Instructional or Distributed Leadership for Culturally Responsive Teaching? Cross-National Analysis Using TALIS 2018

Purpose: This study provides cross-national evidence on the direct and indirect relationships between instructional leadership (IL), distributed leadership (DL), and teacher self-efficacy in multicultural classrooms (TSMC)—a critical component of culturally responsive teaching—as mediated by collective teacher innovativeness (CTI). Research Methods: Utilizing data from the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) 2018, this study employed a pooled, cross-national analysis and multilevel structural equation modeling (MSEM) to test the theoretical framework across 43 educational systems, accounting for the nested structure of the data. Findings: Results indicate that IL exerts both direct and indirect effects on TSMC, whereas DL exhibits an indirect-only effect through the cultivation of CTI. On average, IL demonstrates a greater total impact on TSMC (0.18 SD) compared to DL (0.10 SD). Conclusions: This research advances leadership theory by demonstrating how IL and DL uniquely address the challenges of increasing classroom diversity worldwide. Collectively, these prominent leadership approaches function as both a changeable instructional lever and a systemic multiplier for the development of culturally responsive practices. While distinct in their mechanisms, the findings suggest that they work in tandem to meet the educational needs of diverse and minoritized students. By leveraging this dual strategy, school leaders can effectively translate organizational capacity into enhanced teacher self-efficacy in multicultural settings.