Educational mathematics researchers and educationists emphasise teaching for understanding. However, does it influence students' mathematical learning behaviour? The purpose of this study was to explore late adolescent students' views on mathematical learning behaviour in teaching-for-understanding classes. Content analysis of secondary data from exploratory studies, where students responded to open-ended questions on metacognition, indicated that mathematical learning behaviour hardly involved focussing on understanding. The discussion presents implications for mathematics education and suggestions for education in general.