Focusing on the task and emotional self-regulation: daily challenges in the classroom (La focalización en el tema y autorregulación emocional: desafíos cotidianos en el aula escolar)

ABSTRACT Focusing on school tasks and regulating emotions are often challenges for students to achieve. The objective of this research is to describe and analyse the behaviours associated with emotional regulation that affect the way students participate in the classroom and contribute to the subject matter. From the mixed methods perspective, an observational study was carried out based on an N/F/M (Nomothetic/Follow-up/Multidimensional) design. The members of nine primary education classes were systematically observed. The data record, obtained from an instrument designed ad hoc, is qualitative, and is organized to be coded and analysed quantitatively. Once the classes were analysed, the presence of multiple cases was detected. The results show how the associated behaviours contribute, change, insist on and distract from the topic of conversation, influencing the way in which focused attention is maintained. The discussion highlights the existence of a ‘virtuous circle’ that favours focusing on the topic through the coexistence of the behaviours of contributing to the topic with an informative language and encouraging the participation of others.