03/10/2026
By Zakkiyya Witherspoon

The School of Education invites you to attend a doctoral dissertation defense by Rosalyn Han “Bridging the Gap: An Improvement Science Study of Increasing Teacher Self-Efficacy to Advance Equity for Multilingual Learners in an International School."

Candidate: Rosalyn Han
Degree: Doctoral- Ed.D. Leadership in Schooling
Defense Date: March 21, 2026
Time: 9 a.m.
Location: Via Zoom
Thesis/Dissertation Title: Bridging the Gap: An Improvement Science Study of Increasing Teacher Self-Efficacy to Advance Equity for Multilingual Learners in an International School

Dissertation Committee

  • Chair: Michelle Scribner, Ed.D., Clinical Professor, School of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Committee Member: Christina Whittlesey, Ph.D., Adjunct Professor, School of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Committee Member: Tara Goodhue, Ed.D., Adjunct Professor, School of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Abstract
Multilingual learners (MLs) in English-medium schools often experience inequitable access to grade-level curriculum when academic language demands are not explicitly addressed. In a private international school in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), approximately 20% of students required additional linguistic support, yet scaffolding was implemented inconsistently. This Dissertation-in-Practice examined whether increasing teacher self-efficacy could improve equitable instructional conditions. The study addressed two research questions: (1) To what extent does participation in a professional development (PD) workshop using on Long-Term Success for Experienced Multilinguals (Huynh & Skelton, 2023) affect secondary teachers’ self-efficacy as measured by the ELL Education Self-Efficacy Scale (Fu & Wang, 2021)? and (2) Which components of the intervention were perceived as most influential in affecting teachers’ self-efficacy in teaching MLs? Using improvement science to diagnose root causes and test a targeted change idea, a four-week PD intervention was evaluated through a Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle. Three secondary teachers participated in a concurrent mixed-methods study. Quantitative findings demonstrated a 24% increase in self-efficacy, surpassing the study’s aim. Qualitative findings revealed increased self-efficacy through the use of explicit linguistic scaffolds, shifts toward asset-based perspectives, and valuing collaborative learning. Limitations include the small, voluntary sample, short timeline, reliance on self-reported data, and the researcher’s positionality. Findings suggest that schools should prioritize sustained, collaborative professional learning aligned with leadership expectations and protected planning structures to strengthen teachers’ self-efficacy and equitable access for multilingual learners.
Keywords: multilingual learners, teacher self-efficacy, improvement science, international schools, United Arab Emirates, professional development, equity