Using Metacognition prior to the introduction of a new topic so as to empower our students to become more autonomous

Using Metacognition prior to the introduction of a new topic

Today we have started out working on metacognition as a powerful tool to prepare our students for the learning process as we are about to introduce the book club as a new topic.

We truly believe that metacognition empowers our students to become more autonomous and self-regulated learners because it equips them with the skills and mindset needed to approach new topics with confidence, to adapt smoothly to challenges, and to continuously improve their learning strategies, notwithstanding. We focused on:

- Preparation for learning to help them prepare their minds for learning. It encourages them to reflect on what they already know about the topic, their prior experiences, and any misconceptions they may have. This prepares them to build upon their existing knowledge effectively.

- Goal Setting, by thinking about what they want to achieve with the new topic, they can create a clear plan for their presentations, for example, which can enhance their motivation and focus.

- Monitoring Understanding so we asked our students to ask themselves questions like, "Am I grasping the key concepts?" or "Do I need to review certain sections?" This self-awareness helps them adjust their learning strategies as needed.

- Problem Solving and Adaptation: Metacognition empowers students to identify difficulties or challenges they may encounter while learning. When our students are struggling in class, they can take steps to address these issues, such as seeking clarification from the teacher or seeking additional resources.

We use metacognition diaries and/or activities because we reckon it has more advantages than disadvantages. One of the advantages we can see in the use of metacognitive activities is the sense of ownership over one's learning that's developed in the students since it encourages students to take responsibility for their own learning process, making decisions about how to approach their duties, homework, classwork and studies in general.

Another advantage to be noted is that metacognition encourages our students to think critically and metacognitively about their problem-solving approaches. They can evaluate the effectiveness of their strategies and adjust them as necessary.

Here's a sample of the pre-metacognition activity we implemented yesterday in the co-teaching literacy lesson with our Year 1 class (7th graders). If you scroll down, you'll find some interesting samples from our Year 2 class (8th graders).

YEAR 1 EXPERIENCES