The early promotion of self-regulated learning (SRL) has aroused increased interest since it has been highlighted as the key competence for lifelong learning (E.U. Council, 2002). To meet the demand for early support, an intervention for kindergarten teachers to foster SRL in five to sixyear-old children was developed (Venitz & Perels, 2018). In the present study, different SRL promotion strategy profiles of kindergarten teachers were investigated by using latent profile analyses and the effectiveness of the developed intervention was evaluated under consideration of the found profiles. The results of latent profile analysis (n= 134 kindergarten teachers) displayed specific profiles that differ regarding the degree of self-reported knowledge concerning strategies to promote SRL in children. Using a sample of n= 76 kindergarten teachers who participated on a three-week training which was focused on the reflection of the own SRL as well as the promotion of SRL, differential effects of the found profiles were investigated. The results indicate that an adaption of the intervention according to the different SRL promotion strategy profiles would be meaningful, because kindergarten teachers with high and low SRL promotion strategy profiles differed significantly concerning their repertoire of supportive strategies and their SRL behavior.

No abstract

No abstract

BackgroundThe importance of diagnostic and scaffolding activities for early science learning has been shown consistently. However, preschool teachers scarcely engage in them. We developed an instrument to assess preschool teachers' willingness to engage in diagnostic and scaffolding activities in science learning situations and examined its relation with teachers' knowledge, beliefs and practice.AimsWe validate an instrument to assess willingness to engage in scaffolding and diagnostic activities and study the interplay between willingness, learning beliefs, content knowledge (CK) and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) in the context of science learning, particularly block play.Sample(s)A total of N = 151 preschool teachers from 41 kindergartens in Germany participated in our study.MethodsPreschool teachers completed a questionnaire, which took approximately 1 hour of time. We drew a subsample of N = 73 teachers and observed their practice during a 30 min block play episode.ResultsWith our instrument, we were able to distinguish between preschool teachers' willingness to diagnose and to scaffold. Preschool teachers' co‐constructivist beliefs and PCK predicted willingness to engage in diagnosing, PCK also predicted willingness to engage in scaffolding. Associations between learning beliefs and practice were inconsistent.ConclusionsOur study highlights aspects of the association between preschool teachers' PCK and their willingness to engage in diagnosing and scaffolding. However, we found inconsistencies between preschool teachers' beliefs and practice, which call for further clarification.