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This study examines how multicultural/multilingual (MC/ML) teacher education and professional development (PD) are linked to self-efficacy, instructional practices, and job satisfaction among STEM teachers who have multilingual learners (MLs) in the classroom. Drawing on Bandura’s social cognitive theory, the study analyzes nationally representative data from the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) 2018 using a quantitative, cross-sectional design that accounts for teacher background characteristics and classroom composition. Results indicate that formal MC/ML education is positively associated with self-efficacy and with instructional practices involving clarity of instruction and cognitive activation, while recent MC/ML PD is linked to cognitive activation and job satisfaction. Self-efficacy itself predicts both clarity and cognitive activation as well as job satisfaction, demonstrating its role as a foundational construct. Equity-related patterns emerge by gender, years of experience, and proportion of MLs in the classroom. These findings highlight the importance of integrating MC/ML preparation and sustained PD to support language-rich, cognitively demanding STEM instruction and teacher well-being. Implications are discussed for teacher education, professional development, and future research aimed at advancing equity and excellence in multilingual and multicultural STEM classrooms.
Lei Jiang (Fri,) studied this question.