When we talk about metacognition, we refer to the development of knowledge and thinking activities. With the passage of time, the need to promote these types of metacognitive skills and strategies in students has emerged since it helps them think for themselves and not just accumulate knowledge as they have done all their lives.
This type of strategies, unlike only accumulating knowledge, has a more transcendental meaning and increases cognitive abilities significantly. In this Psychology-Online article: metacognitive skills and strategies in learningwe are going to make them known to you in detail and we will provide several examples.
Definition and modalities of metacognition
As we defined at the beginning of this article, metacognition consists of becoming aware of our own ability to develop strategies and resources that will help us carry out a task effectively. Likewise, also know and learn to regulate our step by step.
There are different modalities in which metacognition can occur and it is interesting to know what each of these are since they are related to a different cognitive ability.
- Meta-memory. This modality refers to the knowledge and awareness we have about our own memory and everything that is related to it. It refers to the knowledge of our own memory abilities, our limitations, our ability to relate previously stored knowledge with new ones, the way in which we usually retrieve and make use of information, etc.
- Meta-attention. It refers to the fact of being aware of how our own attention works and the way in which we can have control over it. For example, realizing when we start to get distracted, what we can do to refocus our attention where we want it, knowing what strategies work best for us to achieve this, etc. It’s about knowing how to optimize our attention at every moment when it is necessary.
- Meta-understanding. It is about knowing our own capacity to understand and the way in which we can use it. One of the main deficiencies in learning is reading but not really understanding and this is what happens to many students. Some of them even reach , which can be useful to solve the exams but that It does not mean that they have had an apprenticeship significant since they haven’t really understood it. Therefore, it is necessary to develop this skill in students so that they are aware of their level of understanding and learn to optimize it.
- Meta-thinking. It is about generating awareness about our own thinking. This is extremely important since we usually reflect very little on our own thoughts, which include our beliefs and ideas that we have developed over time. Rather than focusing on the fact of “what to think“, it is more about “how to think”.
Examples of metacognitive skills and strategies in the classroom
Next, we will introduce you to some exercises and strategies that are often used in the classroom to teach students to develop each of their metacognitive skills.
Exercise 1. Deduce the meaning of the words according to their context
In this exercise, students are shown different phrases that use an unknown word in different contexts. The objective of the exercise is for students to deduce the meaning of the unknown word in this way, that is, based on the context and mainly to know the importance of using their own strategies to reach a result.
Exercise 2. Try different ways to learn something new
This helps the student learn different methods for acquiring new knowledge, broaden their vision and be able to choose the method that is most comfortable or most practical for them to learn.
- For exampleWhen you learn a new word, you can teach it by doing it in different ways such as: relating the word with images, finding a synonym for it with another word you already know, identifying with the sound, etc.
Exercise 3. Self-assessment exercises
After having carried out an activity and having learned a new topic, they are given time to self-evaluate themselves and reflect on their performance in that specific activity, asking themselves questions such as: how can I improve? my performance in this activity? What was the most difficult for me when doing it? What was the most easy for me?, etc.
More activities to work on metacognition
To finish this article on the metacognitive skills and strategieswe are going to offer you some final activities to work on metacognition.
Exercise 4. Exercises to develop cognitive strategies
Before and after carrying out a specific task or taking an exam, the student is asked to analyze what strategies he or she carried out for each of them.
- For example, After taking an exam, remember how hard you concentrated to study, what factors influenced you to concentrate or stop concentrating, and how you could do better for the next time.
Exercise 5. Ask questions
Is about promote curiosity in students and the desire to learn more and more. Therefore, the teacher, instead of being the one who is constantly asking questions in class about the topics covered, asks the students to also ask the teacher questions. This can be carried out in class when a topic is being presented or at home when the students are doing their homework and reading about a topic, writing down any doubts that arise and that are not well explained so that the next day they can be discussed with them. The teacher.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
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References
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Cervantes Institute of Algiers. (sf). Analysis and practical examples of activities to work on learning strategies in the classroom. Retrieved November 29, 2018, from https://cvc.cervantes.es/ensenanza/biblioteca_ele/publicaciones_centros/PDF/argel_2011/03_barrallo.pdf