Title: Metacognitive Learning Strategies for Students with Learning Disabilities
Abstract: Definition of Metacognition In the psychology literature, metacognition is referred to as one's inner or as about one's own thinking or more specifically metacognition refers to an individual's self-knowledge about their cognition and to the ability to be able to influence one's own cognition (Meichenbaum, 1985). Research on metacognition has strong possibilities and opportunities to influence our understanding of learning strategies for students with learning disabilities. A strategy is a systematically thought out approach which enables us to get from one point to another. The goal of a strategy is to teach students to become purposeful, effective and independent learners. Self-assessment (Miller, 1991) and self-monitoring is thought to facilitate strategic functioning. Learning is influenced by several factors including inadequate prior knowledge, poor study skills, problems with maintaining sustained attention, cultural or language differences or the presence of a learning disability. Most students who are successful learners have been able to realize by themselves the self-understanding that pertains to knowing are effective learning strategies for a given learning situation. Students with learning disabilities typically lack this self-knowledge and self-awareness and therefore, they must be taught these strategies directly. Students with learning disabilities often find learning a difficult and painful process. Learning becomes difficult when there are memory problems, difficulties in following directions, sustaining attention, trouble with the visual or auditory perception of information, or visual-coordination problems resulting in an inability to perform paper and pencil tasks. The presence of a learning difficulty can make learning to read, write and do math especially challenging. Students who have learning disabilities are often overwhelmed, disorganized and frustrated in learning situations. In the process of instructing learners to improve the learning process, distinctions can be made between cognitive and metacognitive strategies. Cognitive strategies help a person process and manipulate information; examples include taking notes, asking questions, or filling out a chart. Cognitive strategies tend to be very task specific, implying that certain cognitive strategies are useful only when learning or performing certain tasks. Metacognitive strategies are executive in nature. They are the strategies a student uses when planning, monitoring, and evaluating learning or strategy performance. Hence, they are often referred to as self-regulatory strategies. A person who uses metacognitive strategies must therefore be aware of the need for executing strategies such as planning, monitoring and evaluating; thus being able to imagine and envision the future with reference to performing in a situation. The most effective outcomes are received by learners who combine the metacognitive with the cognitive. Metacognitive processes are presumed to provide the individual with some volitional control over various cognitive routines related to problem solving. Instructional Strategies for Learners with Learning Disabilities There is a significant difference between teaching a child how as opposed to what to think. The use of metacognitive strategies by a student indicates that the student is aware of learning as a process and that he/she is also aware of learning to learn methods of to accomplish learning. Taking the time to plan before writing or taking the time to organize an outline before writing, for example, shows that the student knows and understands is involved in writing a good composition (Spence, 1990). When these strategies are be integrated into content area learning, the learning outcomes are successful (Scruggs and Mastropieri, 1993). Unfortunately, few studies have attempted to examine the relationship between cognitive and metacognitive functions. …
Publication Year: 1999
Publication Date: 1999-09-22
Language: en
Type: article
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Cited By Count: 47
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