AbstractThe world map is changing due to waves of immigration, population and demographic changes in mainland Europe and North America. There is a growing need for a more diverse teacher workforce to close the racial and ethnic gap between students and teachers in populations with high diversity. The scholarship discussing integration challenges facing teachers of colour and minority teachers in majoritarian education systems has yet to be exhaustively analysed and synthesised. Moreover, the literature remains fragmented despite numerous studies emphasising the significance of supporting teachers of colour and minority teachers to ensure equity and inclusiveness in majoritarian education systems to better represent the student body. This study reviews the literature through a bibliometric analysis of 387 peer‐reviewed papers on this topic published between 2000 and 2024, followed by a synthesis of the top‐cited papers. First, we emphasised the importance of researching the integration of minority teachers and teachers of colour to understand their contribution to students' thriving and the transformation of education systems towards diversity and inclusion. The quantitative analysis is followed by a systematic qualitative synthesis of the top 18 cited papers. The results highlighted that most research on minority teachers and teachers of colour is from the United States and the United Kingdom. They also highlighted the necessity of revisiting curriculums and enhancing relationships with children to raise awareness about issues of systemic racism, cultural responsiveness and deeper inclusion. Recommendations emphasise addressing systemic racism and enhancing cultural responsiveness. These findings can guide future research, policies and practices to support minority teachers' integration and better represent student diversity. Context and implicationsRationale for this studyThe world map is changing due to waves of immigration, population shift, and demographic changes, highlighting the growing need for a more diverse teaching workforce to close the racial and ethnic gaps between students and teachers in highly diverse populations. However, the scholarship discussing the integration challenges faced by teachers of colour and minority teachers in majoritarian education systems remains fragmented and has yet to be exhaustively analysed and synthesised. Therefore, this paper presents a mixed‐methods systematic review of recent international evidence on the integration of minority teachers and teachers of colour in majoritarian education systems worldwide.Why the new findings matterThis research contributes to further insights in the scholarship foci, including identifying several research gaps related to the integration of teachers of colour and minority teachers. Our findings can inform future policies by enhancing understanding of the unique needs and challenges faced by minoritised teachers within various political, social and educational contexts. This knowledge can guide the training, recruitment, mentoring and retention of minority teachers. Additionally, further comparative research on this topic is necessary to enrich knowledge and contribute to diverse models for preparing, recruiting and retaining teachers of colour, thereby enhancing diversity in schools and fostering the success of minority students. Therefore, this study not only enriches our understanding of the current state of research but also sets the stage for future inquiries that could inform more nuanced and effective educational policies and practices worldwide.Implications for educational researchers and policy makersOur research findings offer valuable insights for scholars, policy makers, superintendents and school principals who are committed to conducting future empirical research, systematic reviews or implementing policies for the equitable inclusion of minoritised teachers in majoritarian education systems. These insights aim to promote deep diversity and representation. Key takeaways include: This systematic review identifies a research gap concerning the integration of teachers of colour and minority teachers. Addressing this gap involves understanding their unique needs and challenges within various political, social and educational contexts. There is a need for further comparative research on this topic to enhance knowledge and contribute to developing varied models for preparing, recruiting and retaining teachers of colour, thereby improving diversity in schools and supporting the success of minority students. Future policy design and implementation at both the district and school levels should focus on the training, recruitment, mentoring and retention of minority teachers. This includes identifying positive ecological dynamics at both district and school levels that support the integration of minority teachers and teachers of colour. In today‘s era of digital literacy and artificial intelligence (AI), we recommend researching the applicability, usage and impact of AI programs in enhancing equitable hiring processes. This research should explore how AI can be used to detect early warning signs of exclusion or marginalisation that may contribute to turnover among minority teachers, and how it can facilitate supportive interventions.

AbstractThe purpose of this study is to investigate summative assessment (SA) perceptions and the sources of summative assessment literacy for novice second/foreign language teachers in Sweden and Finland. Data were collected through a questionnaire (N = 27) and a semi‐structured interview (N = 22) from a group of novice teachers who graduated from two Swedish universities and one Finnish university. Descriptive and content analysis of the data reveal that novice teachers perceive themselves to have a good understanding of most of the basic SA areas. They consider teacher education as the main source of their conceptual understanding while they attribute their skills mostly to experience in schools. Swedish and Finnish teachers present both similar and varied perceptions of the role of teacher education in developing their summative assessment literacy. Context and implications Rationale for this study What summative assessment literacy pre‐service teachers acquire during teacher education, and how this literacy reflects on their teaching are critical questions in understanding novice teachers' learning and use of summative assessment in schools. This study investigates the perceptions and experiences of novice teachers of second/foreign languages in Sweden and Finland. Why the new findings matter The findings provide an understanding of novice language teachers’ perceptions on key components of summative assessment and the sources and processes enabling development of this literacy. Insights into theoretical and practical aspects of summative assessment that novice teachers need are expected to guide teacher education programmes in realigning their programmes respectively. Implications for teacher educators and policy makers Novice language teachers are confident about their theoretical knowledge of summative assessment but need to develop skills to put their knowledge into practice. Hands on exercises through content‐specific materials and tasks are critical in developing skills such as test construction, grading, analysis of exams and exposure to national tests. Special needs and diverse sociocultural contexts should be taken into consideration in teacher education. Steering documents should make the summative assessment requirements and expected competencies clearer to guide TE programmes in organising learning experiences for pre‐service teachers.

AbstractIn Iceland, and around the world, the working environment in upper secondary schools changed dramatically with the onset of the COVID‐19 pandemic. In our research, we aimed to illuminate the ever‐changing working conditions of teachers in Icelandic upper secondary schools during the first year of the pandemic, especially in the context of gender and family composition. Data came from interviews with 12 teachers and surveys administered to upper secondary school teachers in 33 out of 37 upper‐secondary schools in Iceland with participation from approximately one‐third of the teacher population. The results show that teachers felt increasingly stressed throughout the pandemic and that gender played a significant role. Women, who often also served as primary caregivers at home, found it more strenuous to fulfil their teaching duties than men. The results raise important questions about teachers' working conditions and gender's role therein, especially in a country considered an emblem of success when it comes to gender equality.

AbstractThe whole school approach (WSA) is often used in schools as a means of transformative change across many areas and involves many stakeholders. Many of the approaches used in WSAs are underpinned by psychological, social and educational theories. Although many of these approaches focus on vulnerable groups such as bullied and excluded children, relatively few of these approaches aim to support children with special educational needs (SEN). This specific vulnerable group includes children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, autism spectrum disorders, among many others. A rigorous, theory‐driven approach to supporting such children in schools is essential in ensuring positive academic and developmental outcomes for such students. Therefore, a scoping review was undertaken to explore the current literature on the use of WSAs, their theoretical and evidence‐based components as well as key areas in which they are utilised and how they are evaluated. After searching in seven (EBSCOhost, ERIC, British Education Index, Open Dissertation Search, PsycINFO, Medline Ovid, Child Development and Adolescent Studies) databases and completing a rigorous screening process, 21 papers were included in the review. Recommendations for further research involving the development and implementation of a WSA to support children with special educational needs are made, with emphasis placed on the importance of a clear theoretical underpinning, interdependent components, clear outcome measures and co‐production.

AbstractThis literature review explores the impact of music on tonal language learning, with a focus on Mandarin Chinese. Utilising searches across major databases such as ERIC (EBSCO), ProQuest Central, Google Scholar, and Web of Science from 2005 to 2024, we selected relevant peer‐reviewed English‐language articles examining music's role in aiding tone acquisition and related cognitive processes. From 30 publications, findings are categorised into theoretical relationships, cognitive effects, melodic intonation therapy (MIT) applications and digital music applications. Theoretical frameworks emphasise the correlation between musicality and language proficiency, highlighting musicians' enhanced tonal perception and production skills. Cognitive effects include music's influence on pronunciation, memory and cultural understanding. MIT's effectiveness in tonal language learning is then discussed, emphasising its potential to improve cortical representations of tone categories. Finally, digital music applications are examined, focusing on language learning apps incorporating music for personalised and engaging learning experiences. The review finds significant literature reporting that music‐based methodologies, aligned with experiential learning paradigms, hold significant potential in Mandarin Chinese acquisition. They enhance listening comprehension, spoken language production, and understanding of grammar and syntax. Similar to MIT principles, music‐assisted tonal language learning utilises exaggerated melody and rhythm to improve language production, especially with complex words. This review is motivated by the recognition of music's potential benefits in language education, especially for tonal languages. It aims to provide educators and researchers with insights into effective methods and applications, guiding instructional practices and stimulating further empirical investigations in this interdisciplinary field. Ultimately, it contributes to the ongoing discourse on optimising tonal language learning methodologies.

AbstractAssessment practices play a crucial role in fostering student learning and guiding instructional decision‐making. The ability to construct effective test items is of utmost importance in evaluating student learning and shaping instructional strategies. This study aims to investigate the skills of Ghanaian basic schoolteachers in test item construction. The study focused on the revised Bloom's taxonomy. A cross‐sectional survey design was employed, and a questionnaire was developed and used to collect the needed data. The data were collected from 560 basic schoolteachers selected by using a simple random sampling technique. The participants comprised 280 male teachers and 280 female teachers. The data were collected and subjected to descriptive statistics analysis via mean, and standard deviation. While the p‐value (α ≤ 0.05) was used to determine the differences in the teachers' test item construction skills, the independence t‐test was used to compare the differences between the proficiency of male and female participants. The analysis revealed a notable contrast in how participants perceived their abilities in constructing test items, indicating a statistically significant difference. Specifically, female teachers demonstrated a stronger proficiency in test item construction skills compared to their male counterparts. Also, most teachers prioritised the lower levels within Bloom's taxonomy while crafting test items. Regular in‐service training on test item construction was recommended at the district level for teachers to update and upgrade their skills.

AbstractDespite the abundance of research linking leadership behaviours to organisational effectiveness in various sectors, there is a lack of empirical studies that investigate how leadership behaviours influence performance in the context of research universities. The present study examined the effects of leadership behaviours on departmental performance in public research universities in Ethiopia. The study employed a quantitatively driven embedded type of mixed methods design. The participants of the study were 1176 academic staff (969 instructors and 207 department heads). They were selected from four public research universities using a simple random sampling technique. In addition, 14 key informants were selected using a purposive sampling technique based on their teaching‐learning, research and leadership lived experiences in higher education institutions and interviewed using semi‐structured guiding questions. Quantitative data were collected using questionnaires composed of demographic questions and adapted versions of two scales: Multifactor Leadership Questionnaires and a new tool for measuring global academic performance. The quantitative data were analysed using frequency, percentage, multiple correlations and regression, one sample t‐test, exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. Version 23.0 of Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) and SPSS‐23 were used for data analyses. Qualitative data were analysed thematically using open code version 4.03 software. The analyses showed that transactional leadership dimension and teaching‐learning dimension of departmental performance were practised predominantly. Dimensions of leadership behaviour were found to be positively and significantly related to dimensions of departmental performance. The joint contributions of dimensions of leadership behaviour were larger than their separate contributions, thereby supporting the formulated alternative hypotheses. Implications of the findings were discussed.Context and implicationsRationale for the studyLeadership is one of the indispensable factors that determine organisational success. However, empirical study findings that show the effects of leadership behaviours on departmental performance in public higher education institutions were scarce.Why the new findings matterThe new findings matter because the transactional leadership dimension of leadership behaviours and the teaching‐learning dimension of departmental performance are practiced predominantly in the sampled research universities. The findings demonstrated that the stated dimensions of leadership behaviour are positively and significantly related to departmental performance. It is more informative and contributes to knowledge and practice that the combined contributions of leadership behaviours are larger than their separate contributions.Implications for practitionersThe findings of the study have policy and practical implications for improving effectiveness of higher education leadership and departmental performance dimensions: the teaching‐learning process, research and community services in the context of Ethiopian public research universities. This finding further implies that schools and department heads need to use a combination of appropriate leadership behaviours in order to improve departmental performance dimensions.