Self-Regulated Strategy Development Instruction Research Articles

Instructional Coaches in Elementary Settings: Writing the Wave to Success with Self-Regulated Strategy Development for the Informational Genre

Self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) is an evidence-based practice for writing that is effective in improving the writing performance of elementary students with learning disabilities and the broader student population. In this manuscript, we provide guidance for elementary instructional coaches in facilitating a schoolwide adoption of SRSD for writing instruction. We outline the steps for instructional coaches to conduct practice-based professional development and then discuss ways instructional coaches can support teachers and oversee schoolwide SRSD implementation. Finally, we present ways that instructional coaches can be a valuable resource for teachers in differentiating SRSD instruction to meet students’ needs and to track students’ growth. By fostering a schoolwide implementation, coaches can harness the power of additive knowledge, increase teacher knowledge of evidence-based pedagogical practices, and increase the writing skills of all students, including those with learning disabilities.

The Effects of Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) Instruction on EFL Learners’ Autonomy and Writing Proficiency

This quasi-experimental study investigated the effects of self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) instruction on learners’ autonomy and writing proficiency in a university-level English program in Indonesia. Two intact classes of English students were involved in the study. They were in their second semester learning English Writing, a compulsory topic in their department. Within one semester, participants in the experiment group were trained with SRSD to improve their autonomous learning and writing proficiency. A comparison group learning the same topic without the SRSD training was also assigned. Data were gathered in two ways: a questionnaire for assessing learners’ autonomy and pretest and posttest writing tasks for assessing writing proficiency. Jamovi Software, an open-access statistical tool, was used to analyse the data. The results showed that the experiment groups' learning autonomy and writing proficiency improved significantly and outperformed the control group. The effect sizes of the analysis ranged from medium to large. The study’s results contribute to research and practice on EFL learners’ autonomy and writing development by strengthening claims regarding the relationship between SRSD instruction, autonomy, and writing proficiency.

The Effects of Self-Regulated Strategy Development on Writing Skill and Self-Regulated Learning of Thai High School Students

This study was conducted to examine the effects of self-regulated strategy development, an intervention designed to teach writing skills through six steps and four self-regulation skills, on academic English writing skills and self-regulated learning. Additionally, the aim is also to investigate attitudes towards the instruction. Mastering the skills of writing is a challenging task since it requires several integrated skills. There exist several complex difficulties in, for example, creating content, organizing structure, applying writing mechanics, and completing the revision process. Thus, the essential factor is writing instruction which helps learners improve their writing skills. The participants were eleven pre-intermediate students at a senior high school in Thailand who were explicitly taught by self-regulated strategy development instruction in a process consisting of six recursive stages and four self-regulation skill stages. To gather quantitative data, a pretest and posttest were employed. Moreover, to obtain qualitative data regarding the students’ attitudes toward the instruction, a semi-structured interview was used. The findings revealed that the academic writing ability and self-regulation skills of Thai high school students can be enhanced by self-regulated strategy development and that students show positive attitudes towards this type of instruction.

Yes, they can: Developing transcription skills and oral language in tandem with SRSD instruction on close reading of science text to write informative essays at grades 1 and 2

This randomized controlled trial with first- and second-grade students is the first experimental study addressing long-running disagreements about whether primary grade students should develop transcription and oral language abilities before learning to compose. It is also the first study at these grade levels to teach close reading (using science text aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards) to plan and write a timed informative essay. Theoretically and evidence-based multi-component writing instruction was developed, termed “Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) Plus.” SRSD Plus integrates evidence-based practices for transcription (handwriting and spelling) and oral language skills (vocabulary and sentence structure) with SRSD instruction for close reading to learn and then write informative essays. A total of 93 children in Grade 1 (n = 46, 50% female) and Grade 2 (n = 47, 51% female) in a high poverty school participated in the study (50% boys; mean age = 6.68; SD = 0.48). Students were randomly assigned to either teacher-led SRSD Plus or business-as-usual (writers workshop) condition within class in each grade. SRSD Plus was implemented with small groups for 45 min, three times a week, for 10 weeks. Outcomes examined included: instructional fidelity, spelling, handwriting fluency, vocabulary, sentence proficiency, discourse knowledge, planning, writing quality, structural elements in informative essays, number of words written, use of transition words, expository text comprehension, and use of source text. Results showed moderate to large effect sizes in writing outcomes, oral language skills (vocabulary and sentence proficiency), spelling, and discourse knowledge. Differential effects due to grade, gender, and race are examined, and directions for future research are discussed.

The impact of combining SRSD instruction with a brief growth mindset intervention on sixth graders’ writing motivation and performance

Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) is an evidence-based instructional approach combining background knowledge, writing, and self-regulation strategies to improve students’ writing motivation and performance. While the positive impact of SRSD on writing performance variables is well-established, mixed findings were found for motivational variables, namely self-efficacy. In addition, the impact of SRSD on motivational constructs other than self-efficacy—such as implicit theories—has received considerably less attention. In this study, we examined the impact of an SRSD instructional program about opinion text writing on two extensively studied writing performance variables (i.e., text quality and text length) and on two motivational variables (i.e., self-efficacy and implicit theories). Moreover, we tested whether adding a brief growth mindset intervention to SRSD instruction would result in gains in writing motivation and performance. To this end, we enrolled 191 sixth graders, from 11 classes, and their Portuguese language teachers to participate in a six-week intervention study. Using a quasi-experimental design, the classes were assigned to one of three conditions: (a) an active control condition (three classes); (b) an SRSD group (four classes); (c) an SRSD plus growth mindset intervention group (henceforth, SRSD + GM; four classes). Our results showed that both the SRSD and the SRSD + GM generally did not significantly differ from the active control group in self-efficacy and implicit theories of writing at posttest. The only exception was self-efficacy for ideation. Of note, the SRSD and the SRSD + GM groups outperformed the active control group in terms of text quality and text length. Our findings did not reveal an added value of a brief growth mindset intervention for SRSD instruction. Overall, our study showed that a six-week SRSD instructional program was effective in improving students’ self-efficacy for ideation and writing performance. However, the brief nature of both SRSD and mindset interventions may have precluded a broader positive impact on motivational beliefs, such as self-efficacy for conventions, self-efficacy for self-regulation, and implicit theories.

Response to Intervention in Virtual Classrooms with Beginning Writers

During the COVID pandemic, two virtual classes of Grade 1 students learned to write personal narratives in a Response to Intervention framework. Classroom teachers delivered Tier 1 Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) in personal narrative writing to 67% of students. A research associate provided Tier 2 SRSD instruction in personal narrative writing, with reteaching, support and feedback, and ad hoc remediation of handwriting and spelling, to eight students. Then, because three of the Tier 2 students were frequently absent or disengaged, the research associate delivered Tier 3 individual instruction to them. Students in both Tier 1 and Tier 2 instruction made large, statistically significant gains in text quality. Tier 3 students did not make significant gains. Partial correlations, observations during teaching, and teacher interviews suggest that attendance, spelling level, and discourse knowledge affected learning. Teachers identified strengths and limitations of SRSD, Response to Intervention and the specific materials used. The results indicate that in an online setting, SRSD, delivered in a brief RTI format, is effective for improving written expression for typically developing beginning writers and some struggling writers, but that some struggling writers require additional intervention.

Teacher-implemented self-regulated strategy development instruction for story writing with year 2 students in Aotearoa/New Zealand: A mixed methods study

This mixed methods study investigated the effectiveness and social validity of a teacher-implemented story writing intervention in a primary school in Aotearoa/New Zealand. A quasi-experiment indicated students who received the intervention showed higher gains in holistic quality, number and quality of story elements, and total words written compared to students who received their regular instruction. In an interview, the teacher indicated the intervention was appropriate to meet the needs of the students, had acceptable procedures, and meaningful outcomes. Thus, the quantitative and qualitative data converged to indicate the intervention was effective and had social validity.

Using systematic screening to identify students with academic and behavioral challenges for strategy instruction

Students with both academic and behavioral risk factors can benefit from participation in self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) instruction. Educators can use systematic screening procedures as part of effective data-informed decision making for identifying students who could benefit from SRSD. In this manuscript we detail screening procedures for both academic and behavioral risk factors to connect identified students with SRSD instruction. Recommendations for screening practices are provided including future directions for research.

Impacts of Self-Regulated Strategy Development-Based Revision Instruction on English-as-a-Foreign-Language Students' Self-Efficacy for Text Revision: A Mixed-Methods Study.

This mixed-methods study investigated the impacts of the self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) model on the self-efficacy of students for text revision in English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) writing at the tertiary level. An SRSD treatment group and a comparison group were involved in this quasi-experimental design research. Both groups completed a self-efficacy scale before and after the instruction, and six SRSD-trained students participated in pre- and post-test interviews. The quantitative analyses did not detect any significant differences between groups, suggesting that the SRSD instruction did not influence the self-efficacy of participants for text revision. The qualitative findings provided insights into the quantitative results. The interview data indicated that the interviewees might have overestimated their revision abilities before instruction and, with the relatively more accurate estimation of their abilities resulting from receiving the SRSD instruction, the over-time comparison of their responses to the self-efficacy scale did not reveal any statistically significant changes. Our findings suggest that students might have recorded evidence of closer calibration between judgments of their revision abilities and their actual performance after SRSD instruction. The implications of the findings were discussed and directions for further studies were provided.

A 17-Week Teacher-Implemented Story Writing Intervention With Year 2 Students in New Zealand: A Mixed Methods Study

We investigated the effectiveness and social validity of a 17-week teacher-implemented whole-class Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) story writing intervention with 6–7-year-old students in New Zealand. We used a mixed methods intervention design. In the quantitative strand, we conducted a quasi-experiment in which students either received SRSD writing instruction or their regular writing instruction. We collected student writing samples before and after the intervention and teachers completed a social validity questionnaire after the intervention. A mixed-model ANOVA with SRSD instruction as the between-subject variable and time as the within-subject variable indicated that students in the treatment group had higher quality stories (ES = 0.97), included more essential story writing components (ES = 1.61), and wrote longer stories (ES = 1.06), after the intervention than students in the comparison group. In the qualitative strand, we interviewed the classroom teachers to gain deeper understandings of their perceptions of the social validity of the intervention. They indicated that the intervention was appropriate to meet their goals, was beneficial for the students, and they enjoyed implementing the intervention. Thus, the intervention was effective and teachers perceived it to have social validity. Limitations and future directions are discussed.

Writing Motivation in School: a Systematic Review of Empirical Research in the Early Twenty-First Century

Motivation is a catalyst of writing performance in school. In this article, we report a systematic review of empirical studies on writing motivation conducted in school settings, published between 2000 and 2018 in peer-reviewed journals. We aimed to (1) examine how motivational constructs have been defined in writing research; (2) analyze group differences in writing motivation; (3) unveil effects of motivation on writing performance; (4) gather evidence on teaching practices supporting writing motivation; and (5) examine the impact of digital tools on writing motivation. Through database and hand searches, we located 82 articles that met eligibility criteria. Articles were written in English, focused on students in grades 1–12, and included at least one quantitative or qualitative measure of writing motivation. Across the 82 studies, 24 motivation-related constructs were identified. In 46% of the cases, these constructs were unclearly defined or not defined. Studies showed that overall girls were more motivated to write than boys. Most studies indicated moderate positive associations between motivation and writing performance measures. Authors also examined how students’ writing motivation was influenced by teaching practices, such as handwriting instruction, self-regulated strategy development instruction, and collaborative writing. Digital tools were found to have a positive effect on motivation. Based on this review, we suggest that to move the field forward, researchers need to accurately define motivational constructs; give further attention to understudied motivational constructs; examine both individual and contextual factors; conduct longitudinal studies; identify evidence-based practices that could inform professional development programs for teachers; and test long-term effects of digital tools.

Does It Function? Adapting visual mnemonics and self-regulated strategy instruction to teach argumentative writing

This investigation sought to answer the question, "How does an evidence-based teaching technique improve students' abilities to develop persuasive writing and utilize self-control tactics?" about ninth-grade pupils. In two Portuguese classrooms, The Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) paradigm was used for various planning and writing procedures for argumentative works. SRSD stands for the creation of self-controlled strategies. Utilizing mnemonic devices is a need for the model to facilitate training effectively. The incremental advantages of using dual-coding mnemonics were apparent when SRSD training was eventually implemented (that is, visual and verbal mnemonics) were investigated. This was done as a direct result of the above statement. The first group's SRSD training consisted of verbal and visual mnemonics (a total of 23 participants). During the SRSD lesson given to the second group (which had a total of 25 participants), verbal mnemonics were the only kind employed. A comparison was made between the groups and a group of 25 people serving as control which had no prior exposure to the received conventional instruction in writing. The following findings were supported to a considerable degree by the evidence: Writing quality, idea development, organizing, language clarity, and spontaneity of planning were all enhanced by using dual-coding mnemonics and SRSD teaching respectively. SRSD instruction also improved writing quality, organizing, and spontaneity of planning. b) The results of national tests administered 15 weeks following the teaching demonstrated that the improved SRSD procedures were effective. a) The organization of the writing was better, as was its spontaneity. b) The instruction provided by SRSD led to improvements in the planning and structure of improvisational writing. We will talk about the processes involved in modifying SRSD training to teach argumentative writing from the perspective of a particular culture. We will also examine the possible additional advantages of incorporating visual mnemonics into the standard daily SRSD training program.

A College Entrance Essay Exam Intervention for Students With High-Incidence Disabilities and Struggling Writers

High school students with high-incidence disabilities and struggling writers face considerable challenges when taking writing assessments designed for college entrance. This study examined the effectiveness of a writing intervention for improving students’ performance on a college entrance exam, the writing assessment for the ACT. Students were taught a planning and composing strategy for successfully taking this test using the self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) model. A true-experiment was conducted where 20 high school students were randomly assigned to a treatment ( n = 10) or control ( n = 10) condition. Control students received ACT math preparation. SRSD instruction statistically enhanced students’ planning, the quality of their written text (including ideas and analysis, development and support, organization, and language use), the inclusion of argumentative elements in their compositions, and the use of transition words in written text. Limitations of the study, future research, and implications for practice are discussed.

Promoting Self-Advocacy Through Persuasive Writing for English Learners With Learning Disabilities

Constructing written text in English can be a challenging endeavor for all students, but it holds particular challenges for English Language Learners (ELLs) with learning disabilities (LD). For this reason, effective instruction needs to recognize the gifts of emergent bilingualism and respond to the challenges that ELLs with LD bring to the task of writing. In this article, we explore the benefits of using self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) writing instruction and establish its relevance for supporting the diverse strengths and needs of ELLs with LD in rural settings. First, we highlight the benefits of SRSD instruction. Then, we offer three main connections between the SRSD framework and research-based practices for teaching ELLs in general. Subsequently, we describe ways to individualize SRSD instruction to meet the needs of ELLs with LD. Finally, we walk through an instructional sequence (including lesson plans and scaffolds) to demonstrate how SRSD persuasive writing instruction can be used to promote self-advocacy skills in rural classrooms that include ELLs with LD.

The effectiveness of self-regulated strategy development instruction for improving writing abilities in a school-age child with cochlear implants: A single subject research design study

ABSTRACT Objectives: The two-fold purpose of this feasibility study was to determine if (a) self-regulated strategy development intervention would improve the writing skills of a child who uses cochlear implants and (b) if self-regulated strategy development intervention would improve the reading comprehension skills of a child who uses cochlear implants. Methods: One eleven year-old child with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss who utilised bilateral cochlear implants participated in this single-subject, multiple baseline across behaviours design treatment study which examined the effectiveness of using writing intervention to improve reading comprehension in children who are deaf. The participant completed three seven-week writing interventions focused on narratives, opinion essays, and persuasive essays. The participant also completed progress monitoring in baseline, intervention, and maintenance conditions for each behaviour. Intervention was delivered one-on-one for 60 min one day per week. Results: Visual analysis of progress monitoring data indicated that writing performance improved in two out of the three styles of writing throughout the intervention and that the improvement for those two areas was maintained after intervention was complete. Comparison of pre- and post-test measures of reading comprehension indicated that the writing intervention was effective for improving reading comprehension for the participant. Conclusion: Self-regulated strategy development writing intervention may be a beneficial intervention strategy to improve writing skills, and potentially reading comprehension skills, in children who are deaf and use cochlear implants.

Effectiveness of volunteer-led strategy instruction on the story writing of third grade students experiencing difficulties learning to write

Teaching students strategies for carrying out writing processes has been an effective method for improving children’s writing, especially when the Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) model is used to teach writing strategies. While this is an effective approach, particularly with students who experience difficulty learning to write, it is a complex and time consuming process. This study examined if supplemental SRSD instruction in writing can be delivered effectively by adult volunteers. Adult volunteers can potentially provide teachers with assistance in making sure struggling writers receive the supplementary instruction needed to be successful. Three adult volunteers delivered SRSD instruction for story writing to six third-grade students’ experiencing difficulty learning to write. A multiple-probe design was used to assess the effectiveness of SRSD instruction. Volunteers were able to deliver instruction with high levels of treatment fidelity. Even more importantly, students’ writing improved. All students demonstrated increases in the number of essential elements included in stories and the quality of their stories improved as well.

Persuasive Quick-Writing about Text: Intervention for Students with Learning Disabilities.

Researchers examined the effects of self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) to teach students with learning disabilities (LD) to compose persuasive quick-writing about text. The study included a multiple-baseline design with multiple probes for eight students with LD in grades four and five. Researchers observed a functional relationship by systematically replicating the intervention across all student participants. Following SRSD instruction for paraphrasing text and persuasive quick-writing, students increased their persuasive writing outcomes. Improvements were also noted for essay quality and writing length. Implications for future integrated writing and reading interventions are provided.

Evaluating a self-regulated strategy development reading-comprehension intervention for emerging bilingual students with learning disabilities

Simultaneous development of academic language and reading comprehension is critical for emerging bilingual students’ academic success. With a focus on reading comprehension, this study extends the research on self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) to include emerging bilingual students with learning disabilities. Through a multiple probe across participants design, researchers evaluated effects of instruction on fifth-grade participants’ use of reading-comprehension strategies and accuracy with comprehension-question answering. Intervention sessions lasted 32 minutes and met for 61 consecutive school days. Visual analyses indicated level changes and a functional relation between SRSD instruction and scores depicting strategy use and question-answering accuracy. Furthermore, participants reported high satisfaction with the goals, procedures, and outcomes of the intervention. Implications for supporting emerging bilingual students with learning disabilities are discussed.

‘Does It Work?’ Adapting Evidence-Based Practices to Teach Argumentative Writing

The current study examined the impact of adapting an evidence-based instructional approach to develop ninth-grade students’ argumentative writing and self-regulated strategy use. Following the Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) model, strategies to plan and write argumentative texts were implemented in two Portuguese classrooms. The model relies heavily on the use of mnemonic strategies to support instruction. Thus, incremental effects of using dual-coding mnemonics (i.e., visual and verbal mnemonics) were explored when implementing SRSD instruction. For the first group (n = 23), SRSD instruction included verbal and visual mnemonics; for the second group (n = 25), SRSD instruction included verbal mnemonics alone. Groups were compared with a control group (n= 25) receiving standard writing instruction.The following findings were significant: a) SRSD instruction increased writing quality, organising, and spontaneous planning; b) dual-coding mnemonics enhanced writing quality, development of ideas, organising, language clarity, and spontaneous planning; c) national exams completed 15 weeks after instruction reinforced the effectiveness of the adapted SRSD strategies. The process of culturally adapting and implementing SRSD instruction to teach argumentative writing will be discussed, including the potential incremental effects of adding visual mnemonics to the SRSD instructional routine.

Answering the challenge: SRSD instruction for close reading of text to write to persuade with 4th and 5th Grade students experiencing writing difficulties

We designed and investigated the first set of instructional procedures we are aware of to teach 4th and 5th grade students how to write a persuasive essay following close reading of a source text. Eight boys and girls attending a diverse, low income school who were having difficulty learning to write participated in an experimental multiple-baseline design study. Self-regulated strategy development instruction for close reading of informational text and writing to persuade was situated in the writing process and included discussion, modeling, explicit instruction, scaffolding, collaboration among peers and with teachers, self-regulation of the writing process and affect, and additional components and characteristics. Outcome measures included genre elements, holistic quality, number of words written, and complexity of plans for writing. All students showed meaningful gains on the writing outcomes, with the exception of length, which varied, as predicted. Limitations and directions for future research are considered.