Did you know that there’s a ‘superpower’ that can help your kids learn better? It’s called metacognition. Here’s a little explainer on what it is and how you can help your kids harness this learning ‘superpower’.
Imagine if there’s a superpower that can help you understand new scientific theories easily, apply correct formulae for all maths questions, and breeze through exams. That’ll be every kid’s dream.
What if we told you that this superpower actually exists? Because the good news is that it does; and the better news is that everyone can develop this super ability!
Activate metacognition, the learning ‘superpower’
Sounds like a complex superpower? Metacognition is actually pretty straightforward: it’s the ability of understanding how you think and learn. A kid with metacognitive abilities is someone who is aware of their strengths, weaknesses, and how they learn best (eg. through pictures and diagrams, or discussions and presentations, etc.). But it doesn’t just stop there – having metacognition also means that they are able to come up with learning and exam prep strategies that actually work for them.
To continue with the analogy, metacognition helps your superhero kid understand what their superpowers and Kryptonite are when it comes to learning and exams. With metacognition, they are also able to plan how best to overcome each challenge, be it in the form of complicated theories or exams.
An international found a way to help its students develop this superpower
We earlier wrote that everyone can develop metacognitive abilities. Nord Anglia Education actually teamed up with researchers from Boston College to come up with a programme to help kids understand and develop metacognition. This programme is now weaved into all of its schools’ curriculum, including Dover Court International School’s (DCIS) Year 9 to 11 students who are following the GCSE. Here’s an example of how it’s done:
- Students will be guided to build their own learning profile at the beginning of the school year. This will help students understand the type of learner they are, as well as their strengths and challenges.
- Independent learning strategies will be taught – think of this as a ‘toolbox’ for students that they can use for learning and revising throughout the school year.
- Students will receive feedback on assessments and markings, which they are encouraged to reflect and jot down possible improvements.
You can help your kids harness this superpower at home too
You’ll see that metacognition involves three main processes:
- Being aware of your learning style, strengths, and areas for improvement.
- Adapt and regulate how you learn, taking into account your learning styles and abilities.
- Apply a suitable learning strategy into the challenge at hand.
At home, you can help them practise metacognition by incorporating it into daily life, such as chores and other non-school-related decisions. You can do so by asking questions that encourage them to reflect, such as: what would you do differently next time? How will you know if this method works? Be mindful to keep the questions neutral rather than judgmental, as we want to encourage the kids to open up more and learn how to navigate through tricky situations.
Ready to help your kids power up?
You can reach out to DCIS to find out how it helps students to develop this learning ‘superpower’. The school has seen fab results from teaching students metacognition, with 61% of them believing that this skill helps them tackle challenges heads-on, be it in school or in the real world.
To quote a popular kids’ show: with metacognition, we dare say that no challenge is too big and no kid is too small!
This post is in partnership with Dover Court International School.
