Self-regulation in Learning ― The Role of Language and Formative Assessment

In their new book, Alison L. Bailey and Margaret Heritage illustrate how to help students become more self-regulated learners—that is, to be able to monitor and take charge of their own learning when working independently and in groups. Language provides the foundation for the development of self-regulatory skills, enabling students to express themselves and negotiate interactions with others; the demands of these self-regulatory processes in turn can support the development of rich vocabulary and social language skills. The authors also emphasize the role of formative assessment as a means of supporting students in engaging in language-rich, self-regulated learning.

Self-Regulation in Learning shows how classrooms can be intentionally designed to support ambitious learning. Detailed vignettes from real-life classrooms illustrate the teacher’s role in helping students gradually master the processes of self-regulation, socially shared regulation, and coregulation. Each chapter also includes strategies for addressing the needs of English learners in the general education classroom.

Students’ capacity for self-regulation is central to the set of outcomes that compose college and career readiness: communicating and collaborating effectively, problem-solving, setting goals and following through on them, and applying knowledge in deep and rigorous ways. Self-Regulation in Learning represents an invaluable contribution to research-based classroom practice.

Alison L. Bailey is a professor of human development and psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles. Margaret Heritage is an independent consultant in education focused on research and practice.