Improving Children’s Regulation of Idiom Study: Instructions and Individual Differences

• In Event: Exploring Trends and Emergent Issues in Self-Regulation Research: A Compass for Future Inquiry

Abstract

Predictions of test performance affect subsequent restudy choices during self-regulated learning. This study investigated whether instructions to generate sentences would improve children’s (50 fourth and 41 sixth grade) predictions and restudy choices when learning idioms. Results showed that predictions improved when made a few minutes after studying all idioms, compared to immediately after studying each idiom. Grade level and working memory capacity (WMC) affected the selection of idioms for restudy. Sentence generation indeed led to the most effective regulation of study, independent of the individual differences between learners. Therefore, this seems a promising classroom instruction to improve self-regulation of study for young learners differing in cognitive capacity.

Authors

• Mariette H Van Loon, Maastricht University

• Anique De Bruin, Erasmus University

• Tamara Van Gog, Erasmus University

• Jeroen J.G. Van Merrienboer, Maastricht University