TEACHER SUPPORT STRATEGIES AND STUDENTS’ SELF-REGULATION AT SECONDARY SCHOOL LEVEL

Abstract

Teacher support is an important classroom factor in the development of students’ ability to plan, monitor, and regulate their learning. This study examined the relationship between teacher support strategies and students’ self-regulation at the secondary school level in Faisalabad, Pakistan. A quantitative descriptive, cross-sectional design was used with 200 students and 50 teachers from public and private secondary schools. Students responded to a 20-item Teacher Support Strategies Scale and a 12-item Self-Regulation Scale using five-point Likert responses. Teacher responses were also examined as a supplementary perspective. Data were analyzed through descriptive statistics and Pearson product-moment correlation. Students reported a mean of 3.62 (SD = 0.79) for teacher support and 3.84 (SD = 0.75) for self-regulation. A statistically significant positive relationship was found between teacher support and self-regulation among students (r = .606). The teacher data showed an even stronger positive association between perceived teacher support and perceived student self-regulation (r = .825). The findings indicate that instructional guidance, emotional support, autonomy support, feedback, and scaffolding are associated with stronger self-regulated learning practices. Because the study is correlational, the findings describe associations rather than definitive causal effects. The article recommends strengthening structured guidance, gradual scaffolding, constructive feedback, and explicit teaching of goal setting, monitoring, and reflection.