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Self-monitoring is largely an individualized plan used to increase independent functioning in academic, behavioral, self-help and social areas. Such strategies focus on learning the skills that lead to appropriate behavior rather than reducing  or targeting the inappropriate behavior.

https://publications.ici.umn.edu/impact/18-2/using-self-monitoring-strategies-to-address-behavior-and-academic-issues

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A self-monitoring strategy allows the student to work toward learning new skills that lead to greater engagement, increase productivity and academic outcomes and, thereby, minimizing negative behaviors. In addition, a flexible classroom requires classroom management techniques, such as self-monitoring, that allow teachers to differentiate instruction by increasing positive behaviors and student independence.

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Teacher identifies the behavioral problem i.e., calling out,  but teacher focuses on reinforcing a positive skill,  (hand-raising), rather than targeting the disruptive behavior.

Student keeps track of  how often and when the positive behavior takes place i.e., hand raising.

Teacher chooses a self-monitoring device in which the student can keep track of each time he uses the intervention correctly (hand-raising) and contributes productively.  This can be a simple chart.

Teacher shows the student how to use the device (chart) by explaining examples and non-examples.

Teacher and student monitor the progress and teacher check for accuracy, comparing his/her observations to the student data. These are called reliability checks.

Teacher and student reinforce the positive behavior with an appropriate reward, i.e., extra computer time, extra time with friends. This is very subjective and varies per individual student.

Eventually the teacher fades the reliability checks and the reinforcers, while raising expectations.

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Greater academic engagement which yields greater productivity and learning outcome.

Increase in prosocial behavior

Increase in self-directed learning

Better interpersonal relationships

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Self-talk is the use of positive, affirming, self-directed language to control or initiate behavior. https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/sr/ . Using positive language during difficult tasks that emphasizes effort, rather than ability, helps student stay engaged and counters the negative behaviors and learning outcomes associated with disengagement. Additionally, when students are increasingly engaged in their learning, it allows teachers to conference with individual students or groups.
https://www.edutopia.org/article/simple-metacognitive-strategies-help-anxious-learners-succeed

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"I think I can. I think I can. I think I can," says the Little Blue Engine to herself as she hauls a train full of toys up a mountain. In Watty Piper's classic children's book, all it takes is a dose of self-encouragement to give the engine the strength to overcome a seemingly impossible task.

Sound too good to be true? Perhaps not, a new study suggests. Researchers found that a simple, five-minute exercise can help boost math performance, especially for students who have poor confidence in their math ability. When students silently spoke words of encouragement to themselves that were focused on effort-saying phrases such as "I will do my very best!"-their math scores improved.

In the study, 212 Dutch schoolchildren in grades 4 to 6 took half of a standardized math test. After taking the half-test, they were split into three groups: The first group silently said to themselves words of encouragement focused on effort. The second group did a similar activity, but the words were focused on ability, favoring phrases such as "I'm very good at this." The third group didn't engage in self-talk at all. Afterward, the students took the second half of the math test.

Students who had participated in self-talk focused on effort improved their math performance on the test, while those who engaged in self-talk focused on ability, or no self-talk at all, experienced no improvement.

"When children with low self-confidence work on mathematics problems, they often worry about failure," Sander Thomaes, the lead researcher of the study, told Edutopia. "They experience challenges and struggles-for example, a difficult problem to solve-as cues of low ability, triggering disengagement from the task and worsening performance. Effort self-talk may counter this process."

So why doesn't self-talk focused on ability work? Saying "I am the best" can feel like a hollow claim when students don't feel confident about their own abilities-they're likely to dismiss the message entirely, explained Thomaes. But telling yourself "I will try my hardest" is an achievable goal, shifting attention away from a perceived lack of ability toward something within a student's control: effort.

Self-Talk and the Emotional Terrain of Learning

In the 1920s, Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky observed that when faced with a challenging task, young children often engage in self-talk, reminding themselves to focus harder or talking themselves through a series of complicated steps. As children get older, the self-regulation strategies are generally no longer vocalized, but an emerging body of research suggests that lightweight, metacognitive exercises that ask older students to reflect on their fears, anxieties, or challenges are still highly beneficial-providing teachers with a cheap, reasonably simple intervention that can be used in a variety of school situations and across all grade levels.

A 2019 study, for example, was designed to help ease the transition into middle school by reminding students that the anxiety they felt was both natural and common. New students read stories from peers who had already graduated to the next grades; the essays confided the private fears and doubts the students harbored, and how building positive relationships with friends and teachers helped them cope.

The new students then completed two 15-minute writing exercises that asked them to reflect on their own anxieties about the upcoming school year, particularly around test-taking, and to consider reasons why they might do well even if they worried about the tests. The exercise had a surprisingly powerful effect: Compared with their peers, students who learned about the commonality of their fears and then wrote about them were 34 percent less likely to be disciplined for misbehavior, 12 percent more likely to attend school, and 18 percent less likely to receive a failing grade.

And in a study published last year, students participated in a 10-minute exercise immediately before a test in which they were encouraged to see stress as "a beneficial and energizing force." They learned that small amounts of stress can help sharpen focus and aid memory by increasing oxygen flow into the brain. Students were then asked to write responses to two questions: "How do people sometimes feel in important situations?" and "How can the way a person feels in important situations help them do well in those situations?" The writing exercise helped the students manage the "worried thoughts about the possibility of failure" that often accompany a test, reducing the number of students failing out of the course by half-with low-income students seeing the biggest benefits.

Taken as a whole, the research suggests that academic performance not only relies on content preparation-you have to know fractions to succeed on some math tests-but also is significantly impacted by emotional and psychological preparation. Helping your students identify and circumvent the psychological barriers that hinder progress is part of teaching them how to navigate the emotional terrain of learning.

These powerful techniques appear to work even when students reflect altruistically. A 2019 study coauthored by Angela Duckworth, known for her research on grit and perseverance, asked nearly 2,000 high school students to give motivational advice to an anonymous younger student-on how to stop procrastinating or study better, for example-and then write a brief, encouraging letter to help the student do better in school. Despite the fact that the advice was given to someone else, the students earned higher grades in their own courses.

The takeaway: Be mindful of anxiety-provoking situations-from high-stakes tests to major in-school transitions-that can derail a student's ability to focus. Try brief metacognitive discussions or simple writing exercises to help students overcome hurdles, recognize the commonality of their fears, and prepare emotionally and psychologically for looming challenges.

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Simple Metacognitive Strategies to Help Anxious Learners Succeed

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"I think I can. I think I can. I think I can," says the Little Blue Engine to herself as she hauls a train full of toys up a mountain. In Watty Piper's classic children's book, all it takes is a dose of self-encouragement to give the engine the strength to overcome a seemingly impossible task.

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Speaking to oneself during a difficult task can guide students step by step toward task completion.

Older students can do simple metacognitive writing exercises in which they express their insecurities about testing or social emotional concerns.

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Teach students how to engage and practice positive self talk rather than negative or self-deprecating language  in order to change negative thinking.

Create a list of positive self-talk statements such as those imaged above.

Like self-monitoring, the self-talk strategy encourages students to talk about challenges and help them find a positive way to reframe them.

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Use these 100+ free positive thinking affirmations and self-talk statements to help kids and young adults build confidence, learn healthy coping strategies, and start the day off strong. Positive thinking and self-talk is an important social-emotional learning skill necessary for success. This resource includes a 3-page printable list of positive affirmations and a student worksheet to record individual positive affirmations.
Digital and Print Versions
I've included a link to Google Drive! To access, just open the PDF with "digital directions" in the title. Then, click the link in the blue box.
Some examples of positive self-talk statements:

I am enough.

My challenges help me grow.

Today is going to be my day.

Challenge is my middle name.

I can make a difference.

I am an original.

I am building my future.

No matter how hard it is, I can do it.

I am working on myself.

AND many more!

Student Activity
Use this activity to help students understand positive thinking and create their own positive self-talk list. A blank page is included for learners to write out their top 10 favorite self-talk statements.

Students can use their lists to:

Read first thing in the morning to start the day off strong.

Use to help cope during stress and tough emotions.

Read before a test or challenge they are facing.

Keep posted in their lockers or in their binders.

Create a class bulletin board of positive self-talk.

Send home to remember positive self-talk at school and home.

Special education teachers, regular education teachers, and other support professionals can keep the list posted for students who need extra support in dealing with strong emotions. Students can review their lists before stressful events or at the beginning of the day.
More Positive Thinking { Positive Thinking Fortune Teller Craft }
Use this paper fortune teller craft to teach and practice positive thinking skills and positive self-talk. Kids and young adults will choose positive affirmations and thoughts and then write them on the paper fortune teller to practice and refer to, as needed. Developing strong positive thinking and self-talk skills can be an effective coping strategy for a number of challenges, including anxiety, anger, depression, and more.
{ Self-Esteem and Positive Thinking Task Cards }
Use these 116 task cards to focus on improving self-esteem, confidence building, and encouraging positive thinking skills. They can be used in small groups, 1:1 for intensive instruction, or even in a whole class to help focus on building a positive community of learners.

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Positive Thinking Affirmations - 150 Self-Talk Phrases SEL Skills Activity

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Use these 100+ free positive thinking affirmations and self-talk statements to help kids and young adults build confidence, learn healthy coping strategies, and start the day off strong. Positive thinking and self-talk is an important social-emotional learning skill necessary for success. This resou...

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Positive self-talk:

Help students perform difficult tasks

Helps students remember the steps in a task.

Works with motivational processes

Helps students deal with stressful situations

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Goal setting is the first phase of self-regulated learning and it is a fundamental part of growth and development because:

Goals meet the  needs of the individual learner

It is a motivating and intentional factor

Working towards goals is a student-led responsibility

It provides a foundation for students to advocate for their needs

It is also important to note that goal-setting is on-going and must be realistic and actionable. It allows teachers to differentiate classroom instruction, as student move along their own learning continuum by setting relevant, actionable, and timely goals.

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Encouraging students to set goals for themselves-the first phase of self-regulated learning-helps them develop a growth mindset.

"Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible." -Tony Robbins

Many students may not necessarily have the tools to set academic goals and lack strategies to enact change and work toward those goals. Teachers can provide structure to help students set academic goals that are realistic and appropriate as well as achievable. It is important to note that goal setting is not just an activity for the beginning of the school year, but an ongoing process.

It personalizes the learning process based on their needs.

It creates intention and motivation that empowers students.

It establishes accountability to shift responsibility to students.

It provides a foundation for students to advocate for their needs.

Setting academic goals is the first phase of self-regulated learning. Irrespective of the model proposed by leading researchers such as Barry Zimmerman, self-regulated learning always begins with a goal-planning phase. Goal setting is an essential component for growth and development in our students for several reasons:

Goal setting can be done at any age-as long as it is age appropriate. Teaching the skill of goal setting coupled with reflecting and revising goals can give students the self-regulated learning tools for a growth mindset toward academic development.

With students as young as kindergarten, more scaffolding is needed. At the beginning of each day, students can select an emoji or picture that represents some action from a predetermined list of possible options. If teaching virtually, students can do this at the beginning of the session. If teaching in person, students can perhaps tape their goal to their desk or table area or perhaps a chart displayed in the classroom. The class can spend a few moments discussing goals and what actions they can do to achieve those goals. Teachers can invite other students to make suggestions for their peers. At the end of the day, allow students to rate themselves with stars and to think about how they could do things differently for the next day.

Upper Elementary and Middle School

For students who are slightly older and able to write, an excellent way to develop the habit of creating, planning, and reflecting on goals can be done through the use of short-term daily goals using sticky notes. At the beginning of the day, students take a few minutes to imagine some task, behavior, or skill they want to focus their intentions on for that specific day. Let the students keep the notes somewhere visible, so they can refer back to the goal throughout the day. Include class conversations with either a partner, a small group, or the whole class at the beginning and end of the day. Focus on the achievement of the goal, but suggest growth mindset strategies to focus on the wins as well as necessary changes for further improvement.

What do you think about the choices in goals for the week? (Were they realistic and appropriate? Were they the most needed for growth at this time?)

How did you progress toward your goals? (Did you have clear, actionable steps?)

What were some of the wins for the week?

What are some ways you can continue to improve on your development of these goals?

Once students have more advanced writing skills, it may be useful for them to keep a chart or table of their goals in a logbook. Students record in the morning, not only the goals but an action plan, and then reflect on strategies for improvement at the end of the day. At the end of each week, allow students time to reflect on their goals for the next week with structured prompts such as the following:

While a logbook is functional, it can be a more motivating experience to allow students to engage in creativity and personalization. Allow them to have fun with the process and create a goal journey map. They identify a goal, which is the end of the map. They also identify different benchmarks or steps to complete along the path or journey toward that goal. Students then have a visual representation of the progress of their journey.

High School

For high school students, l use a reflection sheet after each unit or chapter to create a regular habit of revisiting goals. Ask students the following questions:

What are some areas that you can improve upon? What are some areas that need more attention or focus? What could you do differently?

What specific and concrete actions can you do?

How can you advocate for yourself? In other words, how can your teacher, your peers, or others guide you toward your goal?

What were the wins for this chapter or unit? In other words, what things did you do well or what areas did you improve?

I always begin new units with an independent work day or two. During this time, the students are working on their reading skills, while I conference with their classmates independently.

Goal setting can help with classroom management and academic performance. It allows students to become more aware of expectations and concrete methods to achieve an outcome. It scaffolds the process, making it more manageable. With goal setting that is reflective and iterative, students establish a growth mindset as they engage in monitoring of their progress and reflecting on it as outlined by Zimmerman and Dale Schunk.

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Encouraging students to set goals for themselves-the first phase of self-regulated learning-helps them develop a growth mindset.

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Goal setting is an ongoing, purposeful process that is foundational to a growth mindset. Developing a growth mindset is essential for self-regulated learning, which should be a goal of a differentiated classroom.

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Goal setting must be realistic, actionable and ongoing

Teachers can teach goal-setting by inviting students to think about and discuss what the learning goals are at the beginning of each day and assess their progress toward these goal at the end of the day.

Students can reflect on their long-term goal by creating a visual journey map that scaffolds their progress toward that goal.

Students may simply write their goal for the day on a sticky note and place it on their desk, or keep a goal log as a focused reminder.

Teachers and students can use a digital goal-setting and tracking tool such as illustrated here:

https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/sown-to-grow/

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Goal setting differentiates learning.

Setting goals is a self-initiated process that contributes to a growth mindset.

Goal setting serves to teach students to reflect and assess their learning progress.

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Self-reinforcement is a reward system that follows goal setting and the accomplishment of a learning task. Students set a goal, work towards completion of that goal, assess/correct their work and, finally, administer a personal reward.

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The purpose of self-reinforcement is to allow students to exercise autonomy in learning and choosing a reward after successful completion of task.
https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/sr/cresource/q2/p07/

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Teacher and student set a clear goal.

Student chooses a reward (reinforcer).

Teacher and student evaluate the completed task.

Student administers the reward.

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Self-reinforcement produces substantial improvement and independence in performance.

The strategy actively reinforces independence in the learning process.

Self-reinforcement creates greater changes than teacher-chosen rewards.

https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/sr/

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License: This work is licensed by Carmen Kerr under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License