Nearly one in four Australian students come from a language background other than English (ABS, 2022), yet teacher shortages persist, particularly in schools serving culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities (AITSL, 2025). Teachers in these settings navigate language barriers, cultural differences, and varied student support needs, intensifying everyday complexity (Schweitzer et al., 2021) and contributing to elevated emotional demands, stress, and reduced wellbeing and retention (Cruz et al., 2020; Yin et al., 2019). Similar patterns are found across Europe, where migration and refugee settlement have reshaped school demographics, placing additional pressure on teacher preparedness, emotional labour, and workforce stability (European Commission, 2023). Despite policy attention, only 20% of European teachers receive cultural responsiveness training, leaving many underprepared for inclusive pedagogy and exposed to emotional demands when supporting students facing discrimination or trauma.While European reforms embed intercultural curricula and assessment adaptations, teachers remain frontline responders to student discrimination, trauma, and exclusion, sustaining high emotional demands (European Commission, 2023).

Cultural responsiveness (CR), encompassing teachers' beliefs, self-efficacy, everyday practices, and engagement in targeted professional learning, is a core lever for equity in CALD classrooms, drawing on students' cultural and linguistic strengths to support belonging and participation (Gay, 2013; Comstock et al., 2023; Hilliard et al., 2024). However, uneven access to quality professional development and limited specialist support constrain teachers' capacity to adapt instruction (Szelei et al., 2020; Tualaulelei & Halse, 2021). Generic training may increase uncertainty, while confidence in CR practice strengthens instructional clarity, student relationships, and morale (Darling-Hammond, 2017; Comstock et al., 2023; Premachandran, 2025).

Teacher wellbeing is a global concern (OECD, 2020; WHO & UNESCO, 2021). Stress and emotional labour (EL) contribute significantly to burnout and attrition (Australian Government, 2022b; Rahimi & Arnold, 2024). Teachers in CALD settings often regulate emotional displays to maintain classroom stability while juggling diverse learning needs (Kariou et al., 2021). Stress accumulates when expectations exceed resources, and underprepared teachers report higher stress and EL (Tatar & Horenczyk, 2003). Systemic drivers, including funding shortfalls, limited interpreters, and inconsistent assessment adaptation processes, intensify pressure and shape school norms (Darling-Hammond, 2017). While surface acting increases emotional exhaustion, deep acting and authentic expression support healthier classroom climates but require adequate preparation and collegial support (Smith et al., 2025).

Culturally responsive practices and strong occupational commitment support teacher retention in CALD schools (AITSL, 2025; Comstock et al., 2023). Self-efficacy is associated with stronger commitment and lower quitting intentions, whereas stress and EL reduce commitment (Klassen & Chiu, 2011). While the importance of culturally responsive education is increasingly recognized, limited empirical understanding exists of how CR, EL, and stress interact to shape teachers' occupational commitment in CALD contexts.

This study investigates relationships between CR, EL, stress, and occupational commitment in teachers working in CALD schools across Australia, examining both quantitative patterns and teachers' lived experiences. Drawing on Vygotsky's (1978) sociocultural theory and the Self-Care Matrix (El-Osta et al., 2019), the study conceptualizes teacher wellbeing as relational, contextually embedded, and shaped by institutional supports and professional environments.

Research questions: (1) What are the relationships between cultural responsiveness, emotional labour, stress, and occupational commitment in CALD schools? (2) What do teachers say about their CR capacities, stress, EL, and commitment?

Identifying practice-ready levers such as targeted professional learning, specialist staffing, role design, and assessment policy can strengthen supportive teaching environments and improve retention in schools most in need of stability (AITSL, 2025; Comstock et al., 2023; Rahimi & Arnold, 2024). These findings hold relevance for European contexts facing similar challenges in supporting teachers within increasingly diverse educational settings.

This mixed-methods study used a cross-sectional survey design to investigate relationships between cultural responsiveness, emotional labour, stress, and occupational commitment among teachers in culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) schools across Australia. Participants (n=120) were primary and secondary teachers working in schools with significant CALD student populations across Australian states and territories. Recruitment occurred through professional networks, teacher associations, and direct school outreach. The survey comprised four validated scales: Occupational Commitment (Klassen & Chiu, 2011): A 9-item scale assessing commitment to the profession (6 items) and intentions to quit (3 items), with higher scores indicating stronger commitment. Cultural Responsiveness (Comstock et al., 2023): A 28-item measure with four subscales. The CR Teaching Scale (9 items) measures frequency of culturally responsive practices on a 4-point scale. The CR Teaching Self-Efficacy Scale (8 items) assesses confidence in implementing CR practices, rated 0 (no confidence) to 10 (complete confidence). The CR Teaching Beliefs Scale (5 items) examines beliefs about cultural diversity and inclusive pedagogy on a 6-point Likert scale. The Professional Learning subscale (6 items) evaluates engagement with CR-focused professional development on a 4-point scale. Job Stress (Klassen & Chiu, 2011): A 5-item measure assessing stress from four specific sources (workload, student behaviour, time pressure, administrative demands) plus one overall item: "I find teaching to be stressful." Items rated 1 (no stress) to 9 (extreme stress). Teacher Emotional Labour in Classroom (Ma et al., 2023): A 17-item scale measuring four dimensions: surface acting (displaying unfelt emotions), deep acting (genuinely modifying feelings), expression of naturally felt emotions, and emotional termination (suppressing expression). Items rated on a 5-point Likert scale. Three open-ended questions complemented quantitative measures: (1) "How useful is cultural responsiveness professional learning to your teaching?" (2) "When teaching CALD students, what aspects do you find most stressful or not stressful?" (3) "When your true feelings are inconsistent with required emotions for teaching CALD students, what do you do to adjust your emotions?" Quantitative data will be analysed using descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, and regression modeling to examine relationships between constructs. Qualitative responses will undergo thematic analysis to identify patterns in teachers' experiences and mechanisms through which CR capacities, professional support, and emotional demands shape teacher wellbeing and retention in CALD schools.

The respondents were predominantly female (56%), and young, with the largest age group being 30–39 years (36%), followed by 20–29 years (29%). Many were early career teachers, with 41% having five years or less experience, and a further 25% reporting six to ten years in the profession. Initial results indicate considerable ambivalence toward the profession. Around 60% had positive feelings about quitting, and nearly 40% intended to leave teaching. While 54% still wanted a career in teaching, 40% stated they would not choose the profession again. Stress levels were high: 90% reported stress from student lack of effort, and maintaining discipline caused moderate to very high stress for a substantial proportion. Emotional labour was evident, with almost 60% agreeing they “put on a mask” while teaching and nearly half acknowledging that their displayed emotions did not match their internal feelings. Most teachers engaged in culturally responsive practices such as adapting instruction, analysing materials for bias, or using students’ cultural backgrounds to support learning. Approximately three quarters of teachers expressed confidence in adapting instruction, using varied methods, and applying developmentally appropriate practices for their students. Most respondents (92%) agreed that culturally responsive practice and respect for diversity are essential for inclusive classrooms. However, professional learning opportunities appeared limited, only 6% agreeing that training challenged biases, and most reporting only small to moderate improvements in practice. Results reveal teachers experiencing high stress and emotional strain yet maintaining strong commitment to culturally responsive practice despite limited professional learning support. Teachers value inclusivity but face significant pressures influencing wellbeing and retention. Further recruitment of 130 teachers is planned to strengthen analytical rigor and interpretive depth.

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