Exploring Teachers’ Actions to Promote Self-Regulated Learning Practices in Primary School

Abstract

Research highlights the importance of designing primary school classroom environments that promote self-regulated learning (SRL). Teachers play a crucial part as learning process facilitators in the development of pupils’ self-regulated learning competence and skills. The aim of this study was to explore teachers’ actions towards the development of self-regulated learning practices in primary school. The results of a survey of 399 primary school teachers in Brussels and the surrounding area (Belgium, Europe) are presented. Findings appeared to be consistent with theoretical assumptions about the development of self-regulated learning suggesting that teachers gradually introduce SRL over primary school grades. When comparing both groups of teachers scoring high and low in stimulating pupils’ self-regulated learning, similar patterns of SRL encouragement were recorded. Furthermore, teachers were found to promote self-regulated learning as a total concept with a comparable emphasis on all phases of the self-regulated learning process. The adjustment of the teaching environment was found to be similar in all grades and for both high and low self-regulated learning practices.

Keywords::

• self-regulated learning
• teacher intervention
• motivation
• teaching environment