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Assimilation attitudes predict lower immigration-related self-efficacy among Israeli immigrant teachers

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Abstract

This study focuses on self-efficacy among teachers working in culturally diverse educational contexts. We put forward the notion of immigration-related self-efficacy and provide initial support for its relationship with the acculturation attitudes held by immigrant teachers. One hundred thirty-three teachers who immigrated to Israel from the Former Soviet Union participated in this study. We found that teachers tend to report high levels of self-efficacy in all the investigated aspects. According to our predictions, immigrant teachers endorsing more assimilative approaches report lower levels of self-efficacy vis-à-vis their immigrant students. Our results can contribute to a critical discussion on the place and roles of immigrant teachers in schools.

Résumé

Cette étude se centre sur la capacité d’auto-efficacité chez les enseignants qui travaillent dans divers contextes éducatifs et culturels. Nous mettons en avant la notion d’auto-efficacité en relation avec l’immigration, tout en indiquant les éléments de base qui permettent d’étayer la corrélation entre ce sentiment d’efficacité personnelle et l’attitude d’“acculturation” que manifestent les enseignants venus de l’immigration. Ont participé à cette étude 133 enseignants qui ont immigré en Israël en provenance de l’ex-Union Soviétique. Notre recherche nous a permis de constater que ces enseignants ont tendance à faire état d’un haut niveau d’auto-efficacité dans tous les domaines explorés. Ainsi que nos prévisions l’anticipaient, les enseignants issus de l’immigration qui expriment une tendance assimilatrice, font preuve d’un moindre niveau d’auto-efficacité vis-à-vis de leurs étudiants lorsque ceux-ci sont immigrants. Nos résultats peuvent contribuer à une discussion critique sur la place et les rôles des enseignants immigrants dans le système scolaire.

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Authors and Affiliations

Authors

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Correspondence to Moshe Tatar.

Additional information

Moshe Tatar. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, School of Education, Mt. Scopus, Jerusalem, 91905 Israel. Email: mstatar@mscc.huji.ac.il

Current themes of research:

Multicultural education and counseling (with special emphasis on immigrants and members of minority groups). Adolescent’s and teacher’s help-seeking behaviors and attitudes. Parental perceptions of schools. Education and immigration. The school acculturative context.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

Tatar, M. & Myers, J.E. (2010). Wellness of children in Israel and the United States: A preliminary examination of culture and well-being. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 23, 17–33.

Tatar, M. (2009). Teachers turning for help to school counselors and colleagues: Toward a mapping of relevant predictors. British Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 37, 107–127.

Tatar, M. (2008). Parents and schools: Chronicle of a conflict foretold? In A. Stavans & I. Kupferberg (Eds.), Studies in language and language education (pp. 411–427). Jerusalem: The Hebrew University Magnes Press.

Tatar, M. & Amram, S. (2008). Israeli adolescents’ help-seeking behaviors in relation to terrorist attacks: The perceptions of students, school counselors and teachers. British Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 36, 51–70.

Tatar, M. & Horenczyk, G. (2003). Diversity-related burnout among teachers. Teaching and Teacher Education, 19, 397–408.

Ina Ben-Uri. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, School of Education, Mt. Scopus, Jerusalem, 91905 Israel. Email: ibenuri@gmail.com

Current themes of research:

Parenthood among teachers. Counselors and leadership. Immigration and education.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

Gabriel Horenczyk. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, School of Education, Mt. Scopus, Jerusalem, 91905 Israel. Email: gabriel@vms.huji.ac.il

Current themes of research:

The psychological study of cultural and ethnic identity. Cultural identity and education. Education and immigration. The school acculturative context. Acculturation and identity processes among immigrants.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

Horenczyk, G. (2010). Language and identity in the school adjustment of immigrant students in Israel. Zeitschrift für Pädagogik, 55, 44–58.

Horenczyk, G. (2008). Cultural identities, perceived discrimination, and adaptation: Immigrant adolescents in Israel. In A. Stavans & I. Kupferberg (Eds.), Studies in language and language education: Essays in honor of Elite Olshtain. Jerusalem: Magnes Press.

Horenczyk, G., & Munayer, S. (2007). Acculturation orientations toward two majority groups: The case of Palestinian Arab Christian adolescents in Israel. Journal of Cross Cultural Psychology, 38, 76–86.

Vedder, P., Horenczyk, G., & Liebkind, K. (2006). Ethno-culturally diverse education settings; Problems, challenges and solutions. Educational Research Review, 1, 157–168.

Horenczyk, G. & Tatar, M. (2004). Education in a plural society or multicultural education? The views of Israeli Arab and Jewish school counselors. Journal of Peace Education, 1, 191–204.

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Tatar, M., Ben-Uri, I. & Horenczyk, G. Assimilation attitudes predict lower immigration-related self-efficacy among Israeli immigrant teachers. Eur J Psychol Educ 26, 247–255 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-010-0044-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-010-0044-3

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