This article was written with help from Fiona Holiday, an independent EYFS consultant.
Self-regulation falls under the prime area of personal, social and emotional development
The EYFS framework states (page 12) that children at the ‘expected level of development’ for the self-regulation ELG will be able to:
- Show an understanding of their own feelings and those of others, and begin to regulate their behaviour accordingly
- Set and work towards simple goals, being able to wait for what they want and control their immediate impulses when appropriate
- Give focused attention to what the teacher says, responding appropriately even when engaged in activity, and show an ability to follow instructions involving several ideas or actions
The DfE says that there's strong evidence emerging that self-regulation skills can predict pre-reading skills and later outcomes in maths and literacy (page 18 of the consultation document).
Another article from The Key explains