The present study examined the multicultural teaching assistants’ profiles of culturally responsive teaching self-efficacy (CRTSE). It also investigated whether the profile membership predicted their practices to facilitate social integration and family-school collaboration. Pre- and post-tests were conducted to assess their CRTSE. Latent profile transition analysis indicated three distinct profiles: high, medium, and low. Multiple regression analyses found that participants with a high (vs. low or medium) CRTSE profile at Time 1 reported more willingness to facilitate family-school collaboration at Time 2.

Teachers play a critical role in student learning and academic development (e.g., Rubie-Davies et al., 2006).Although the number of ethnic minorities (EM), particularly those with South/Southeast Asian origin, continues growing in Hong Kong, kindergarten teachers are lack of understanding of EM cultures and inadequately prepared to teach EM students within a bilingual framework (Ng et al., 2020; Shum et al., 2011; Yuen, 2016). The linguistic and cultural discontinuities in school and home environments lead EM students to experience learning difficulties and show low academic competence (Yuen, 2016). The ethnic achievement gap has prompted educators to emphasize culturally responsive teaching (CRT; Gay, 2010) in teacher preparation programs. CRT underscores bridging course content with students' cultural knowledge to make learning relevant and more effective (Gay, 2010; Ladson-Billings, 2014).

Research also suggests that minority teachers would benefit student learning by, for instance, serving as role models, holding higher expectations for EM students, and helping better examine sociocultural factors that affect student learning (Vilegas & Irvine, 2010). Although diversifying the teacher workforce sounds promising, minority youth seeking teacher certification face many barriers in Hong Kong, especially in meeting the requirement of Chinese proficiency. In recent years, educational initiatives to recruit EM paraprofessionals who can work as assistants to teachers (i.e., “bilingual or multicultural teaching assistants”) have gained recognition (Gao & Shum, 2010).

As part of these initiatives, the Diploma Program in Early Childhood Education program (supporting learning and teaching for non-Chinese speaking children) or the D(ECE) program aimed to develop EM youth's professional capacityto work as teaching assistants at local kindergartens. This program intends to nurture multicultural teaching assistants who possess the language proficiency, pedagogical knowledge, and positive attitudes required to support preschool teachers, education, and community service workers in catering for EM children, build a solid base for learning, and create a social inclusion environment in the early childhood education and care sector. The D(ECE) consists of ten courses stronglyfocusing on CRT (Gay, 2010; Ladson-Billings, 2014), socio-emotional and language development of EM children, and L2Chinese learning. CRT self-efficacy (CRTSE; Siwatu, 2007) refers to how capable one feels of, for instance, preparing culturally responsive teaching or creating a supportive classroom climate. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the program by examining participants’ CRTSE profiles and their transitions throughout the D(ECE). 

The present study

This study had three objectives—(a) to identify multicultural teaching assistants’ CRTSE profiles and replicate theseprofiles over time, (b) to assess the transitions in profile membership from the beginning to the end of the D(ECE) program, and (c) to investigate whether the identified profiles would predict participants’ multicultural practices (i.e., family-school collaboration and social integration) by the end of the program. We expected that participants classified as high or medium CRTSE would report higher engagement in practices for facilitating family-school collaboration and social integration than those classified as low CRTSE.

This sample comprised six cohorts of ethnic minority youth (N = 130) enrolled in the D(ECE) at a public university in Hong Kong. At Time 1, participants were 18.9 years of age (SD = 1.8; Min = 17, Max = 28). Nearly all participants were South Asian ethnic minorities (97.1%). About 73% of participants were born in Hong Kong, and 27% of them were born in the country of origin. The D(ECE) program was launched in 2016 and continues its efforts to prepare EM youth as future teacher workforce. The coursework was geared toward facilitating participants’ development of knowledge and skills related to CRT, emphasizing teaching L2 Chinese. It involves ten courses (i.e., 30 credits) and a one-year practicum. The courses included building culturally responsive classrooms in a local context, understanding child development from an ecological perspective, and supporting the language development of ethnic minority children—the practicum aimed to translate their knowledge into practices in classrooms (Richardson 1990). The pre-tests were conducted at the beginning of the program (e.g., September 2022), whereas the post-test was conducted during the last course of the program (e.g., June 2022). Measures Culturally Responsive Teaching Self-Efficacy (CRTSE) (Siwatu, 2007) included items like “I am able to identify the diverse needs of my students.” Practices of Social Integration included items such as “I can organize learning activities to facilitate the mutual understanding of ethnic minority children and local students.” Practices of Family-School Collaboration included items like “I can make ethnic minority parents understand their children’s learning better through explanations.” Results To identify participants’ profiles, latent profile analyses (LPA) were conducted for Time 1 and Time 2. Examination of the profile indicator revealed that the three profiles are characterized by low (M = -1.01), medium (M = -.08), and high levels (M = .84) of CRTSE mean scores. ANOVA indicated significant mean differences between the three profiles for all the CRTSE items, Fs(2, 132) > 36.3 p < .001. The low, medium, and high profiles correspond to 25%, 41%, and 34% of the sample. To address the second research question, latent transition analysis indicated that 68 participants (50%) remained in the same profile, 46 participants (34%) moved upward to a better profile, whereas 21 participants (16%) transitioned downward to a worse profile by the end of the program. Multiple regression analyses showed that participants in the high (vs. low) profile engaged in more practices about family-school collaboration one year later.

Findings revealed different transition paths of EM youth in the three CRTSE profiles (low, medium, and high). High and medium profiles were relatively more stable over time than the low profile: More than half of the participants in the low profile moved upward to the medium profile by the end of the program. Likewise, one-third of participants in the medium profile moved upward to the high profile. Consistent with past research on CRTSE, notice teachers often showed a decline in efficacy during the first year of teaching (Hoy & Spero, 2005). Participants in the high profile may initially underestimate the complexity of teaching tasks and their ability to handle multiple tasks in multicultural classrooms. The practicum may have made them recognize the gap between their expectations and actual performance and readjust their perception of self-efficacy. Despite the decline in self-efficacy, results found that participants in the high (vs. low) profile engaged in more practices to facilitate school-family collaboration by the end of the program. This study extends the literature on CRT by examining the transition paths of CRTSE profiles among EM youth who aspired to teach at Hong Kong kindergartens. Participants in the high profile appear knowledgeable, but teaching challenges may dampen their passion. For participants in the low or medium profile, efforts would do well to focus on boosting their knowledge related to CRT practices. These findings serve as important information to policymakers, practitioners, and other stakeholders in understanding how to equip EM youth with professional capacity to support EM students and, more broadly, address cultural diversity in Hong Kong.

Census and Statistics Department Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (2018). Hong Kong poverty situation report on ethnic minorities 2016. Retrieved from https://www.povertyrelief.gov.hk/pdf/Hong%20Kong%20Poverty%20Situation%2 0Report%20on%20Ethnic%20Minorities%202016.pdf. Accessed February 10, 2023. Gao, F., & Shum, M. S. K (2010). Investigating the role of bilingual teaching assistants in Hong Kong: an exploratory study. Educational Research, 52(4), 445-456. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2010.524753 Gay, G. (2010). Culturally responsive teaching: theory, research, and practice (2nd ed.). Teachers College Press. Hoy, A. W., & Spero, R. B. (2005). Changes in teacher efficacy during the early years of teaching: A comparison of four measures. Teaching and Teacher Education, 21(4), 343–356. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2005.01.007. Ladson-Billings, G. (2014). Culturally relevant pedagogy 2.0: Aka the remix. Harvard Educational Review, 84(1), 74–84. https://doi.org/10.17763/haer.84.1.p2rj131485484751 Ng, C. S. M., Chai, W., Fok, H. K., Chan, S. P., Lam, H. C., & Chung, K. K. H. (2020). Building preschool teachers’ capacity for teaching Chinese to ethnic minority children in Hong Kong: A qualitative study. Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education, 41(3), 284-305. https://10.1080/10901027.2019.1638852 Richardson, V. (1990). Significant and worthwhile change in teaching practice. Educational Researcher, 19(7), 10-18. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X019007010 Rubie-Davies, C., Hattie, J., & Hamilton, R. (2006). Expecting the best for students: Teacher expectations and academic outcomes. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 76, 429-444. https://doi.org/10.1348/000709905X53589 Shum, M. S. K., Gao, F., Tsung, L., & Ki, W.-W. (2011). South Asian students’ Chinese language learning in Hong Kong: Motivations and strategies. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 32(3), 285–297. https://doi.org/10.1080/01434 632.2010.539693 Siwatu, K. O. (2007). Preservice teachers’ culturally responsive teaching self-efficacy and outcome expectancy beliefs. Teaching and Teacher Education, 23(7), 1086- 1101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2006.07.011 Villegas, A. M., & Irvine, J. J. (2010). Diversifying the teaching force: An examination of major arguments. Urban Review, 42(3), 175–192. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11256-010-0150-1 Yuen, C. Y. M. (2016). Enhancing early childhood schooling of South Asian children in Hong Kong: beliefs and perceptions of kindergarten teachers and principals. Early Child Development and Care, 186(3), 403-418. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2015.1036420