview data were thematically analysed. Five thematic areas are presented: teachers' personal experiences and related beliefs; their beliefs about usefulness; their views regarding suitability in their school; their own preparedness as storytellers; and their current practices. In conclusion we note that all teachers recalled having positive personal experiences of listening to stories as children, yet they were sceptical about usefulness for "serious subjects", practicality in large classroom settings and risks of failing as performers in front of the class. A few exceptional teachers were able to foster interaction in large classroom using stories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Writing is a key component of primary EFL education and the way it is taught can influence pupils’ language learning. To enhance written and overall proficiency, collaborative writing (CW) has been advocated, but few CW studies include teachers of young learners. Their views on writing instruction are relevant to consider, since they can have an impact on classroom teaching and pupils’ progress in EFL. This study therefore adopts semi-structured interviews with 15 Swedish EFL teachers to explore their beliefs about how CW affects 10–12-year-olds’ EFL learning opportunities. A reflexive thematic analysis generated six themes, where perceived beneficial outcomes of CW concern vocabulary expansion, writing improvement, motivation and a decrease in foreign language anxiety. Constraints, according to the teachers, relate to grouping pupils to maximise linguistic gains and finding time for CW. The study concludes that the teachers believe CW to be a multifaceted approach that potentially supports young learners as EFL users in general and writers specifically.

Abstract Although learning-oriented assessment (LOA) has been recognized as an effective method of assessment, the literature on this concept in relation to teacher professionalism is limited. In response to this gap, the present study explored 16 Iranian novice and experienced EFL teachers’ beliefs and practices of LOA. Data were collected from self-reported practices and semi-structured interviews. Analysis of the data through MAXQDA revealed that the novice and experienced teachers’ LOA beliefs featured similarities and differences. While the novice teachers’ LOA beliefs were less sophisticated, experienced teachers highlighted a more central role for LOA in their integration of teaching and assessment. Moreover, while novice teachers preferred using self- and peer assessment, the experienced teachers used more portfolio and dynamic assessment for their LOA-related practices. The study provides implications for teachers and teacher educators to use LOA in professional development courses.

Abstract Background Reading and reading comprehension are crucial skills, yet many students in grade 4 struggle with them. To address this, several instructional practices have gained popularity. For one, explicit reading strategy instruction (ERSI) is deemed useful, given the finding that successful readers tend to employ reading strategies. As a second example, differentiated reading instruction (DRI) is believed to improve all students’ reading comprehension. Indeed, a one-size-fits-all approach may not work for all students, considering their different reader profiles. Despite the importance of ERSI and DRI, much uncertainty remains about what happens in the classroom and why. One way to understand teacher instructional practices such as ERSI and DRI, is by applying psychological behavioural theories to the teaching context. They provide a framework to predict human behaviour based on human characteristics and beliefs. Educational research points to teachers’ self-efficacy (TSE) and attitudes (TA) as particularly important concepts, especially in the field of science. However, associations between TA, TSE, instructional practices and students’ reading achievement remain insufficiently studied. This study addresses this knowledge gap by exploring the interplay between TSE and TA regarding ERSI and DRI, the implementation of these practices, and students’ reading achievement. Methods DigitalPIRLS 2021 data from Belgium (Flanders) were used. To gather information about ERSI, DRI, TA and TSE, national adaptations were made to the teacher questionnaires. Three nested path models with a two-level design (students nested into classes) were estimated. Results This study indicates that teachers with higher TSE and more positive TA in ERSI and DRI implement these practices more frequently. Positive TA regarding ERSI and DRI also correspond to positive TSE regarding these instructional practices. Furthermore, ERSI and DRI implementation are positively related. Finally, no significant associations between teacher beliefs, instructional practices, and students’ reading comprehension were found. Conclusion Whereas TSE and TA are considered highly context-dependent, uncertainty remains about TSE and TA regarding ERSI and DRI. The results highlight the importance of subject-specific TSE and TA for teachers’ instructional practices. Ultimately, the findings emphasize the necessity of supporting teachers in developing their TSE and TA towards reading comprehension instruction.

This study aims to investigate the differing viewpoints of teachers and students regarding classroom participation, material delivery, teaching media, and assessment methods in the adaptive learning era. The study employs quantitative method, which involves the systematic collection and analysis of numerical data through statistical techniques. This study includes 10 teachers and 50 EFL undergraduate students from two universities in Indonesia, using a Likert scale questionnaire to collect data on various aspects of English language learning. The data were analysed using a t-test to find the mean, standards deviation, and p value of the responses in order to ascertained significant differences between the teachers and the students. The results reveal significant disparities between teachers' and students' perceptions across different dimensions of learning. While teachers prioritize delivery strategies and assessment methods, students focus more on delivery modes and traditional assessment types. However, both groups acknowledge the importance of autonomous learning and the effectiveness of diverse teaching media in enhancing engagement and motivation. The findings underscore the need for a balanced approach to learning that integrates both teacher preferences and student needs. Ultimately, understanding and addressing these discrepancies is essential for promoting meaningful and inclusive educational experiences in the adaptive learning era.

Vocabulary is an important aspect of language learning. This research aims to explore English language teachers' beliefs and practices in vocabulary teaching at Phan Chau Trinh High School, Danang. Through the qualitative data collected via questionnaire, interview and classroom observation, the findings indicated that teachers' beliefs influence their classroom practices during vocabulary teaching. The study also reveals a positive correlation between teachers' own interest and the effectiveness of their vocabulary teaching practices. Despite certain beliefs held by the teachers, different limitations arose, hindering the seamless vocabulary instruction. This shows that maintaining a constant alignment between what teachers believe and what they do in practical contexts is not always possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The education sector has witnessed new developments in several areas, one of which is the constructive teaching practices of mathematics teachers and their beliefs about them. This has a significant impact on education and teaching methods. There are many different techniques and approaches that enhance the assurance of a better experience for both teachers and students. Therefore, the research aimed to reveal the degree of consistency in mathematics teachers' beliefs about constructive learning and their teaching practices. The researcher followed a correlational descriptive approach, and a simple random sample of (50) male and female teachers from the General Directorate of Education in Misan was selected. The researcher prepared two tools: the first was a questionnaire to measure teachers' beliefs about constructive learning, and the second was an observation card to measure the constructive teaching practices of mathematics teachers. The psychometric properties of both tools were verified. The results showed that the degree of mathematics teachers' beliefs was moderate, as well as the degree of their constructive practices. Furthermore, there was a strong positive correlation between the beliefs of mathematics teachers and their constructive teaching practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cooperative learning (CL) refers to teaching methods in which students work in small groups to help one another learn and improve their learning outcomes. Often CL is described by five basic elements: (1) positive interdependence, (2) individual accountability, (3) promotive interaction, (4) social skills and (5) group processing. The positive effects of CL have been extensively documented. The quality of implementation, mostly determined by application of the five basic elements of CL, has been shown to be significantly related to the effectiveness of the methods. However, due to the complex demands that designing CL sequences places on teachers, the question of how and why they implement CL methods is not trivial. The present study used an explanatory mixed methods design with sequential phases (quantitative–qualitative) to investigate the implementation of CL in school practice. A survey, structured interviews with teachers and classroom observations rated on an observation scale including indicators of the basic elements of CL were used to gather data in a total of 49 German classrooms. Results show that the implementation quality of CL lessons was rather low. Only 7% of the observed teachers implemented the basic elements. Even group goals and individual accountability, the two most important elements of CL, were implemented in only 17% of the lessons observed. Survey results indicated that implementation quality is related to teachers' evaluation of CL with regard to its appropriateness for different learning goals (r =.40*) and diverse students (r =.36*). Qualitative analysis of the teacher interviews analysed by thematic coding showed differences between teachers with high and low implementation quality regarding their beliefs. Teachers with high implementation quality see more value in social learning processes and feel more responsible for the success of CL. The results show a theory–practice gap and point to the relevance of beliefs for CL implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teachers are crucial to bridging the theory-praxis divide in science education by utilising evidence-based teaching practices to improve outcomes for their learners. However, the perspectives of primary teachers have seldom been considered beyond the confines of specific professional development programs. This paper aims to explore Australian primary teachers' beliefs about how primary science education could be improved. A sample of 165 primary educators responded to an open-ended digital survey prompt. The results showed that teachers viewed themselves and their colleagues as central to the improvement of primary science education as evidenced by the most prominent themes of Professional Development (47.27%), Funding-Resources (37.58%), Classroom Practice (21.82%) and Personal-Teacher Improvement (21.21%). Curiously, university did not feature strongly, suggesting the participants may hold neutral views regarding the impact of universities on primary science education. The findings should serve as a catalyst for future research and engagement with primary teachers. Universities could expand their roles in building relationships with and providing accessible professional development to a group of primary teachers who, quite rightly, view themselves as key to improving primary science education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limited access to reading material written in local languages is considered a contributing factor to poor reading achievement in Sub-Saharan Africa. Several non-government projects are attempting to compensate for this by providing extensive reading material. One such project is the non-commercial, donor-initiated African Storybook. This article examines the premise on which African Storybook and similar donor-initiated projects build, namely that providing stories in local languages can significantly improve early literacy achievement. Understanding literacy as social practice, we investigate what experiences with stories inform the literacy-related beliefs of pre-service teachers in Zambia, and how these beliefs may shed light on their response to storybooks as part of early literacy education. Our data comprises a questionnaire with 26 pre-service teachers and focus group interviews with six of them. The pre-service teachers' beliefs were found to reflect their childhood experiences with stories and the Zambian official National Literacy Framework. Our findings indicate that neither their childhood experiences nor their teacher education had prepared the pre-service teachers to use stories for extensive reading in early literacy education. These findings lead us to question whether literacy delivery is best served by initiatives that are not coordinated with both national literacy policy, curriculum and local teacher beliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Success in science and mathematics courses, and later in careers, requires more than disciplinary knowledge and general academic competencies. Students also need proficiency in certain key dispositions and life skills. This article is a systematic review of literature that examines what teachers believe about the non-academic skills necessary for student success in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) classes and future careers in STEM fields. We report our results of the literature review and discuss these in terms of STEM SMART skills - non-academic skills and dispositions that support students' learning across science and mathematics. These life skills and dispositions are usually not studied as academic skills; nevertheless, they are essential for long-term success in STEM fields. The acronym STEM SMART is intended to serve as a mnemonic to help educators and others remember and discuss these life skills and dispositions that support STEM learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research indicates that students with disabilities (SWD) are more likely to be involved in bullying; therefore, the development of effective bullying prevention strategies need to consider the experiences of this population. Educators need the knowledge and skills to identify and intervene appropriately in bullying incidents involving SWD. Focus groups included 17 elementary school general and special education teachers, and counselors on their perceptions of bullying and the current bullying intervention landscape at their school. Results indicated teachers and counselors possess general knowledge regarding bullying and utilize a variety of intervention strategies at the classroom- and school-wide level with district support. However, participants did not express unique strategies for identifying or responding to bullying specifically for SWD. Thus, there is a need for teachers to receive additional bully prevention professional development that explicitly considers students most at risk such as SWD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been widespread media commentary about the potential impact of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) such as ChatGPT on the Education field, but little examination at scale of how educators believe teaching and assessment should change as a result of generative AI. This mixed methods study examines the views of educators (n = 318) from a diverse range of teaching levels, experience levels, discipline areas, and regions about the impact of AI on teaching and assessment, the ways that they believe teaching and assessment should change, and the key motivations for changing their practices. The majority of teachers felt that generative AI would have a major or profound impact on teaching and assessment, though a sizeable minority felt it would have a little or no impact. Teaching level, experience, discipline area, region, and gender all significantly influenced perceived impact of generative AI on teaching and assessment. Higher levels of awareness of generative AI predicted higher perceived impact, pointing to the possibility of an 'ignorance effect'. Thematic analysis revealed the specific curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment changes that teachers feel are needed as a result of generative AI, which centre around learning with AI, higher-order thinking, ethical values, a focus on learning processes and face-to-face relational learning. Teachers were most motivated to change their teaching and assessment practices to increase the performance expectancy of their students and themselves. We conclude by discussing the implications of these findings in a world with increasingly prevalent AI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although learning-oriented assessment (LOA) has been recognized as an effective method of assessment, the literature on this concept in relation to teacher professionalism is limited. In response to this gap, the present study explored 16 Iranian novice and experienced EFL teachers' beliefs and practices of LOA. Data were collected from self-reported practices and semi-structured interviews. Analysis of the data through MAXQDA revealed that the novice and experienced teachers' LOA beliefs featured similarities and differences. While the novice teachers' LOA beliefs were less sophisticated, experienced teachers highlighted a more central role for LOA in their integration of teaching and assessment. Moreover, while novice teachers preferred using self- and peer assessment, the experienced teachers used more portfolio and dynamic assessment for their LOA-related practices. The study provides implications for teachers and teacher educators to use LOA in professional development courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Reading and reading comprehension are crucial skills, yet many students in grade 4 struggle with them. To address this, several instructional practices have gained popularity. For one, explicit reading strategy instruction (ERSI) is deemed useful, given the finding that successful readers tend to employ reading strategies. As a second example, differentiated reading instruction (DRI) is believed to improve all students' reading comprehension. Indeed, a one-size-fits-all approach may not work for all students, considering their different reader profiles. Despite the importance of ERSI and DRI, much uncertainty remains about what happens in the classroom and why. One way to understand teacher instructional practices such as ERSI and DRI, is by applying psychological behavioural theories to the teaching context. They provide a framework to predict human behaviour based on human characteristics and beliefs. Educational research points to teachers' self-efficacy (TSE) and attitudes (TA) as particularly important concepts, especially in the field of science. However, associations between TA, TSE, instructional practices and students' reading achievement remain insufficiently studied. This study addresses this knowledge gap by exploring the interplay between TSE and TA regarding ERSI and DRI, the implementation of these practices, and students' reading achievement. Methods: DigitalPIRLS 2021 data from Belgium (Flanders) were used. To gather information about ERSI, DRI, TA and TSE, national adaptations were made to the teacher questionnaires. Three nested path models with a two-level design (students nested into classes) were estimated. Results: This study indicates that teachers with higher TSE and more positive TA in ERSI and DRI implement these practices more frequently. Positive TA regarding ERSI and DRI also correspond to positive TSE regarding these instructional practices. Furthermore, ERSI and DRI implementation are positively related. Finally, no significant associations between teacher beliefs, instructional practices, and students' reading comprehension were found. Conclusion: Whereas TSE and TA are considered highly context-dependent, uncertainty remains about TSE and TA regarding ERSI and DRI. The results highlight the importance of subject-specific TSE and TA for teachers' instructional practices. Ultimately, the findings emphasize the necessity of supporting teachers in developing their TSE and TA towards reading comprehension instruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Language teachers come from diverse and multilingual backgrounds. This also generally characterises preparation programmes that have been developed to prepare elementary and secondary school language teachers for increasingly globalised, pluralistic, interconnected classrooms. Despite variations, there is value in attempting to identify common denominators in research related to the preparation of such teachers. This paper surveys 20 years of research published in journals focusing on language learning and teaching. Content analysis and thematic analysis was performed to generate salient categories related to language teacher preparation, induction and retention. Five key themes emerged: reflective practice and its role in preparation programmes and induction; ongoing formal and informal support in the early years of teaching; teachers' beliefs and their identity; pedagogical and content knowledge; and the sociocultural context of teaching. Despite the focus on journals devoted to language learning and teaching, findings overwhelmingly related to teacher preparation in general. We discuss these findings and then offer suggestions specifically for school L2 language teacher preparation, induction and retention with an emphasis on early career teachers. Such recommendations can guide language teacher preparation programmes as well as the professional trajectory of teachers in the field, ultimately increasing the chances of retention in the long term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the factors contributing to the imbalance between fiction and nonfiction materials in primary school classrooms, with a specific emphasis on the perspectives of prospective teachers. Employing a qualitative research approach, the investigation involved 30 student teachers who had completed the Children's Literature course at a Spanish university. Semi-structured interviews, with questions validated by expert judges, were utilized to gather responses, which were subsequently transcribed and analyzed through coding, following a categorical framework refined post-response analysis. The primary findings indicate a restricted exposure to nonfiction picturebooks in familial and educational settings. Despite positive emotional responses from trainee teachers, the study reveals an inadequacy in their training, hindering the development of a comprehensive understanding and the reinforcement of self-efficacy for integrating nonfiction materials into future teaching practices. Furthermore, the research underscores a disparity between the perceived significance of nonfiction picturebooks for enhancing children's multimodal reading and the inclination of trainee teachers to prioritize fiction due to a lack of confidence and previous exposure. As a result, the study proposes a reassessment of teacher training programs, recommending a more thorough focus on nonfiction materials and continuous professional development to address the disparity between beliefs and actual classroom practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Gazi University Journal of Gazi Educational Faculty (GUJGEF) is the property of Gazi University Journal of Gazi Educational Faculty (GUJGEF) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This 5-year mathematics professional development project involves 27 elementary teachers prepared and supported as Elementary Mathematics Specialists (EMSs) in high-need, urban schools. Our inquiry centers on their experiences in the EMS preparation program and the development of important outcomes, specifically productive beliefs and teacher leadership. Data were gathered at the end of Year 1 via surveys of mathematical beliefs, coaching beliefs, and coaching practices, as well as individual and focus group interviews. The findings provide insights into participants' growth and work as a more knowledgeable other, illuminating specific emphases of their efforts and influences of the project. When it comes to mathematical beliefs, as participants shifted toward embracing cognitively-oriented pedagogical beliefs, they became more efficacious in this learner-centered pedagogy. The findings also show variability in specific mathematics coaching practices, including those most participants were and were not using, and areas for improvement. Several themes are evident in the interview data: growing confidence for the uncomfortable, creating and finding spaces for stepping up, advocating for learned mathematics pedagogy, and building teacher capacity through interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractA substantial body of research highlights the promise of multimodal instruction and assessment for English learners (ELs) in the content areas. However, realizing this promise will likely require that teachers develop beliefs conducive to enacting multimodal pedagogies in their classrooms. This sequential mixed methods study employed the researcher-developed Beliefs about Multimodality in Instruction and Assessment with English Learners (BAMIA-EL) questionnaire to investigate pre-service teachers’ (PSTs’) beliefs about multimodality. Following a rigorous design process, the 16-item questionnaire was administered to 96 PSTs. A subset of 11 PSTs participated in retrospective interviews in which they explained their responses to each item. Findings from the quantitative analysis indicated that PSTs’ beliefs about multimodal instruction were largely favorable, while their beliefs about multimodal assessment were more varied. Findings from the qualitative analysis helped explain and complicate the quantitative findings. For example, whereas PSTs’ questionnaire responses indicated favorable beliefs about multimodality with ELs, the interviews revealed that PSTs adopted a narrow view of nonlinguistic modalities as compensatory scaffolds toward English language development. This study offers substantive implications for preparing teachers to cultivate the rich meaning-­making resources that ELs bring to content classrooms as well as methodological implications for emerging research on teachers’ beliefs about multimodality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How teachers understand their learners’ engagement and in-class behaviours affects their approaches to teaching, thereby making their beliefs critical mediators of their pedagogical and didactic practices. Yet, research on teachers’ beliefs about student engagement (SE) is scarce, especially in the context of adult language learning. To fill this gap, a qualitative study was conducted, using semi-structured, in-depth interviews, with nine teachers working in adult language teaching in Austria and Spain. The interviews explored teachers’ conceptualisations of engagement, their perceptions of fake and authentic engagement, their beliefs about factors affecting SE as well as their beliefs about engagement in contexts beyond the classroom and online. The findings revealed how these teachers’ beliefs impacted on their practices, their need for training about how to promote engagement in online learning spaces, their sense of lack of agency in connecting with learners’ lives beyond the classroom, and the challenges they face in distinguishing between fake and authentic engagement in person and online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, promoting inclusive education has become the central initiative for governments worldwide. The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework has been developed to address students' differences and meet their learning needs. Although some literature has examined the effectiveness of the UDL framework in teaching practices, little research has explored teachers' and students' beliefs toward the UDL framework. This study used a scoping review methodology to locate previous studies about teachers' and students' beliefs regarding the UDL framework published in peer-reviewed journals in the past 10 years (2014–2023). The data analysis conceptualized three themes and indicated that most teachers and students held positive beliefs toward the UDL framework and thought that the UDL framework could support inclusive practices. However, some barriers, such as teachers' misconceptions, inflexible curriculum, and inadequate professionals, influenced teachers' implementation of the UDL framework. The implications for future research and the recommendations for teachers' practices and professional development are also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This quantitative study explores novice teacher and coach ratings on coaching skills. Annual surveys were collected from respondents throughout a two-year programme to learn more about their induction experiences. We run a series of t-tests to identify differences between respondent groups and over time as well as multiple linear regressions to predict for characteristics that are associated with respondent ratings of coaching skills. Results from this study indicate that novice teachers' belief that they were well matched with their coaches as well as coaches' beliefs about induction complimenting surrounding support separately predicted for higher ratings of coaching skills. Additionally, novice teachers rated their coaches' skills higher than the coaches did and all ratings increased over time. The findings have implications for creating more nuanced induction programme curricula to better support coaching interactions for novice teacher development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the impacts of a creative drama course on pre-service teachers' beliefs about teaching skills. The participants kept weekly reflective journals and were observed in micro-teachings during the drama course. They were also interviewed four times over a period of two years. The results revealed positive perceptions about using drama in teacher education programs. Their beliefs were more oriented around personal and professional skills. As a result, performance-based practice embedded in creative drama courses in teacher education was discussed with a "teaching as a performing art" approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a systematic review of studies investigating teachers' and learners' beliefs about English varieties, World Englishes, English as an international language (EIL), and English as a lingua franca (ELF). A total of 122 empirical studies published in international peer-reviewed journals from 2000 to 2023 were selected and analyzed. Results revealed that the majority of the studies (n = 93) were conducted in Expanding Circle countries. Moreover, 48% of the selected studies utilized mixed-methods research as their research design and used interviews and questionnaires as their main data collection methods. Regarding participants, learners' beliefs were probed in 69 studies while 44 of the studies explored teachers' beliefs, and only nine studies investigated the beliefs of both groups. Finally, more than 90% of the participants in these studies showed strong preferences for native varieties of English, especially American English. The findings bear implications for policies, materials, and teaching practices to represent different English varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the language ideologies of eight in-service English teachers in Sri Lanka in order to understand how these teachers approach the plural Englishes in their classrooms. Specifically, this article traces, three years after World Englishes-oriented linguistics coursework, these instructors' beliefs about the existence and appropriate use of Sri Lankan Englishes (SLE), and how participating teachers' beliefs are hegemonic or counter-hegemonic, adhering to or contesting a linguistic hierarchy that privileges 'native speaker' varieties using data from semi-structured interviews (Appendix). The data suggest that the participating teachers, despite their shared MA program in teaching English as a second language, have a wide range of understandings of SLE which tend to be complex and unclear, often tangling together ideas of language variety, formality, and proficiency, echoing disagreement among language scholars. The data further suggest that teachers' choices about promoting SLE in the language classroom are influenced both by their professional and personal experiences of linguistic prejudice and their sense of agency in their teaching context. Ultimately, to address the devaluation of postcolonial forms like SLE, teacher educators must directly confront both this slippery definition and teachers' sense of social pressure toward 'standard' English. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past decade, research on EFL teachers’ beliefs about translanguaging has significantly grown. However, little qualitative research has been done on teachers’ translanguaging beliefs and practices and the congruity between them. To address this gap in the literature, the current study investigated Iranian EFL teachers’ beliefs and practices, and the correspondence between these beliefs and practices. Data was collected from ten teachers who taught English as a foreign language through semi-structured interviews and classroom observations (three per teachers). The data was analyzed based on the principles of thematic analysis. The results showed that the teachers perceived six dimensions of translanguaging, including diverse beliefs of translanguaging, perceived relevance of translanguaging, pedagogical beliefs and approaches, attitudes toward benefits, concerns and challenges of applying translanguaging, and student-centered approaches. In regard to their practice, the teachers practiced translanguaging in various contexts and through different instructional strategies in their classes. Regarding the correspondence between beliefs and practices, it was found that there was a mainly direct correspondence between beliefs and practices. The study provides implications for teacher educators in running professional development courses that enhance teachers’ awareness of using translanguaging in their classes.

Recently, the sources of teachers’ beliefs and modifications in their beliefs have received special attention; therefore, this longitudinal study investigated Iranian EFL teachers’ pedagogical beliefs. The study attempted to track possible alterations in pedagogical beliefs after participating in a two-year teacher training program and following teaching practices. Through convenient sampling, the researchers selected 24 Iranian EFL teacher students who had teaching experiences of 3-10 years at Islamic Azad University; Shiraz Branch. They collected the required data through a teacher belief questionnaire and a semi-structured interview. The results of both quantitative and qualitative data indicated that teaching practices made a unique influence on the modifications in teachers’ pedagogical beliefs. In other words, the results emphasized the power of teaching practice in any modification in teachers’ beliefs over theoretical teaching. These findings have important implications for teacher educators who seek to modify teachers’ beliefs during teacher training programs.

Previous research shows that enacting a new curriculum is a complex process. Teachers can be enthusiastic and committed to new curricular objectives, but they can also experience frustration and disappointment. Scholars have suggested that teachers who perceive lack of support, or tensions between their personal philosophies and the educational principles underpinning a new curriculum, struggle to enact new curricula in line with their intent. Our purpose in this article is to illustrate how two Physical Education (PE) teachers experienced the enactment of a new official curriculum. An action research approach was used as design of the study. Researchers cooperated with two PE teachers for 18 months. The empirical material consisted of 50 sets of field notes from the two teachers’ teaching lessons, transcripts from one semi-structured qualitative interview with both teachers following the completion of the school year. The material also consisted of reflection logs produced by the teachers containing written notes about their experiences of the curriculum enactment. We used literature on educational change (Fullan, M., & Hargreaves, A. (1991). What's worth fighting fore? Working together for your school. Ontario Public School Teachers’ Federation) as our theoretical framework. Our findings show that the teachers experienced the curriculum enactment in contradictory ways. Shifting from previous PE practices that focused on sports activities and emphasized teacher instruction, to pedagogical practices informed by the new PE curriculum (including sociocultural perspectives of learning and assessment), led to uncertainty, surprise, satisfaction, as well as distrust. Our findings also showed that the teachers’ experiences of the enactment were influenced by perceived gender biases. We argue that teachers’ beliefs and the teaching culture were particularly influential dimensions regarding the two PE teachers’ experiences of the curriculum enactment. Practitioners and researchers attempting curriculum enactment in the future should pay careful attention to such dimensions, especially given that tensions and uncertainty often occur during any educational change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pronunciation has gained significant attention in the field of English language teaching, with recent studies examining pronunciation representation in textbooks, classroom practices, teachers' beliefs, and learners' perceptions. However, research into teachers learning to teach English pronunciation is only beginning to emerge. The current study extends this line of enquiry by investigating the preparation of 20 Vietnamese English teachers to teach pronunciation. The study also examined the teachers' perceptions of how Vietnamese teacher education could further assist teachers in teaching pronunciation. Qualitative data sources included academic transcripts, a questionnaire, and individual semi-structured interviews to examine the teacher-participants' pronunciation pedagogy training and their beliefs about effective pronunciation teacher preparation. The findings showed that the teachers were insufficiently trained but reported being confident in their ability to teach English pronunciation. The participants also proposed several changes to be made to Vietnamese English teacher education programs for teachers to teach pronunciation more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports on a study that used the online MULTITEACH questionnaire to examine the relationship between the multilingual pedagogies 111 language teachers, employed in upper-secondary schools in Norway and Russia, reported implementing, their beliefs about how multilingualism benefitted students and teachers, and their self-assessed ability to teach language aspects and skills. The study also investigated whether sociobiographical variables and participants' language habits outside of work affected their beliefs about multilingualism benefitting their students and implementation of multilingual pedagogies. The findings revealed that participants utilized multilingual pedagogies least frequently when teaching in first language contexts and that those who used foreign languages outside of work applied such pedagogies more frequently than participants who did not. Moreover, their beliefs about multilingualism benefitting their students were positively predicted by their beliefs about multilingualism benefitting teachers and negatively predicted by their support of the monolingual approach to language learning and teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Embracing curricular reforms such as the Next Generation Science Standards poses unique challenges for early childhood science teachers who often value play and curiosity, but are challenged by the depth of scientific disciplinary practices expected by these standards. To explore possibilities for teacher growth, this research draws on Noddings' theory of relational care as being foundational to teachers' use of dialogue for the purpose of knowledge generation in science. This research relied on an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design to examine the views and practices of 33 early childhood teachers. Data sources included teachers' written reflections on a professional workshop, interviews, and responses to a survey measuring their Epistemic Orientations. Findings suggest that most early childhood teachers were oriented toward knowledge replication, not knowledge generation, which limits their ability to use dialogue as an epistemic tool. Relatedly, most teachers who were oriented toward knowledge replication expressed views consistent with the virtue of care, while teachers oriented toward knowledge generation described enacting relational care with their students as they used dialogue to support and challenge their scientific explanations. Implications of this study indicate the importance of early childhood teachers' Epistemic Orientations as a foundational component of how they engage in science teaching through dialogue and their willingness to teach in ways aligned with curricular reforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]