The Autonomous Acquisition of Transversal Competencies by Primary School Children through the Use of Pedagogical Scenarios - Study paper

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Aran

Study explores how teachers can support primary pupils (aged 11–12) in acquiring transversal competencies such as collaboration, creativity, and reflection during activities that foster autonomous or self-regulatory learning. The research addresses tensions between teacher intervention and genuine autonomy, asking how tasks can proceed without disrupting group dynamics, how autonomy can increase over time, and how flexible classroom organization enables self-regulation. Pedagogical scenarios are designed and trialled collaboratively with teachers and children across UK drafting and Swiss classroom testing.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages26

Reading Time1 h 6 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Transversal competencies

Literature review: transversal competencies

Self-regulated learning and pedagogical scenarios

The Autonomous Acquisition of Transversal Competencies by Primary School Children through the Use of Pedagogical Scenarios By Daniel Bosmans∗, Françoise Casciotta ± & Vincent Fivaz ° This study aims to obtain a better understanding of how the teacher can support the acquisition of transversal competencies, such as collaboration, creativity and reflection when children aged between 11 and 12 take part in an activity designed to promote autonomous or self-regulatory learning. There is a need to equip the teachers to enable them to scaffold autonomous learning, taking into account the tensions coming to the fore between teacher’s interventions and autonomous learning. How can the teacher ensure that the task is completed without interrupting the creative, collaborative and reflective dynamics within the group? How can they support learning becoming progressively more autonomous in each group? How is the flexible classroom organized to promote self-regulatory learning? The pedagogical scenarios presented in this research project have been drafted and trialled to help the teachers do just that. It is a collaborative research project inspired by Desgagné’s (2007) procedure as the researcher, teachers and children all worked together at every stage of the study, i.e., the drafting of pedagogical scenarios by teachers in the UK and the trialling of these by teachers on their pupils in Switzerland. These scenarios were built with the purpose of promoting the development of transversal capacities in children at primary school level when engaging in various subjects: L1/L2/Lx, sciences, and maths. These school subjects were matched with a subphase of Zimmerman and Campillo’s (2003) model, with one or two transversal capacities and with approaches currently applied to the teaching of these disciplines. Each of these scenarios can be used practically in the primary classroom to develop transversal competencies through autonomous learning. Keywords: primary school, transversal competencies, autonomous learning, pedagogical scenarios, scaffolding Introduction Transversal competencies (TC) are often considered as a secondary preoccupation by teachers who need to get through a heavy curriculum usually centred on subject disciplines. However, TC are mentioned specifically in the French-speaking Swiss National Curricula, the Plan d’études Romand (PER) (2010) and are integral parts of the various subject descriptors. Moreover, TC are to be central to our children’s learning and the practitioner’s action is crucial to supporting the development of these competencies. Romainville (2006, p. 24) quotes the ‘Missions’ Act 1997 ∗Lecturer in English Didactics & Researcher in Semiology of Educational Activity and Language Pedagogy, Haute Ecole Pédagogique BEJUNE, Switzerland. ±Headteacher of Cercle Scolaire Le Locle, Cercle Scolaire Le Locle, Switzerland. ° Deputy Headteacher Years 7 to 11 and IT Lead for CSLL, Cercle Scolaire Le Locle, Switzerland. where article 8 mentions that ‘knowledge must be envisaged in the perspective that competencies will be acquired’, showing thereby the centrality of these competencies in modern pedagogy. The literature review will look at what these competencies are in terms of their importance in primary education. Self-regulated learning will then be defined, followed by an explanation of the pedagogical scenarios developed for this project. The feedback from teachers who trialled them in their classroom will then be summarised in terms of the links that can be established with Zimmerman and Campillo’s (2003) subphases of autonomous learning. Literature Review Transversal Competencies In Switzerland, TC are an integral part of the school curriculum, with the caveat that there are competencies that seem to relate better to one school subject than others. However, the PER does identify some competencies to be common to several disciplines. Furthermore, student-teachers in teaching practice or novice

FAQs

What is the main goal of the study regarding teacher support?

To understand how teachers can scaffold children’s acquisition of transversal competencies—especially collaboration, creativity, and reflection—during autonomous or self-regulatory learning activities.

How does the study approach the tension between teacher intervention and autonomous learning?

It examines how teachers can ensure tasks are completed while not interrupting the group’s creative, collaborative, and reflective dynamics, and how learning becomes progressively more autonomous.

What role do the pedagogical scenarios play in the research?

They are drafted and trialled with teachers to help develop transversal capacities in primary children across subjects such as L1/L2/Lx, sciences, and maths.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Aran