FROM RULES TO REASONS: LINKING SELF-REGULATED LEARNING AND LANGUAGE INVESTMENT IN UNDERGRADUATE GRAMMAR PEDAGOGY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35631/IJEPC.1164110Keywords:
Grammar Learning, Language Investment, Learner Development, Metacognition, Retrospective Reflection, Self-Regulated LearningAbstract
This study investigates students’ metacognition, self-efficacy, and learning trajectories in undergraduate grammar learning through the lens of Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) theory. Using a qualitative retrospective research design, data were collected from a cohort of language students at the conclusion of an intensive 12-week grammar course. Participants responded to a situational prompt requiring them to formulate academic and personal advice for their Week 1 selves. Using deductive and inductive thematic coding, the resulting narratives were systematically mapped onto the behavioural, affective, and cognitive dimensions of Zimmerman’s (2000) Triadic Reciprocal Determinism Model. The findings reveal limited initial metacognitive readiness among students entering the course. In the behavioural domain, students consistently identified procrastination and massed cramming as counterproductive learning habits and retrospectively advocated spaced repetition and regular practice. In the affective domain, students described grammar-related anxiety, social shyness, and physical fatigue as barriers that discouraged active participation and classroom questioning. In the cognitive domain, their reflections indicated a significant shift from surface-level memorisation of prescriptive grammatical rules towards a more functional and communicative understanding of grammar. Synthesising these dimensions through the concept of language investment, the study suggests that changes in learning behaviours may support the reduction of affective barriers and facilitate deeper cognitive engagement with grammatical knowledge. The findings highlight the value of explicitly embedding metacognitive scaffolding, low-stakes formative assessment, regular practice opportunities, and accessible communication channels during the early stages of grammar instruction to support students’ learning trajectories from the beginning of the course.
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