Last year’s final blogs explored the belief that, while strong Literacy and Numeracy are vital for success in every discipline of
learning, learning how to learn and how to understand the thinking and learning process (Metacognition) is even more
important! Understanding how to learn and think is possibly the most vital skill set students should be acquiring.
Metacognition, or cognition about cognition, is the ability to reflect upon how we process our thoughts. One important trait of academically successful individuals is their ability to employ a variety of thinking routines or strategies for different tasks. It is also important to be able to determine when such strategies and routines would be helpful. Such Metacognition requires significant development of the Executive function of the brain. Harvard university describes Executive Function as “skills are the mental processes that enable us to plan, focus attention, remember instructions, and juggle multiple tasks successfully.”
To learn effectively, the brain needs to balance and co-ordinate three important functions:
While children are born with the potential to develop these skills, they require growth promoting environments which support and scaffold
the child as they learn. Routines and explicit modelling and instruction can all help develop these skills. Stressful situations can
influence brain architecture in negative ways which influence the effective co-ordination of these three functions. There is also some
evidence that students on the Autistic Spectrum or with ADHD may experience greater difficulty co-ordinating the skills required for
effective executive function. This can make everyday life at school frustrating and difficult for such students.
At home education, such as that offered by Full Spectrum Education, that focuses on developing students’ skills in working memory and
flexibility and self-regulation will ultimately result in much improved Executive Function with both improved academic performance and
greater capacity to cope with all life will throw at them. One way of developing these skills is through the explicit teaching of learning
routines.
Many of these Thinking Routines were explored in detail in blogs in Term Four 2019. This term, blogs will focus on other ways students might
improve metacognition and other thinking routines.
If you have suggestions for topics, you would like to see explored in our blogs please contact us with your suggestions.
References:
Harvard University, (2019), Executive Function & Self-Regulation viewed October 4,2019, https://developingchild.harvard.edu/science/key-concepts/executive-function/
BY SUE BURVILL-SHAW
