Unpacking MATESOL students' self-regulated learning strategy use in an EAP course

This study investigates how Chinese postgraduate students in a Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (MATESOL) program used self-regulated learning (SRL) strategies in an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) course featured with an innovative, immersion-based instructional approach and how the students developed their SRL strategies in this course. Data included the reflections of three participants, their reading notes, PowerPoint slides used in the course, and responses from semi-structured interviews. The findings revealed that the participants used various SRL strategies, including setting learning goals, strategic planning, enacting learning plans, attributing causes, and adapting their behavior with sustained monitoring, reflection, and self-evaluation. These strategies were closely linked to the innovative instruction used in the course, which was characterized by clear goals, high-quality materials, inquiry-oriented procedures, collaborative learning tasks, and comprehensive evaluation. Recommendations for future research and implications for EFL teachers aiming to cultivate students' use of SRL strategies are provided.