Positive Self-Talk: An Emerging Learning Strategy for Students With Learning Disabilities

Abstract

Self-monitoring has proven to be an effective strategy for improving academic performance for students with learning disabilities (LD). In addition to academics, these interventions have improved actions such as task completion, engagement, and on-task behaviors. As a supplement to self-monitoring, self-talk strategies have similar effects in exercise psychology, with added benefits such as improved self-confidence, task accuracy, persistence, and self-awareness. This column highlights the effects of positive self-talk, the addition of self-talk to self-monitoring interventions, and the importance of translating these interventions into classroom settings to improve academic and behavioral outcomes of students with LD.