Children Articulating Thinking (ChAT) Project
Developing a pedagogy for metacognition and self-regulation in English Year 1 classrooms
Project Summary
Though relationships between self-regulated learning, collaborative forms of activity and dialogue in the classroom and children's academic performance have been well established, little is known about how these behaviours emerge in young children and what particular forms of interaction in the school context support this development. This project, which runs between March 2009 and December 2010, aims at developing and assessing the impact of a classroom-based intervention designed to encourage Year 1 children's metacognition, self-regulation and exploratory forms of dialogue while participating in peer-and teacher-led activities. This intervention will be carried out in 7 schools in Cambridge, Hertfordshire and Essex with three comparable classrooms participating as controls. Intervention activities will be designed collaboratively with the participant Year 1 teachers, embedding educational practices known to promote self-regulation, joint activity, and appropriate forms of dialogue in two distinct areas of the curriculum: Arts and Science.
Research Phases
The project involves 4 phases. In Phase 1, which is currently running, teachers and Faculty-based researchers have been working together towards the design of intervention and assessment activities. These activities are now being piloted. In Phase 2 (September to November 2009), children in intervention and control groups will be assessed in their metacognition and self-regulation using an observational instrument (CHILD Checklist) and a series of problem-solving activities nested in the areas of the curriculum under exploration. In Phase 3 (December 2009 to April 2010), teachers in the intervention group will carry out 8 intervention activities (4 in the area of Music & Arts and 4 in the area of Science; 4 teacher-led and 4 peer-led). Finally, in Phase 4 (April to June 2010), all participant children will be assessed following the same procedures as in Phase 1.
This project is internally funded by the Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge, as part of its Transforming Practice Research Programme (TPRP) initiative.
Project Information
Faculty research team
David Whitebread (Principal Investigator)
Neil Mercer
Penny Coltman
Jane Warwick
Christine Howe
Usha Goswami
Research Associate:
Deborah Pino Pasternak
Participant Teachers
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 Elizabeth Faller Saint Philip's CoE Primary School |
 Paul Jones Hampton Hargate Primary School |
 Syma Khan Queen Edith Community Primary School |
 Bridget Lowry Fawbert and Barnard Infants' School |
 Vicky Murray Mayfield Primary School |
 Jenna Willmott Richard Whittington School |
Project Contact Information
If you would like to know more about this project please contact:
Deborah Pino Pasternak, Research Assoicate
Children Articulating Thinking (ChAT) Project
Faculty of Education
University of Cambridge
184 Hills Road
Cambridge CB2 8PQ
Email: dsp26@cam.ac.uk
References
Dawes L & Sams C (2004). Talk Box. Speaking and listening activities for learing at Key Stage 1. David Fulton Publishers, London.
Littleton K, Mercer N, Dawes L Wegerif R, Rowe D & Sams C (2005). Talking and thinking at Key Stage 1. Early Years, 25, 167-182.
Whitebread D, Bingham S, Grau V, Pino Pasternak D & Sangster C (2007). Development of metacognition and self-regulated learning in young children: the role of collaborative and peer-assisted learning. Journal of Cognitive Educaiton and Psychology, 3, 433-55.
Whitebread D, Coltman P, Pino Pasternak D, Sangster C, Grau V, Bingham S, Almeqdad Q & Demetrou D (2009). The development of two observational tools for assessing metacognition and self-regulated learning in young children. Metacognition and Learning, 4, 63-84.
Resources
Effective interventions and classroom contexts that promote self-regulated learning (SRL).
Publications
Publications will be available for download later in the project.