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Teacher Efficacy In the Context of Teaching Low Achieving Students

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Abstract

This paper focused on the efficacy of Singapore teachers who teach low achieving adolescent students. Three dimensions of self-reported teacher efficacy—instructional strategies, classroom management, and student engagement—were examined in relation to teacher attributes and the teacher–student relationship. Data were obtained from the Teacher Self-Efficacy Scale Tschannen-Moran and Woolfolk Hoy (Teaching and Teacher Education 17:783–805, 2001) and the Teacher–Student Relationship Scale Ang (The Journal of Experimental Education 74:55–73, 2005). Significant differences between novice teachers and experienced teachers emerged in teacher efficacy beliefs in relation to instructional strategies, classroom management, and student engagement. Conflict in teacher–student relationship was found to predict teacher efficacy for teachers of low achieving students. Implications for teachers’ professional development were discussed.

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Acknowledgement

This study was supported by the Academic Research Fund grant (RI 13/05 CWH) from National Institute of Education to Wan Har Chong.

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Correspondence to Lay See Yeo.

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Yeo, L.S., Ang, R.P., Chong, W.H. et al. Teacher Efficacy In the Context of Teaching Low Achieving Students. Curr Psychol 27, 192–204 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-008-9034-x

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