Understanding Children's Self-Regulation Within Different Classroom Contexts

• In Event: 66.080 - Roundtable Session 26
  In Roundtable Session: 66.080-15 - External Influences on Early Social-Emotional Development

Abstract

Children’s self-regulation was observed in social, academic and play contexts during whole group, small group, transition and play activities in kindergarten. We examined how children’s self-regulation and engagement differed among classroom contexts. Furthermore, we sought to understand whether there were differences in the distribution of the number of interactions children have with other children and educators across activities. The results of the self-regulation and engagement analyses reveal that kindergarten students were most engaged and responded to opportunities towards self-regulation significantly more often in small group and play contexts. Child-child interaction results demonstrate that children interact significantly more often with other children in social activities compared with academic and play activities. There were no differences in the number of child-educator interactions.

Authors

• Kristy Timmons, Queen's University

• Janette P. Pelletier, University of Toronto

• Carl M. Corter, University of Toronto - OISE