The effects of mindset and reading strategy intervention on student self-efficacy

Theoretical background to the study A problem with student self-efficacy Students consistently report lower levels of self-efficacy for learning Modern Languages than for any other school subject (Zimmerman, Bandura and Martinez-Pons, 1992) Mindset Theory (Dweck, 1991) Attribution Theory (Weiner, 1979) teach students about mindset research to encourage a view of intelligence as malleable The term “self-efficacy” refers to an individual’s belief in his capacity to perform. Self-efficacy beliefs are developed over time in response to experiences of success and failure. attribution theory suggests that if students attribute failure to uncontrollable stable causes (e.g. a fixed idea of ability or a bad teacher) then they are less likely to be motivated to tackle future tasks than those who attribute failure to unstable causes within their control (e.g. effort). equip students with strategies to encourage adaptive attributions for success and failure

Aims of the Study This study aimed to improve students’ self-efficacy in learning German through intervention training in mindset and in reading strategies. It was hypothesized that a ‘growth mindset’ and a tendency to attribute performance to the effectiveness of learning strategies employed might result in more empowered learners and consequently lead to a better sustained motivation to learn, resulting in accelerated progress in German.

COLLEAGUES – BRILLIANT!

RESULTS OF THE MINDSET INTERVENTION

The results indicate that, as Dweck (1999) has previously demonstrated; targeted intervention can influence students Intelligence Theories in both the short term and the longer term. Whilst some students do move gradually along the continuum from Fixed to Incremental, it was shown that some students can be persuaded to make more radical Mindset shifts. The fact that the second “top-up” Mindset Intervention appeared to result in a second wave of students altering their ideas suggests that, as one might sensibly predict, a scheme of work spanning multiple lessons and reinforcing an Incremental theory may be more effective than a single session. Mindset Intervention 1 Mindset Intervention 2

RESULTS OF THE READING STRATEGY INTERVENTION Self-reported strategic classroom behaviours increased significantly for all of the intervention groups. (No increase in the control group) There was a sharp decrease in maladaptive, non-strategic classroom behaviours for the Mindset Intervention groups. (A corresponding decrease was not seen in the Reading Strategy or Control groups) Conclusion: the combination of Mindset and Reading Strategy Interventions appears to have had a significant effect on student attributions and in particular, on the ways in which students explain failure. RESULTS OF THE READING STRATEGY INTERVENTION Emotional resilience.

Take up was mostly increased from the mixed set. If anyone’s interested I have loads more data I would love to share! Hope that wasn’t too boring … I’m just not naturally good at presentations!!!!

Exploding some myths Discuss these statements Exploding some myths Discuss these statements. Where on the line between “myth” and “fact” would you place them? 2. Some people are born with a natural talent for language 1. Girls are better at learning languages than boys 4. If you focus on reasons for your performance that are in your control, you will make faster progress 3. People who hold a growth mindset about their ability do better at school than their peers. 5. The longer you spend learning your vocabulary, the better you will learn it Intervention lesson exemplars DEFENSIBLE THEORY There is scientifically gathered evidence to prove this MYTH There is scientifically gathered evidence to disprove this

Rock am Ring Rock am Ring is the größste festival in Germany. It is hosted at the famous Formula 1 Nürburgring Autorennbahn and it starts at the same time each year: the first Wochenende in June. The Festival Veranstalter have confirmed their fourth and last headliner for 2010: Rage Against The Machine. They join Muse, Kiss, and Rammstein who will all take to the Bühne this summer. Musikfans will camp out in Zelten, drink lots of alcohol and have plenty of Spaß! BEFORE READING: Look at the pictures and the title   Ask myself what is the text probably going to be about? What German words do I know that might be used in it? SKIM THROUGH THE TEXT, THEN: Decide how I’m going to tackle this text (skim through it, read it sentence by sentence etc.) Underline all of the words I don’t know Work out which words are nouns (they have capital letters) Use the words that you do know to work out the meaning of unknown words Go back to the words or sections I’m not sure about and double-check that it makes sense Think hard about words I might know (don’t give up easily) Use a process of deduction (‘it can’t be that because . . .’) Sound out the word or phrase Check a few essential words in the dictionary or glossary Remember to re-read the whole sentence to see if it makes sense