Abstract
This study investigates the impact of implementing the self-regulated strategy development plus (SRSD Plus) instructional framework, which integrates reading and writing instruction with self-regulation strategies, on preservice primary teachers' content knowledge and self-efficacy for teaching reading. The framework has shown promise in benefitting student literacy outcomes. However, its effects on educators, particularly those in training, remain underexplored. The research employed a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with 66 student teachers randomly assigned to either an experimental group, which received the SRSD Plus training and implemented the framework over their 12-week final-year practicum, or a control group that underwent a business-as-usual practicum experience. Post-intervention, the treatment group demonstrated significantly greater improvements in content knowledge for teaching reading compared to their counterparts. This was particularly evident in their ability to apply pedagogical content knowledge, translating understanding of linguistic structures and reading development into effective instructional decisions. Concurrently, their self-efficacy for teaching reading declined relative to the comparison group. This result suggests that the complexity of mastering and delivering the integrated SRSD Plus model may have heightened preservice teachers' awareness of the challenges involved in effective literacy instruction, leading to a temporary dip in confidence despite growing expertise. The study highlights the potential of the integrated literacy instruction framework to deepen preservice teachers' pedagogical content knowledge but also underscores the need for intentional support to nurture self-efficacy alongside competence. This research contributes to the broader discourse on teacher education, advocating for a balanced approach that integrates rigorous instructional models with robust mentoring and reflective practices.