Understanding kindergarten teacher self-efficacy for providing reading instruction to students with reading difficulties

Abstract

ABSTRACT Teacher self-efficacy to teach reading is positively associated with teacher effort and persistence as well as student performance. To provide effective reading instruction that meets the needs of students with reading difficulties, theoretical and empirical evidence suggests teachers need to believe they have the necessary knowledge and skills to do so. The purpose of this study was to explore kindergarten teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs related to providing reading instruction to students with reading difficulties. We also aimed to better understand the barriers to and facilitators of kindergarten teachers’ reading self-efficacy beliefs. Fifteen kindergarten teachers participated in semi-structured interviews and completed surveys related to sense of efficacy and knowledge for teaching reading. Interviews were analysed using a thematic analytical approach. Findings indicated that kindergarten teachers experience a moderate to high level of self-efficacy in providing reading instruction to students with reading difficulties. However, several themes that emerged from the data focused on barriers to, rather than facilitators of, teacher self-efficacy. Implications are discussed, including ways to cultivate stronger self-efficacy beliefs related to reading instruction for students with reading difficulties.