ii Strategies for Developing Meta-Cognitive
Behaviours
1.
Identifying "what you know" and
"what you don't know."
At the
beginning of an activity we need to make conscious decisions about our
knowledge. Make this a conscious
process by initially having students write "What I already know
about..." and "What I want to learn about...." the topic. As students research the topic, they will
verify, clarify and expand, or replace with more accurate information, each of
their initial statements. Students will
often struggle, as they are not used to assessing their own knowledge.
2.
Talking about thinking.
Talking
about thinking is important because students need a thinking vocabulary. During
planning and problem-solving situations, teachers should think aloud so that
students can follow demonstrated thinking processes which are often
culturally-based. Modelling and
discussion develop the vocabulary students need for thinking and talking about
their own thinking. Labelling thinking
processes when students use them is also important for student recognition of
thinking skills.
Paired
problem-solving is another useful strategy. One student talks through a
problem, describing his thinking processes. His partner listens and asks
questions to help clarify thinking.
Similarly, in reciprocal teaching (Palinscar, Ogle, Jones, Carr, &
Ransom, 1986), small groups of students take turns playing teacher, asking
questions, and clarifying and summarising the material being studied.
3.
Keeping a thinking journal.
Another
means of developing meta-cognition is through the use of a journal or learning
log. This is a diary in which students
reflect upon their thinking, make note of their awareness of ambiguities and
inconsistencies, and comment on how they have dealt with difficulties. This
journal is a diary of process.
4.
Planning and self-regulation.
Students
must assume increasing responsibility for planning and regulating their
learning. It is difficult for learners to become self-directed when learning is
planned and monitored by someone else.
Students can be taught to make plans for learning activities including
estimating time requirements, organising materials, and scheduling procedures
necessary to complete an activity. The resource centre’s flexibility and access
to a variety of materials allows the student to do just this. Criteria for
evaluation must be developed with students so they learn to think and ask
questions of themselves as they proceed through a learning activity.
5.
Debriefing the thinking process.
Closure activities focus student discussion on thinking processes to
develop awareness of strategies that can be applied to other learning
situations.
A three step method is useful:
a)
First, the
teacher guides students to review the activity, gathering data on thinking
processes and feelings.
b)
Then, the
group classifies related ideas, identifying thinking strategies used.
c)
Finally, they
evaluate their success, discarding inappropriate strategies, identifying those
valuable for future use, and seeking promising alternative approaches.
6.
Self-Evaluation.
Guided
self-evaluation experiences can be introduced through individual conferences
and checklists focusing on thinking processes. Gradually self-evaluation will
be applied more independently. As students recognise that learning activities
in different disciplines and outside the school environment are similar, they
will begin to transfer learning strategies to new situations such as work and
day-to-day living.