An analysis of teachers’ self-reported competencies for teaching metacognition

For successful reading experiences in native and/or foreign/second language, individuals need to benefit from not only cognitive strategies but also metacognitive strategies. Although research found reading comprehension and performance increase following metacognitive trainings, such findings may not transfer into mainstream classrooms as easily for several reasons. This study, therefore, aimed to disseminate the phenomenon of teaching metacognition with an emphasis on teacher’s instrumental role during classroom learning. More specifically, it investigated language instructors’ metacognition and their self-reported competencies for teaching metacognition. It also examined whether and how self-reported competencies changed following a professional development (PD) module of teaching for metacognition. Utilising Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI) and think aloud protocols for instructional planning, this study found most participants were either highly metacognitive or metacognitive individuals. It was also found that most participants were initially not knowledgeable about and/or competent in teaching metacognition. Following PD, highly metacognitive teachers developed authentic lesson plans manifesting metacognition instruction while metacognitive teachers adopted similar instructional designs presented during the PD. Besides, half of the participants appreciated teaching metacognitively following the PD. Finally, under the light of these findings, future research and policy adjustments were proposed.     

元认知研究与教学设计

信息化社会,知识以爆炸式的速度增长,依赖传统体制教授知识已不能满足时代的要求,迫切要求学生学会学习。培养学生的元认知能力对于学生学会学习至关重要,教学设计的各个环节,内容分析、学习者分析、目标制定、策略选择和成果评价,都应考虑元认知因素。     

Using metacognitive strategies in teaching to facilitate understanding of light concepts among year 9 students

Background: Enhancing students’ metacognitive abilities will help to facilitate their understanding of science concepts.

Purpose: The study was designed to conduct and evaluate the effectiveness of a repertoire of interventions aimed at enhancing secondary school students’ metacognitive capabilities and their achievements in science.

Sample: A class of 35 Year 9 students participated in the study.

Design and methods: The study involved a pre-post design, conducted by the first author as part of the regular designated science programme in a class taught by him.

In order to enhance the students’ metacognitive capabilities, the first author employed clearly stated focused outcomes, engaging them in collaborative group work, reading scientific texts and using concept mapping techniques during classroom instruction. The data to evaluate the effectiveness of the metacognitive interventions were obtained from pre- and post-test results of two metacognitive questionnaires, the Metacognitive Support Questionnaire (MSpQ) and the Metacognitive Strategies Questionnaire (MStQ), and data from interviews. In addition, pre-test and post-test scores were used from a two-tier multiple-choice test on Light.

Results: The results showed gains in the MSpQ but not in the MStQ. However, the qualitative data from interviews suggested high metacognitive capabilities amongst the high- and average-achieving students at the end of the study. Students gains were also evident from the test scores in the Light test.

Conclusion: Although the quantitative data obtained from the Metacognitive Strategies Questionnaire did not show significant gains in the students’ metacognitive strategies, the qualitative data from interviews suggested positive perceptions of students’ metacognitive strategies amongst the high- and average-achieving students. Data from the Metacognitive Support Questionnaire showed that there were significant gains in the students’ perceptions of their metacognitive support implying that the majority of the students perceived that their learning environment was oriented towards the development of their metacognitive capabilities. The effect of the metacognitive interventions on students’ achievement in the Light test resulted in students displaying the correct declarative knowledge, but quite often they lacked the procedural knowledge by failing to explain their answers correctly.     

遵循元认知心理规律提高学生的自学能力

组织学生进行自学是提高教学质量的重要方面。遵循元认知规律能够提高学生的自学能力。元认知的结构包括三部分：元认知知识、元认知体验、元认知监控。学生在自学过程中加强对个人认知活动及影响这种认知活动的各种因素的认识，根据学习目标对自己的学习心理和行为不断进行自我监控、自我评价、自我调节，能有效地提高学习效果。     

元认知学习策略在快速阅读中的应用

大学英语教学改革以及新四、六级考试对学生快速阅读能力提出了明确要求。从元认知角度出发,可以深入探讨元认知学习策略与快速阅读的关系,以及在日常阅读教学中如何进行元认知学习策略训练。     

论大学英语听力教学中的元认知训练

国内外很多相关研究证明元认知有助于听力水平的提高。鉴于非英语专业学生听力薄弱,而大学英语四级考试听力分值上升,在大学英语教学中采用教师示范和学生自我提问两种方式加强非英语专业学生在听力过程中元认知训练,提高学习者的元认知水平,以达到提高听力水平的目的。     

高等数学教学方法的改革尝试

针对高师数学教学中的存的一些问题，提出了对高等数学课程教学方法改革的几个有效途径以及今后改革发展的构想。     

自主策略性英语阅读教学探索

自主学习是当今教育研究，包括外语教学研究的一个重要课题。本文通过探索自主策略性英语阅读教学将自主学习细化到自主英语阅读，以此培养学习者在整个英语阅读过程中实现自我管理和规划的能力。     

英语阅读元认知训练的实验研究

以208名非英语专业大一学生为实验对象,分析了课堂上元认知训练对学生英语阅读所产生的可能效果。实验进行了前测、后测、问卷调查和访谈。结果表明,元认知训练能显著提高学生的英语阅读能力,并能促进学生更主动地把元认知知识应用于阅读,提高他们自主学习的能力;问卷调查和访谈显示了学生对训练总体持认同态度,但还存在分歧。本文指出了这次实验的教学启示。     

非英语专业学生英语元认知监控学习策略调查

文章对140名非英语专业二、三年级学生的英语元认知监控学习策略作了调查,目的是了解他们对英语元认知监控学习策略的使用情况。调查采用问卷的方式进行。结果表明他们的元认知监控策略普遍偏低,三年级学生对元认知监控策略的使用略好于二年级学生。同时,把元认知监控策略得分与学生成绩进行了相关分析,发现他们之间有较高的相关性。