Self control - can it be taught?

I had the pleasure of hearing Professor Angela Duckworth give the Bernoulli lecture at the University of Basel last night. Her research on grit and self-control provides ground-breaking insights into what we, as educators, can do to support student development. For me, this was particularly useful in understanding the intersectionality between student agency and Approaches to Learning (ATL skills). At Tracker Apps, we believe that student agency is at the heart of motivating and empowering learners. Having self-awareness of skill development and progress is a core part of being a successful student, and person!

So, the million dollar question - can self control be taught? In the words of Walter Mischel via Angela Duckworth, "The most important scientific discovery about self-control is that it can be taught." And there you have it! If this was your main question and why you chose to read this article, then here's your answer. Curious as to why self control is important and should be taught? According to the research, "self-control is a stronger predictor of success than IQ". As an educator, I wanted more information. For those of you in IB schools, there is often the discussion as to whether ATL skills should be taught separately or whether they should be an integral part of the curriculum. My question for Professor Duckworth was along the same lines - should self-control be taught in schools (it's an integral part of ATL skills) and if so, how?

Like many other measurable in education, self-control is influenced by socio-economic status. Students who come from families with higher socio-economic status, tend to have self-control modelled and taught for them many times over by parents, siblings, friends, coaches, teachers and their peers. For students who are not so advantaged, Professor Duckworth cited research around teaching self-control as part of a specific set of 14 lessons. After going through this programme, students' level of self-control increased. I'd be curious to know whether these effects were over the long term or whether this was a temporary change in behaviour. For teachers working with students from lower socio-economic backgrounds, having specific lessons on self control seem to have a positive impact on student success. For students from higher socio-economic backgrounds, it may not be as necessary to have specific lessons on self-control but it is vital that teachers support the development of this skill whether it's through teaching or role-modelling.

Resources?