This study explored the effects of three teaching approaches on the task performance, motivation, and private speech (self-talk) of low-income Latino preschoolers. The three approaches varied in terms of teacher-imposed structure and child autonomy (teacher-directed, scaffolding, child-centered). Sixty-one preschoolers were seen individually as they completed a Lego block construction task before and after participating in one of the three teaching conditions. Measures of private speech, motivation (affect and persistence), and task performance were coded from videotapes. Differential effects on children's motivation and learning were found for the three teaching conditions, but no differences were observed for private speech. The scaffolded group obtained the highest task performance scores from pre- to posttest, and the teacher-directed children, the second highest. However, the child-centered group showed a modest decrease in performance over time. Scaffolded children were visibly happiest at the beginning of the posttest task, whereas teacher-directed children were the least happy. Although children became more frustrated and sad as the posttest wore on, child-centered children displayed the most negative affect, and scaffolded children, the least. Children in the scaffolded and teacher-directed conditions showed increases in task persistence from pre- to posttest, whereas those in the child-centered group showed a decrease over time in persistence. Findings suggest that learning and motivation among low-income, Latino preschoolers are best promoted by some degree of teacher-provided structure, as opposed to a rather hands-off child-centered approach. (Author/KB)