This study evaluated the effectiveness of an intervention for second graders at risk for academic failure, which taught reading comprehension embedded in social studies content. The intervention included instruction about the structure of cause/effect expository text, emphasizing clue words, generic questions, graphic organizers, and close analysis of well-structured examples of cause/effect text. It was compared to a program that focused on the same social studies content but without cause/effect training, and to a no-instruction control. Fourteen teachers, randomly assigned to treatment, provided the instruction; 197 7-and 8-year-olds participated. The intervention group demonstrated higher performance than the other groups on both sentence combining and answering comprehension questions. The 2 instructed groups did not differ on the social studies measures, and both were better than the no-instruction group; thus, embedding text structure instruction did not lessen the amount of social studies content acquired. These findings corroborated studies on another text structure (comparison) and extended previous work focused on cause/effect. New findings included, first, more robust group differences in performance than were found in an earlier cause-effect study because of a more precise identification of the instructional level appropriate for this population: the sentence, not the paragraph. Second, examining the sustainability of the intervention effects, a delayed posttest showed that after summer break, the intervention group performed better than the other groups on sentence combining, although not on answering a comprehension question.

No abstract

No abstract

The factors that influence the construction of a teacher’s sense of self-efficacy are complex. The authors used a qualitative research design to explore the reflections of a sample of 25 K-12 early career teachers as they made sense of their own abilities. The results show that theorized sources of self-efficacy—mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, and verbal persuasion—all remain important but are interpreted through each participant’s unique background and conception of identity. Teacher Self-Efficacy emerged as a construct that both influenced and was influenced by this collection of individual factors. This study provides insight into how each teacher’s unique experiences interact dynamically with school environments and personal stories to shape their sense of self-efficacy. The findings can influence how new teachers are supported by coaches and teacher educators to build the confidence and motivation necessary to persist through the challenges of teaching.

Purpose A The purpose of this study was to better understand how teachers find agency in challenging circumstances. The authors sought to investigate this by examining the developing self-efficacy beliefs of teachers over time. Design/methodology/approach A longitudinal multi-case study methodology is used to investigate the stories of three new teachers over a two-year period spanning the onset of the pandemic. Narrative and thematic analysis was used to identify themes and trends. This was supplemented by teacher self-efficacy survey responses. Findings Teacher self-efficacy is a story that teachers build as they find what is possible. This story is informed by shifting conceptions of possible future selves as teachers interpret the challenges around them. These mutually reinforcing and fluid narratives shape teachers’ developing identities as they find agency during a changing reality. Originality/value Qualitative and case studies of self-efficacy are rare. Our study explores the context and thinking behind individual teacher beliefs at the time of a global pandemic. We offer a unique look at how teachers make sense of agency and possibilities under conditions of change.