Metacognition:

Helping learners to self-regulate

Introduction

The purpose of this material is guide you through some

of the key areas of metacognition:

• Thinking about the thinking

• Learning how to learn

• Becoming a self-regulating learner

Rationale and Overview
Learning intentions

• Know what metacognition means

• Know why it’s worth doing (for teachers and pupils)

• Know where it fits with curriculum goals

• Know how to start using it

What is Metacognition?

• Cognitive monitoring
• Having strategic control of thinking
• Understanding thinking strategies in general
• Becoming aware of your own thinking strategies
• Evaluating your own thinking strategies
• Planning and thinking in more skilful ways

http://www.ibo.org/globalassets/publications/ib-research/continuum/student-thinking-skills-report-part-1.pdf
 Evidence Base for Metacognition
• Education Endowment Foundation: Teaching and
Learning Toolkit
• Metacognitive strategies can advance pupils' progress
by up to 8 months

https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/toolkit/toolkit-a-z/meta-cognitive-and-self-regulation-strategies/
Benefits
1. Makes learning deeper and more secure
2. Makes transfer to new situations more likely
3. Has the potential to motivate pupils
4. Pupils shift towards a growth mindset
5. Builds habits of self-regulation
6. Builds independence
7. Prepares pupils for lifelong learning
Fit with Curriculum

Metacognition
is central to the
Thinking Skills and
Personal Capabilities
Framework

http://www.nicurriculum.org.uk/curriculum_microsite/TSPC/index.asp
Metacognition and TS&PCs

http://www.nicurriculum.org.uk/curriculum_microsite/TSPC/doc/training/TSPC-Guidance-KS12.pdf
 Encouraging Pupils to Think
When Planning While Working When Evaluating

 How am I going to do  Do I understand it so  How did I do it?

it? far?
 What worked?
 Is it similar to anything  Do I need to ask a
I’ve done before? question?  What did I learn?

 Is it one of those?  Am I on the right  Did my plan work out?

track?
 Can I learn from my
 Am I still on task? mistakes?

 Is there a better way?  What can I do better

next time?
EU Key Competencies

Metacognition and the European Union Key Competencies

Learning to learn is the ability to pursue and persist in

learning, to organise one’s own learning, including through

effective management of time and information, both

individually and in groups. (European Commission, 2007)

Learning to learn: what is it and can it be measured?

Teaching Using Metacognition

Metacognition will support pupils' progress if you:

•use effective questions to check understanding
•don't assume that pupils will think reflectively without
prompting
•take time to explicitly teach
o how to plan
o how to evaluate
o how to manage time on a task
Using Metacognition: What's Involved?
Encourage pupils to do the kind of planning and evaluation that you want
them to use.
Don't assume classes already know how to:
•follow routines
•make notes
•use diagrams or sketches
•ask questions
•manage their time
•meet deadlines
Developing skill in these areas is cyclical. Repeat them again and again to
build pupils’ independence.
Asking Better Questions

Plan and frame at least some of your questions in

advance.
Ask yourself:

•What do I want my pupils to learn?

•How do I want them to learn it?
•How will I know if they have learned it?

http://www.nicurriculum.org.uk/docs/assessment_for_learning/training/AfL-Guidance-KS3.pdf
Different Ways of Planning
Demonstrate different ways of planning to pupils, such as:
•storyboards
•mind maps
•writing frames
•bullet point lists
•notes
•sketches
•flow charts
•breaking a task down into smaller sub-tasks
•giving them success criteria in subject language

Pause session and complete Planning activity here

Time Management

Make sure classes are familiar with:

•how much time to allow for an activity

•anticipating what might cause delays or bottlenecks
•keeping an eye on time and when to hurry up
•spotting when something is causing difficulty
•spotting when attention is drifting or being distracted
•sticking to deadlines
 Checking Work in Progress
• Ask pupils to report what stage they've reached, and how they got there
• Ask another group to comment on similar or different experiences
• Set a format for a project diary with comments including:
o screenshots
o vocabulary notes
o records of sources/URLs
o product comparisons
o rough drafts
o prototypes
o feedback comments from ‘critical friends’

Pause session and do WIP activity here

 Debrief/Reviewing
• Set clear learning intentions and success criteria for the activity

• Prepare key questions in advance

• Prepare examples that illustrate what you want pupils to produce

• Prompt pupils to develop their own effective questions to use

• Use thinking frames to reflect on different stages in the work

• Use routines of displaying and discussing pupil work

• Run end-of-topic debrief sessions to draw out the learning

• Build familiarity with thinking language to discuss how things went

Pause session and do Debrief activity here

Summary

 Metacognition is widely recognised in many high-performing

systems
 Shift in emphasis away from transmission model of knowledge
 Not about ‘covering’ content of the subject curriculum
 Linked with pedagogy that helps pupils master subject content
 Helps pupils to assimilate knowledge and skills
 Suggestions need to be adapted to your own teaching practice
CCEA Resources
These are available on the CCEA website.
Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities for Key Stages 1 & 2
Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities for Key Stage 3
Assessment for Learning for Key Stages 1 & 2
Assessment for Learning for Key Stage 3
Thinking Cards
TS&PC Unit 6 – Metacognition: Thinking about Thinking and
Learning
Links

Metacognition: an overview

Metacognition: Designing for Transfer

Synthesizing Metacognitive Interventions

Metacognition in Primary Classrooms

Developing Metacognition: ERIC Digest

Metacognition: Study Strategies, Monitoring, and Motivation