8 - Child Self-Regulation

Abstract

This chapter discusses the value of utilizing a student- or child-directed learning approach. It begins with a discussion of the benefits of this approach. Following this, it describes the characteristics of student-directed learning strategies. Thereafter, it presents the recommended assessment approaches. In particular, a self-regulated problem-solving model is presented. Subsequently, the chapter discusses recommendations to promote self-regulation. These strategies provide students with increased opportunities to literally regulate their own learning and development. Once students can understand the dynamic connectivity of the self-regulation strategies, they are likely to increasingly realize how much control over the learning process they have. Many students with disabilities experience little control over their own learning. They have a restricted sense of self-efficacy and do not believe that they have control over the learning outcomes. Based on a history of negative experiences at school, they do not believe that they have the capacity to consistently produce a desired learning outcome. Most importantly, they do not know how to modify or adjust their behavior to achieve these goals. Success involves the interaction of opportunity and capacity. Self-regulation provides students with the tools to maximize their capacity to assess existing opportunity and to determine if and how gain can be derived. Self-regulation seeks, in part, to teach this relationship and, in doing so, allows the student to achieve a level of engagement and motivation infrequently experienced.