A Measure of Preservice Teacher Self-Efficacy for Working with Emergent Bilingual Students

• In Event: Innovations in Pre-Service Teacher Education: Supporting Equity, Language, and Global Citizenship

Abstract

This study presents the development and initial validation of the Preservice Teacher Self-Efficacy Scale Toward Emergent Bilinguals (PTSES-EB), a psychometric tool designed to assess preservice teachers’ perceived efficacy in working with Emergent Bilingual (EB) students. Participants included 78 preservice teachers enrolled in a state-required 15-week course at a large Midwestern university. The initial 17-item scale was administered at the beginning and end of the course. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a two-factor structure. Five items were removed, resulting in a 12-item final scale. Findings suggest the PTSES-EB is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing preservice teacher preparation for linguistically diverse classrooms.

Authors

• Jasmine Barahona, University of Oregon

• Monica Romero, University of Texas at Austin