Understanding preservice special education teachers’ culturally responsive self-efficacy: A mixed methods study

Authors

Krystal Lewis-Pratl, Yojanna Cuenca-Carlino, Tara Kaczorowski, Mark Zablocki
https://doi.org/10.64546/jaasep.592
There have been increases in the culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) student population over the last two decades; however, these changes have not been realized in the diversification of educators in the field. This sequential explanatory mixed methods study examined preservice special education teachers’ (N = 54) culturally responsive self-efficacy beliefs and the factors and experiences that influenced their self-efficacy through semi-structured interviews (n = 8). This study sought to extend the work of Siwatu (2011a) by administering the culturally responsive teaching self-efficacy (CRTSE) scale and modifying it to include the language of disability (Chu & Garcia, 2014). Results indicate special education preservice teachers have moderately high CRTSE for teaching CLD learners with disabilities. Differences and commonalities between high and low self-efficacy groups are discussed.

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Lewis-Pratl, K., Cuenca-Carlino, Y., Kaczorowski, T., & Zablocki, M. (2025). Understanding preservice special education teachers’ culturally responsive self-efficacy: A mixed methods study. Journal of the American Academy of Special Education Professionals, 20(3), 117-135. https://doi.org/10.64546/jaasep.592

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  • Article Type Articles
  • Submitted August 2, 2025
  • Published June 15, 2025
  • Issue Fall 2025
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