Relations Between Teachers' Instructions and Elementary School Students' Monitoring and Regulation of Learning

• In Event: Classroom Observation Protocols in Multiple Learning Settings

Abstract

Many children lack the ability to monitor and regulate learning, and need support with this in the classroom. We investigated how teachers’ instructions can benefit children’s (2nd and 4th grade) performance, monitoring, and regulation. Teachers (n = 21) were observed when instructing a cryptography task. After following teacher instructions, children (n= 287) took a test, monitored performance, and selected items for restudy. Restudy selections were more adaptive for 4th than for 2nd graders. Teacher instructions to associate, use lists, and plan time benefited performance. Instructions to focus on task goals, search information, evaluate strategies, and correct errors had beneficial effects on monitoring and regulation. Findings suggest that teachers influence children’s monitoring accuracy and regulation of learning.

Authors

• Mariette Van Loon, University of Bern

• Natalie Guggisberg

• Martina Steiner, University of Bern

• Claudia Roebers, University of Bern