Increasing Teacher Self-Efficacy for Writing Instruction Through a Professional Development Focused on Antiracist Writing Instructional Practices

• In Event: Writing and Writing Instruction: Perspectives and Practices

Abstract

Writing is taught inconsistently in schools and teachers often report feeling unprepared to teach writing effectively. Compound those concerns with lack of knowledge on anti-racist writing instructional methods, and teachers are likely to teach writing both ineffectively and in ways that continue to privilege specific groups of students. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of integrating three components of anti-racist teaching into teacher professional development and to document the impact of those practices on increasing teachers’ self-efficacy for teaching writing and knowledge of anti-racist writing instructional practices. In this mixed methods pilot study, 21 teachers participated. We collected data about their beliefs, definitions of anti-racist teaching, and goals for implementing anti-racist writing practices.

Authors

• Tracey S. Hodges, The Empowering Advocate LLC

• Carol A. Donovan, University of Alabama

• Julianne M. Coleman, University of Alabama

• Joy Anuri Anogwih, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa

• Kantrele King, The University of Alabama

• Erica T. Campbell, University of Alabama

• Honorine Ntoh Yuh, The University of Alabama - Tuscaloosa

• Autumn E Ford, The University of Alabama