Self-Regulating Learning Strategies for Students with Learning Differences
Graduation Date
Spring 2006
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Document Form
Degree Name
Master of Science
Program Name
Education
Program Director
Madalienne F. Peters, EdD
Abstract
Students with learning differences often progress through school with little or no self-awareness of their own learning styles, and do not understand how their learning differences are affecting their learning. Often students with learning differences lack self-regulation. The purpose of this research is to explore how self-regulated learning might be taught to students with learning differences in classrooms where demystification of learning differences occurs. Review of the literature includes discussions of the determiners of self-regulated learning, the process of demystifying learning differences, and offers instructional methods for teachers who want to help their students become more self-regulatory. The subjects in this study include students in my fifth grade class whose progress was observed through their goal setting, strategy use, and goal achieving process. I found that students with learning differences were able to self-regulate over time when they planned and used strategies and reflected on their progress daily. After five weeks, the goal became internalized. Teachers can help students in their care become self-regulatory by demystifying the student’s learning difference, and by employing strategy use to develop motivation, self-efficacy, and self-determination to help students reach their goals.