ABSTRACT
Self-regulation is a key factor in early development and a precursor to literacy acquisition. The self-regulatory strategy of help-seeking can be successfully integrated into teaching and learning practices through collaborative learning in the early grades, when children tend to be less competitive and more intrinsically motivated to learn. The Common Core recognizes that the youngest learners need to gain comprehension through collaborating with others by asking and answering questions in order to get information or to clarify something that is not understood. Self-regulated students are independent learners who are not self-sufficient and isolated. They are comfortable with asking for help when necessary, mainly because in their experience, the effort has been an integral part of their academic development. In the past, American kindergarten classrooms were intent on shifting early educational experiences away from children's social and emotional skills towards a heavy focus on academic skills.
