#95 Unlocking Learning with Metacognition

Hi Everyone

In this issue we continue to delve into how the seriously essential skill of metacognition can be developed in all learners by naturalising it’s use in the classroom. Rather than formalise the process by naming it, describing it and using a reflection cycle (which will only support more able learners), there are ways to develop metacognition in all children and young people without them even realising it.

As teachers we tend to fall for the commonly held view that all children know how to learn. In previous issues we’ve looked at how children are excellent learners through using their natural inbuilt cognitive abilities, as long as that learning is gained from personal interaction with their environment. When they start school however, for many that ability gradually diminishes as learning becomes more prescriptive, rather than driven by curiosity.

That’s when metacognition should come into its own! Unfortunately, there’s a whole plethora of reasons why today’s students might not yet have developed the ability to think in a different way. Remember that metacognition involves being aware of your own thought processes and having the ability to change them in order to get a different result. It is in fact, the key to unlocking a greater learning ability.

The list of circumstances that might curtail a child’s normal physical, emotional, mental or educational development is however a scarily long one. They include:

·?????? Physical Disabilities

·?????? Autistic Spectrum Disorders

·?????? Language Barriers

·?????? Executive Function Disorders?

·?????? Impact of Trauma

·?????? Specific Learning Difficulties

·?????? Previous Poor Experiences

·?????? Disadvantage Gap – Limited Opportunities

·?????? Disrupted Education

·?????? Poor Self-Concept

Reading through the potential difficulties our learners may face, it doesn’t take long to identify that sometimes we are looking at the majority of students in a particular class or school. It therefore becomes essential that we support the development of metacognition in all learners so that they regain the potential they started with (barring serious health problems), to take full advantage of all the educational opportunities open to them.

We discussed previously the importance of having a collaborative community of inquiry in the classroom, where everyone shares the joy of ‘finding out’ with the teacher. This applies to any age group, not just the very young. We need to create a classroom ethos where all students are genuinely invited to share what they're thinking, be it right, wrong or indifferent, and no judgement is served on what is shared.

The advantages to this are numerous! You have the whole class ‘involved’, you know what they’re all thinking, you can adapt any activity accordingly, whilst making sure that you address misconceptions and include formative assessment opportunities. Students very quickly adapt to this more open, collaborative dialogue, and even those previously reluctant to ‘join in’ find themselves included. I might add that it’s more exciting for the teacher too!

This way of working is completely dependent on us creating an emotionally safe space where all learners are contributing. They do so willingly because everyone is aware that even wrong answers help lead the whole class to a more accurate solution. Even wacky comments can sometimes be used to draw out the core of an idea that can lead to improved understanding for everyone, promoting better questions and debate.

Remember that you’re aiming for all your students being able to question what they’re currently thinking, to see if there’s a better way to achieve the desired result. Teaching your students to listen to each other’s thoughts and then facilitating their responses, encourages everyone to ‘reason’ and ‘change their minds’ in the light of new evidence. It also provides greater clarity for those experiencing learning barriers.

I’ll leave you with a sobering thought. Which is more important, that a student hands in a very neat, completed piece of work, which is absolutely no indication of having ‘learned’ anything, or that they have a clear idea in their head of the concept you wanted them to learn. And maybe even more importantly from a school’s perspective, which is more likely to support greater student progress and improved exam results?

Take care till next time.

Warm regards

Liz