5) Metacognition and targeted learning

• Metacognition (knowing one’s own thinking) is a teachable skill. Metamemory (knowledge of memory) helps students choose strategies.
• Teach students how to study: spacing, self-testing, summarizing, elaboration, and monitoring comprehension.

Classroom strategies:

• Model thinking aloud when solving problems.
• Ask students to set learning goals, predict performance, and self-evaluate after tasks.
• Include brief “process goals” in lessons (e.g., “Today practice explaining one concept in your own words”).
• Make assessment diagnostic: tasks should measure metacognitive skills, not only factual recall.

Sample classroom routine:

• After a task, students complete a 3-question reflection: What did I learn? What was hard? What will I try next?