HLP 14 Cognitive and Metacognitive Strategies

By Alician Humes, Lindsey Sharp, & Melissa Blue

What is it ?

Teachers explicitly teach strategies that give students thought processes or engage students in analyzing their thoughts. 

Why does it matter?

The goal of teaching these strategies is for the students to:

–Differentiate when and how to use strategies

-Enhance their learning and understanding of a topic 

–Analyze their own thought processes

Metacognition V Cognition

Cognitive strategies and education is teaching that gives students a thought process or thinking pattern like task analysis or mnemonic devices. Metacognitive strategies and education is teaching that engages students in analyzing their own thought process through things like self questioning or positive self talk.

Strategies for math 

Think Pair Share

For this strategy, the teacher asks the class open ended questions. Then, the students discuss the answers with their partner. Finally, the students share what they have found with the class.

Example

This can be helpful when teaching students how to solve word problems.

• The students are presented with a problem and asked to think about it independently.
• The students work together in pairs or groups to solve the problem. 
• Each pair or group demonstrates their work for the class.

Task Analysis

In this cognitive strategy students are taught steps to a larger process in sequential order. This allows students to break up the task into smaller, more manageable steps. It also gives students an exact pattern to follow when solving similar problems. Visuals may be helpful to assist students in working through the mathematical process independently. 

Example

To implement this strategy:

• The educator models the steps to solve the problem. 
• The educator then guides the class as they solve problems together
• The educator gives the students a set of 3-5 problems to solve independently.
  • The educator can provide a list of steps to guide the student as they solve independently.
• The educator collects data on the problems the student solved independently.

Mnemonics

Mnemonics are a cognitive strategy that uses keywords to link new information into easy to remember words or phrases. These can be in the forms of acronyms and acrostics though a true mnemonic is a single word that represents the information. 

Example: 

• An educator can teach the students to remember the order of operations using the word  PEMDAS.  With this mnemonic, each letter in the word represents the mathematical process that is necessary to solve problems with multiple operations. 

An educator could use an acrostic, or a sentence in which the first letter of each word represents the order of operations the student should use. “Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally” is one common acrostic.

Positive Self-Talk

Self-talk is a metacognitive strategy that can  be used to help students work through any academic process by developing a positive outlook on learning. In this strategy students can be taught to swap their negative or self deprecating inner monologue about a subject. with more positive phrases. This helps students develop self confidence and a growth mindset. 

Example:

•  Students can be taught to say things like “I’m still learning” rather than “I’m dumb.” 
• Students can be taught to tell themselves that they can always improve instead of what they’ve done wrong.
• The teacher can place the students into groups to allow students to improve learning outcomes through collaboration with their peers. 

Reading and Comprehension strategies 

Think aloud

In this strategy a teacher would model cognition or metacognition for the class explicitly by previewing the idea of metacognition and explaining to students that it means analyzing your thinking and thoughts. Then the teacher reads a short book or passage to the class stopping to verbalize their own thinking usually focused on a specific topic like theme, character traits, or elements of plot. This strategy can be used in conjunction with note taking strategies, mnemonics, or students think alouds. Students can also be encouraged to use this practice independently to help grow their metacognition skills.

 Self questioning

This strategy is a metacognitive strategy student can learn to use independently. After modeling or previewing metacognition the teacher may give students a predetermined set of questions to ask themselves as they read. This helps students develop their own inner monologue.

These questions can be separated by: 

• Chapter
• content area
• timing (before, during after the student reads). 

Example

To the left is an example of a bookmark for students to use independently that helps them question their understanding and seek solutions to any difficulties. 

Graphic Organizers

This cognitive strategy gives students a way to catalog their thoughts. This can be done through graphics that help students visualize their thoughts and organize them in a more clear way. These double as notes for students to look back on. 

The most important part of graphic organizers are: 

• to ensure they enhance students’ understanding
• Content is displayed logically

Example

To the right is an example of a graphic organizer to help students put the 6 parts of plot in sequential order.  

Writing & Composition Strategies 

Graphic organizer: In this cognitive strategy students are given an organizer that helps students:

•  organize information in a logical way.
• Visualize what they are going to talk about
• Think about their writing before they begin. 

Modeling: 

• The Teacher models this metacognitive strategy of the writing process 
• The Teacher can go over self talk and think aloud during this part of the lesson. 

Example: A teacher writes the beginning, middle and end of the paragraph in front of the students while using self talk and think-aloud to tell them why there is an introduction, examples, and conclusion. 

Self questioning frameworks

The teacher would teach students a set of questions to ask themselves. 

• These  metacognitive questions should be focused towards a specific lesson like narrative writing. 
• They should also help students with crafting their writing and meeting all of the requirements of the lesson. 

Example: The teacher lays out questions about a story like, “why am I writing this story?” “who is in this story?” “What do they do in this story?” “Where do they go?” 

Stage	Types of Questioning
Introduction	Why am I writing this? What message do I want to convey? What is this about?
Main Part	What content do I want to display? What do I want to argue?(if I want to)  What is the explanation?
Conclusion	What did I talk about? How do I wrap it up?

Application Examples

Problem: The student will be able to add and subtract fluently within 10. 

Solution: The student will be taught to add and subtract using the task analysis below. The student will then have access to a card with the steps on it. As the student gains competency the teacher will gradually fade the use of the card. 

Problem:After reading a short story, student will answer comprehension questions with 80% accuracy by the end of the current IEP.

Solution:The student will be taught a self questioning framework to use when reading. These questions will be broken up into before, during, and after the reading sections. The teacher should model this through a think aloud while reading a story with the student.The student will then be given a card with questions that prompt thinking about what they will be reading.

Sources

HLP15 Scaffolding

By Grace Clark, Lauren Murphy, & Maggie Goeppinger

What Really is Scaffolding?

Scaffolding is a method of instruction that is based upon a gradual release of responsibility from the teacher to the students using the ‘I do, We do, You do’ framework. Based on “High Leverage Practices for inclusive classrooms”, there are four principles of scaffolding which include, dynamic assessment, knowledge of curriculum, motivation purpose and engagement and varying levels of support. Through building rapport and examining the students’ zone of proximal development, a teacher can productively scaffold or “back off” during instruction in order for the student to gain independence and skill in their work. Zone of proximal development is defined by Vygostky in McLeskey et al. (2019) as, “tasks that are between what a child can understand and do independently and what s/he can do most effective.” Scaffolding is not a process that is limited to specific academia, but rather this practice can be used in all academic lessons, behavior, language, motivation, attention, communication and social skills (McLeskey, J., Maheady, L., Billingsley, B., Brownell, M., & Lewis, T. p. 208).  Below we have included several different ways to provide scaffolding supports for our learners.

Dynamic Assessment

When an educator wants to begin utilizing scaffolding in a lesson, the first step in order to be successful is through dynamic assessment. Dynamic assessment is the act of the teacher taking time to learn what the student can and cannot do with various levels of support. Without this prior knowledge, a teacher could greatly affect the students learning by giving them too much support or too little.

Knowledge of Curriculum 

The teacher also needs to have a strong knowledge of the students curriculum and goals. Through investigation of the students’ IEP goals and objectives in alignment with state curriculum standards, teachers can form a strong knowledge of what their student needs to work towards. For example, if a student is working towards the state standard K.CC.3 “Writing Numbers 0-20” the student would first have to have the baseline knowledge of how to hold a pencil, write the numbers, recognize the numbers before writing numbers 0-20 can be mastered. This area would be considered their zone of proximal development because they may be able to do some with support and some without. Without having  a firm knowledge of what the student is working towards doing independently, the teacher will be teaching without purpose. For example, a teacher could be giving a math lesson and only be focusing on the correct answers when the students goal could be following directions and holding a pencil. This knowledge is crucial when beginning any academic, behavior, or language lesson using scaffolding. 

Motivation Purpose and Engagement 

Building rapport with your student not only is beneficial for the classroom environment, but also positively influences their learning. Having a firm knowledge of students motivations and ways to enhance engagement allows teachers to explore different options of which they can scaffold students lessons and hopefully increase independence if the student is highly motivated. Once all of this pre-work has been done within the classroom and with the student, the lesson can begin.  

Varying Levels of Support

Scaffolding can be planned and unplanned so we suggest having an idea of both before the lesson begins. Unplanned scaffolding is when the teacher steps in during their independent or group work to provide support when the student gets off track. The teacher will then step back out in order to let the student continue their independent working. The teacher should also plan when and how they will scaffold to follow the “gradual release of support” modeling shown below. There are three forms of scaffolding in teaching which include sensory, interactive, and graphics. Below in the chart, there are the three ways of scaffolding and what can be included in it.

SENSORY	INTERACTIVE	GRAPHIC
Video Manipulatives  Demonstrations Modeling	Group/pairs Discussions  Stations in classroom In-person Computer	Charts  Tables  Graphic organizers Cause / Relationship

In Providing Support for Student Independence through Scaffolded Instruction. Teaching Exceptional Children, the author M. Larkin says that in order for children with disabilities to grow into successful adults they need “a supportive environment enables them to capitalize on their strengths and minimize or cope effectively with their weaknesses”. Physically, the environment in the classroom should promote learning for all students and give them opportunity to learn within the classroom, without explicit instruction. This aspect also goes into lesson planning through scaffolding instruction in order to “capitalize their strengths” by providing support when necessary but allowing exploration of independence when seen available.  

Below we have included some key questions to keep in mind when preparing a lesson that utilizes scaffolding.

Below is a gradual release model following the sequence “I do, you do, We do.” This should be referenced when lesson planning in order to effectively scaffold support to increase student independence. 

DO:

Below are two examples of how scaffolding can be incorporated into the classroom. The first one is a lesson plan-like format that takes you step by step into how you would use scaffolding to teach greater than and less than. While the next one gives you some great ideas of how you may teach the alphabet using visuals and sign language through scaffolding.

Teaching Greater Than and Less Than

Alphabet Visuals Resource

Alphabet Sign Language Resource

References  

Huynh, Tan. “34. Three Types of Scaffolding: There’s a Scaffold for That: ELL Strategies.” Empowering ELLs, Publisher Name Empowering ELLsPublisher Logo, 6 Dec. 2019, www.empoweringells.com/scaffolding-instruction/. 

Larkin, M. J. (2001). Providing Support for Student Independence through Scaffolded Instruction. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 34(1), 30–34. https://doi.org/10.1177/004005990103400104

van de Pol, J., Volman, M., Oort, F. et al. The effects of scaffolding in the classroom: support contingency and student independent working time in relation to student achievement, task effort and appreciation of support. Instr Sci 43, 615–641 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11251-015-9351-z

McLeskey, J., Maheady, L., Billingsley, B., Brownell, M., & Lewis, T. (2019). High-leverage practices for inclusive classrooms. New York, NY:  Routledge.

HLP20: Intensive Instruction

By Tatum Lawson & Erin Hamaker

Definition: Intensive instruction is the highest level of support that students can receive.

• Goal: target specific high priority skills or concepts which lead to academic success.
• Intensive instruction includes:
  • Groups based on common learning goals and needs
  • Systematic, explicit, and well-paced instruction
  • Ample opportunities for student response
  • Immediate, explicit feedback
  • Specific annual goals
  • Progress monitoring with data collected during instruction
  • Reevaluation of goals based on data collected
• Expected outcome is increased student response and acquisition of target skill.

EXPLANATION AND IMPLEMENTATION

Task Analysis

Steps to Implement Intensive Instruction

EXAMPLES AND TOOLS FOR TEACHERS AND PARENTS

How to read a consonant vowel consonant word

Make a copy of this virtual blending board to create your own. Be sure to create consonant vowel consonant words to work on that skill with the student.

Click here to access a sample data collection system. 

Addition and Subtraction within 10

Click here for the script to reference.

References

• Fuchs, D., Fuchs, L. S., & Vaughn, S. (2014). What is intensive instruction and why is it important? Teaching Exceptional Children, 46(4), 13–18. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1177/0040059914522966
• McLeskey, J. (2017). High-leverage practices in special education. Arlington, VA: Council for Exceptional Children.Stecker, P. M. (2007). Tertiary intervention: Using progress monitoring with intensive services. Teaching Exceptional Children, 39(5), 50-57. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/201088602?accountid=8361