Developing Self Regulation

We have begun an interesting discussion about the development of self-regulation in young children.  In this article two local author-educators talk about self-regulation, what it is and how does self-regulation develop, and whether teachers can promote children's development of self-regulation.  Here is the short but very informative article.

www.naeyc.org/files/yc/file/200803/BTJ_Primary_Interest.pdf

Of particular note is that teachers can teach self-regulation to all children; create opportunities for children to practice the rules of behavior; offer children visual and tangible reminders about self-regulation; make play and games a part of the instruction.

Additionally, there is growing evidence that self-regulation can be taught in the classroom (Blair & Razza 2007; Diamond, et al 2007).  Blair's article is titled School Readiness: Integrating cognition and emotion in a  neurobiological conceptualization of children's functioning.  The article is in American Psychologist 57(2): 111-127.  The second article is titled Preschool program improves cognitive control.  The article is in "Science" 318(5855): 1387-1388.

Reciprocal Teaching

I have never heard of a reading strategy called "reciprocal teaching".  Based on the video in EPSY 6600, I am going to make the following observations.  First, reciprocal teaching must be an instructinal strategy that takes place in the form of a dialogue between teachers and students who are reading text for meaning/comprehension.  It uses the four comprehension strategies: summarizing, question generating, clarifying, and predicting.  The teacher and students take turns assuming the role of the teacher and leading the dialogue.  Second, it appears this teaching strategy is intended for small group discussion such as a literature circle, as the video showed the strategy being administered in this way.  Finally, it appears that all the readers in the group are probably reading at the same level.  I'm wondering if struggling readers would benefit from this comprehension strategy.  It has been my experience that struggling readers need a set structure for reading comprehension and retell such as: who are the main characters, where does this story take place, what was the problem in the story, and how was the problem solved.  I can understand how for some students this would greatly improve meta-cognition, but I believe the students would have to be adequate decoders before engaging in this reading strategy.

Teaching Frogs 2 Fly

I came across this You Tube video about the importance of celebrating personal strengths and acknowledging who we are.  Check it out at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDz-XNn3xTY

I wonder if this would be useful in the classroom.

Cognitive Interference

I think I understand the term "cognitive interference".  To me that would mean distractability and classroom interruptions.  Alderman, textbook pg. 100, says "A student experiencing congitive interferene needs to avoid distracting thoughts and focus on the task.  From a skill deficit point of view, high anxiety students need study and organizational skills to overcome these deficits."  The author then refers the reader to self-regulation strategies in Chapter 5.  Then in Chapter 5, p. 169, Item 7, the author suggests "training students in time-budgeting strategies requires helping them to become aware of their use of time and to develop strategies to plan and prioritize their use of time."  So here's what I don't understand, if the student is already a high anxiety student, won't a time-budgeting strategy create more anxiety for the student? I once had a student who was diagnosed with Aspberger's Syndrome.  Any type of time management strategy send this child over the edge.  What would be a happy medium?

Is there an optimal level of efficacy beliefs?

Alderman textbook, p. 71, asks, “Is there an optimal level of efficacy beliefs?”  Bandura (1986) suggested that "the most useful efficacy judgments are those that are slightly above what a person can perform on a specific task. “ In some ways I think Bandura is right, but I also want to point out that teachers need to be careful when exposing students to slightly more difficult tasks.  I would suggest that teachers wait until both student and teacher are confident that prior learning has taken place based on the student’s performance and demonstration of the skill.  It has been my experience that when I asked a student to take on a slightly more difficult task before the student was confident in their current level of skill, two things happened.  First, the student’s initial attempts at the more difficult task failed and the student was reluctant to try again.  Second, the student did not make a “connection” between the skill that was accomplished and the new, more difficult skill.   I think we need to blend guided instruction, independent practice, along with an explanation of the “how” and the “why” before we move students to new levels of learning, and don’t forget a big dose of encouragement.

Motivating Students

This week we are discussing motivation; specifically student motivation.  This website has a lot of information about motivation and who/who does not have it.  It discusses motivating students, intrinsic/extrinsic motivation, motivating parents, motivating teachers, and notes on underachieving students.  The best part of this website, in my opinion, are the cartoons of teachers/students.  Check it out at http://reacheverychild.com/feature/motivate.htm

Learned Helplessness

Our group has been having a terrific discussion about L-H.  I'm so impressed with the link that another student sent regarding this topic http://aimhieducational.com/InclusionResources/learnedhelplessness-134.pdf

This website belongs to a seminar leader named Susan Frizzell.  I noticed she has some very useful teacher/learning resources especially about inclusion.  Speaking of inclusion, the University of Northern Iowa has a website dedicated to this topic. Find it at http://www.uni.edu/coe/inclusion/index.html

Attribution Theory-What I Have Learned

What are attributions?

The attribution theory is a cognitive theory that is centred on an individual’s personal belief system, how those beliefs affect outcomes, and influence personal expectations and behavior.  This is the theory of motivation that most directly asks the question, “Why do people do what they do?”

Where do they come from?

Sources of attributional behavior come in the form of direct and indirect cues.  A direct cue is directly related to performance-that is to say comparing one’s performance to that of others.  Indirect cues come from teachers in the form of feedback that is given to the student.  Feedback directly affects attributional behavior. Indirect cues are praise versus blame, sympathy versus anger, unsolicited help, and ability grouping.  Praise is an expression of approval, but the opposite is blame which means holding someone or something at fault. Sympathy is the capacity to mutually understand what someone is feeling, but the opposite is anger.  Anger is a feeling of extreme displeasure, hostility, or exasperation.  Unsolicited help is an attributional belief in which a teacher consistently gives a student help before it is requested thus giving the student the impression the student will not be able to complete the task.  Another indirect cue is ability grouping which tracks student’s ability and defined by labels such as high ability, honors, low-achieving, slow, average. Direct and indirect cues regarding student ability directly (and often adversely) affect the student’s perception of their own ability.

What are the functions of attributions?

 One function of attribution is self-perception, and teacher’s attributions for student performance affect student motivation and their (the students) self-perceptions.  How a student perceives him/herself is a major component of motivation.  Perceived competence, value, self-efficacy, self-worth, and goal orientation formulate a student’s belief about their own effort and ability.  Providing feedback is another function of attributions.  Teacher feedback gives students information about a growth or decline in skills.  Students make future judgments on their actual skills, and their competence via this feedback.

What can be done about debilitating attributions?

Debilitating attributions require the development of adaptive attributions.  Alderman suggests that teachers operationalize and reward effort by discussing their beliefs about effort at the beginning of the school year, give students strategies for optimizing effort such as specific memory strategies, reading comprehension strategies, practice, and seeking appropriate help.  Alderman also suggests teachers help students develop adaptive attributions by linking effort to outcome and providing appropriate feedback, suggest students document their own progress, and encourage student responsibility.

Reference

Alderman, M. K. (2008). Motivation for Achievement: Possibilities for teaching and learning. New York, NY: Routledge Inc.

Attribution Theory Link

I've been trying to wrap my head around attribution theory in an effort to better understand the "big idea." As I was on the web, I found this site.  What I liked about this document is that it scaffolds the theory so I can see the big picture.


http://webspace.ship.edu/ambart/Psy_220/attributionol.htm

Optimum Motivation

The textbook defines optimum motivation by saying it "is comprehensive, involving personal qualities of motivation and a classroom environment that supports and cultivates it."  Because my students are so young (grade K), I don't recall ever having a student who was a self-regulated learner.  Each of my students seek my attention, my emotional support and my guidance.  I'm wondering if the will to learn/personal competence comes when it is developmentally appropriate.  I also wonder if I can consciously model the will to learn for my students or will they pick up that characteristic from their interaction with me.

EPSY 6600 Class

This is my first ever blog-I'm not certain I know what I'm doing.