CHAPTER 4 DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
4.3 DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF QUALITATIVE DATA
4.3.2 Theme 2: Knowledge and beliefs of how self-regulated learning is
4.3.2.3 Sub-theme 3: Self-regulated learning development in self-reflection
encourage them to learn. The participants also mentioned that there must be classroom rules that instil discipline and responsibility among learners.
In the next section, the participants’ perspectives on how they develop SRL in the reflection phase are discussed.
(ii) Reflection
The majority of participants (P1S1, P3S1, P4S1, P1S2, P5S2, P1S3, P2S3, P3S3, P5S3) revealed that they teach their learners to reflect on the activities they have been given in class.
The participants reported that they use opportunities to encourage learners to use reflection as a tool to monitor their own progress, plan how they can improve, and attain the goals they set. The following are some of the participants’ responses on how they develop the SRL skill of reflection:
…I normally ask them to show me the steps how did he/she reach the answer so that I can be able to fit into the problem and understand how he/she went wrong or right and know how to remedy the wrong (P3S1)
I ask learners to use something like a questionnaire to assess themselves if this was done successfully or not. They can also evaluate one another, the other one can be able to scrutinise others (P3S2)
Yes, I think as teachers when we give learners tasks we must design assessment tools for learners to assess themselves and also the checklist. After completing the task they use the tool to assess their work (P1S3)
The participants understand that learners need to possess the skill of reflection and that it is a part of learning and thinking. These responses are consistent with research by Chang (2019:95) on the role of reflection in developing SRL skills.
Reflection is necessary for learners to revisit what they have learned for improvement and in- depth learning to take place. Not only that, but the participants also indicated that they understand and apply reflection as a strategy in their different assessment tasks and that, after every assessment they have to compile, they do an item and error analysis during which they identify problems that learners might encounter and come up with intervention strategies on how to remedy those problems.
(iii) Self-satisfaction
Participants’ responses reveal that they are aware of the importance of self-satisfaction after completing a task successfully and achieving learning goals. They use praise and positive reinforcement to make learners experience positive feelings about learning. The following are the responses by some of the participants on how they develop self-satisfaction among their learners:
…I think it is praise and reward. It makes them much more willing, if let’s say so and so does well you know they shine, put a star on them, and then the other one will try better (P1S2)
I would say prize-giving, I would engage those learners in extracurricular activities such as mental maths competition; Science Expo and Astronomy quiz (P2S3).
The responses are in line with what Zimmerman (2012:430) found, namely that learners are more satisfied with themselves when they have mastered a learning task. Harding et al. (2018:10) also explain that self-satisfaction is determined by how learners have motivated themselves intrinsically, and this eventually leads to learners fostering feelings of self-respect and self- satisfaction once they have mastered a task.
(iv) Building realistic attributions for success or failure
The participants disclosed that they can develop learners’ realistic attributions for success and failure by exposing learners to a variety of assessments through which learners can learn to accept their failures and successes. This is how some of the participants responded:
I believe that my learners are capable, I give them a research they go and get information on their own, when giving feedback in class and they see that I did this on my own and got good marks this means I have a potential and his motivates them. I also encourage those who did not do well to realise their mistakes and correct them in a positive way (P3S3)
I think it’s your personality as a teacher, and you allowing them to always feel free in class, be expressive, nobody should shout at them. They should be free to ask questions if they do not understand and realise their mistakes. Motivate them when they get things right or wrong (P5S2)
The participants' responses are supported by Panadero & Alonso-Tapia (2014:458) when they state that learners display causal attributions when they are given a task; they show their successes or failure and whether the results are negative or positive; they make inferences trying to answer the question. The participants revealed that they help their learners build attributions for success or failure by allowing them to feel free and ask questions if they do not understand.
They allow learners to accept their failures but never to get discouraged when they experience failures.
(v) Adaptation of teaching strategies
All the participants revealed that they have formal and informal assessments for learners’ work and that they use differentiated learning to accommodate all the learners in class. They also related that they sometimes change the teaching strategies to accommodate the needs of the learners and help them to become self-regulated. One participant said:
I normally see if learners did not understand the content. I give learners individual attention to make sure that they follow my teaching. Sometimes learners fail to understand simple instructions because of language of teaching and learning (English) which might also be a barrier (P5S1)
Another participant explained:
When I do error analysis, I try and change the strategies that I use to teach in class.
Learners with barriers I sometimes do oral; work with them. I ask them questions and they can answer them verbally, they call it read and scribe (P2S2)
The participants further indicated that they put learners first and are willing to go the extra mile for learners to help them to understand and develop their SRL skills. It is evident that the participants do make plans to improve learners’ knowledge acquisition and understanding.
The most important thing, you must know your learners, if you don’t know them you must try and get their profile so that you can have background information of learners, I also conduct extra classes (P1S3, P4S3)
When there is a gap between me and the learners, they misunderstood me, what I normally do especially in Grade 4, I go back to Grade 3 work, I do it with them, when I understand then I can go back to what we were doing, so that I can close the gap (P3S3)
The participants revealed that they use differentiated teaching strategies and assessment, assess learners formally and informally, and give learners individual attention to make sure that they follow the instructions and the language of teaching and learning (English). The participants also do baseline and diagnostic assessments to find out what learners already know and what gaps they need to fill from the previous grades. Other participants also disclosed that they offer extra classes to extend learning and do oral work with learners with barriers.
These strategies are supported by Buzza and Alinotte (2013:61) when they aver that teachers need to support and promote teaching strategies that will support SRL in learners. This will develop learners’ intrinsic motivation and give them the freedom to choose what they want to
The third theme below discusses the challenges the participants as teachers experience when developing SRL.
4.3.3 Theme 3: Challenges teachers experience with developing self-regulated learning