3. Developing self-regulated learning in the language classroom

Abstract

Many foreign language learners around the world are in classrooms where they must develop not just proficiency in the target language, but also must learn new content information through the medium of a new language in which their proficiency is still developing. Thus, they must find ways to deal with the challenge of learning both language and content simultaneously. Learners who are able to regulate their own learning through a variety of metacognitive and cognitive perspectives and procedures are more likely to meet this challenge successfully. This paper first examines the construct of self-regulation as applied to second and foreign language learners and related constructs. Then the components of contentbased language instruction (CBI) and content and language integrated learning (CLIL) models are described. Next, Understanding by Design (UbD), an instructional model that is becoming increasingly popular with language educators in the United States is suggested as a vehicle for explicitly developing self-regulated learning in CBI and CLIL classrooms.