Elementary educator self-efficacy and knowledge to teach reading

The present study aimed to better understand teacher self-efficacy for teaching students with or at risk for reading difficulties and its relation to teacher knowledge to teach reading (i.e. the extent to which self-efficacy predicts knowledge). We developed and administered surveys to 313 elementary-grade teachers. They rated their self-efficacy for providing reading instruction to students with or at risk for reading difficulties as moderately high. However, self-efficacy had a small, statistically significant negative relation with knowledge to teach reading (β = -.13, p = .02), such that higher self-efficacy was associated with less knowledge. Implications for practice and directions for future research are discussed.