Journal of K-12 Educational Research 35 private general education teachers be equipped to meet the needs of students in today’s classrooms (U.S. Department of Education, 2023a; Irwin et al., 2023). Literature Review The purpose of the current study was to examine the self-efficacy of Christian school teachers serving students with dyslexia and related disorders in general education classrooms. The literature review provided context for the study with an overview of special education law and services. Background research on the specific learning disability of dyslexia and its related disorders discussed the strengths and weaknesses of students with dyslexia and related disorders by providing details of the impact of dyslexia and related disorders on student achievement. Addressing the need for self-efficacy, the literature highlighted the importance of teacher efficacy as a driver of student achievement and concluded with requirements of educator training and certification. Dyslexia and Related Disorders The first mention of the disorder known as developmental dyslexia was first noted by a British medical doctor discussing one child’s aptitude for a multitude of intelligent things, except his ability to read (Shaywitz, 1996). Initially, dyslexia was thought to be a result of a poor visual system, characterized by the reversal of letters and words thought typical for those with a demonstrated weakness or inability to read (Shaywitz, 1996). Therefore, an early treatment to correct the disorder was eye training, yet over time and upon more research, it was determined the language system is responsible for the disorder (Shaywitz, 1996). Dyslexia reflects the deficiency in processing specific language units, called phonemes, which make up the parts of all spoken and written words, where one must be able to dissect the sounds of the spoken word and attach the sound to the letter the sound represents (Ferrer et al., 2015; Shaywitz, 1996). Affecting 20% of the population, and males and females equally, dyslexic persons have a high rate of comorbidity with other disorders, such as ADHD and anxiety, as well as dysgraphia, dyscalculia, and oral and written language disorders (Shaywitz et al., 2021). Impact of Dyslexia and Related Disorders on Student Achievement One in five students in America has issues with learning and attention, and despite having average to above average intelligence, many of these students achieve below grade level (Galiastos et al., 2019). Researchers find the achievement gap in typical dyslexic readers evident as early as first grade with a persistent gap into adolescence (Ferrer et al., 2015). Related disorders also cause lower academic achievement for many students, and unidentified or unmanaged learning disabilities and disorders have the potential to create difficulty throughout a student’s life (Frolov & Schaepper, 2021). Self-efficacy Bandura et al. (1996) asserted that our emotions or moods direct our level of motivation and perseverance in the face of difficulties and setbacks, that they impact our resilience to adversity as well as our analytical thinking, and that they attribute to our triumphs and failures, as well as to our tendencies toward stress and depression. Emotional states of an organization, like schools, influence analysis and response to challenges, which add to perceptions of ability or incompetence, just as individuals react to anxiety or stress and assign self-efficacy (Hoogsteen, 2020). Research indicates low teacher self-efficacy yields negative emotion (Buric et al., 2020), and higher selfefficacy creates calm environments, which helps focus students and foster productivity (Chen & Yang, 2018). Impact of Teacher Efficacy on Student Achievement Low performance outcomes of students with dyslexia and other related disorders are not a true indicator of intellectual ability; in fact, many of the 1 in 5 students are more gifted than their peers in a variety of skillsets vital to the success of society (Galiastos et al., 2019). Students who struggle in school or socially because of their disabilities demonstrate grit in the face of adversity, empathy as a byproduct of their own experiences, courage to take risks, and a confidence built from selfadvocacy (Kelly, 2023). Students who previously fell in the 1 in 5 category, now successful young adults, credit teachers who understood them and who held them in high regard, as well as to high expectations (Galiastos et
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