How do we help children develop self-control skills?

Ng Ee Lynn

Research Scientist

Centre for Research in Child Development, NIE

eelynn.ng@nie.edu.sg

At the airport, the air traffic control system helps planes on different runways land and take off safely.

A child’s brain is also like the control tower at a busy airport.

It helps the child to regulate the flow of information, pay attention, plan ahead, as well as to remember and follow rules.

What are self-control (executive functioning) skills?

Interacting with others

Being able to consider someone else’s

perspectives and ideas.

Keeping information in mind and manipulating

it in some way.

Working memory Cognitive flexibility Inhibitory control

Thinking about something in multiple

ways, shifting attention in response to different demands.

Intentionally suppressing attention

and subsequent responding to

something.50 + 28 = ?

1

4+3

8= ?

Reading a story

Being able to combine different

pieces of information into a coherent

whole.

Learning math

Being able to overcome well-learned rules (e.g., adding whole numbers)

to learn how to add fractions.

What are self-control (executive functioning) skills?

Keeping information in mind and manipulating

it in some way.

Working memory Cognitive flexibility Inhibitory control

Intentionally suppressing attention

and subsequent responding to

something.

More complex skillsProblem-solving, goal-setting, persistence, emotion regulation

Thinking about something in multiple

ways, shifting attention in response to different demands.

⚫ Ignore distracting thoughts and noises during lessons

⚫ Remember and follow multi-step instructions

⚫ Set goals (e.g., complete a worksheet before lesson ends) and make a plan to achieve that goal

⚫ Manage frustration during a challenging task

⚫ Work cooperatively with peers during a group activity

Using self-control skills in the classroom

⚫ Accept friend’s ideas when playing together

⚫ Manage conflicts and disagreements between friends

Using self-control skills at the playground and at home

⚫ Take turns to play with siblings and friends

⚫ Plan and enact a role-playing game with a group of friends

⚫ Manage feelings of anger and disappointment after losing a game

⚫ Transitions usually involve many challenges and can be a stressful experience⚫ Moving from pre-school to primary school⚫ Transitioning to home-based learning

⚫ Challenges include ⚫ Acquiring new skills⚫ Adapting to a new learning environment and routines⚫ Forming new relationships⚫ Taking on new roles and responsibilities⚫ Developing new social relationships with teachers and peers

⚫ Children with strong self-control skills are better equipped to navigate these challenges

Self-control skills help children to adjust to new environments

⚫ Self-control skills begin to develop at infancy, and continues to develop throughout adolescence and early adulthood

⚫ These skills undergo rapid growth during early childhood (ages 2 to 6)

⚫ Self-control skills are malleable and are influenced by both positive and negative experiences

Development of self-control skills

Positive experiences• Supportive caregiving• High quality early education• Practice and modelling

opportunities

Negative experiences• Stress• Poverty• Adversity

Singapore Kindergarten Impact Project:

What have we learned about pre-schoolers’ self-control skills?

⚫ Children’s self-control skills were assessed using a variety of games at entry to K1 and entry to Primary 1.

⚫ At each time point, there was a lot of variation in children’s self-control skills (reflected as a composite score).

⚫ Overall, children showed significant growth in their self-control skills from K1 to Primary 1.

Singapore Kindergarten Impact Project:

What have we learned about pre-schoolers’ self-control skills?

Better math skills at

Primary 1

Better behavioral

control in the classroom at

K1

Children’s self-control skills at entry to K1 is associated with their math skills at Primary 1.

Better self-control skills at entry to

K1

⚫ Children’s self-control skills were assessed using a variety of games at entry to K1.

⚫ Behavioural control skills were assessed by their K1 teacher at the second half of the K1 year.

⚫ Math skills were assessed using a standardized measure assessing formal and informal math knowledge and skills.

Tips to help children develop and practice self-control skills

Strong and supportive relationships with parents and teachers are important foundations.

Create a routine and set clear and consistent rules at home and in school

• Allows children to use their self-control skills to practice autonomy

Provide opportunities to practice self-control skills during play

• Children make choices and decisions about who does what and in what order

• Children learn to negotiate with friends and manage conflicts

• Children learn to direct their own play with decreasing adult supervision over time

Provide scaffolding for children to practice more complex skills

At any developmental age, children have different levels of self-control skills and are also likely to develop their skills at a different pace from their peers.

Thank you!

Panel Discussion

Book Recommendations by NLB

Session 4: How do we help children develop self-control skills?

How to be a superhero called self-controlby Lauren Brukner

https://nlb.overdrive.com.media/2676280#

I Want More: How to Know When I’ve Had Enough

by Dagmar GeislerCall No: English 153.8 GEI

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