Cognitive Strategies

Cognitive Strategies in Education Cognitive Strategies The purpose of this work is the first define metacognition and explain the four cognitive strategies of chunking, mnemonics, advance organizers and rehearsals and then to consider how each one might be useful in helping facilitate understanding of metacognition. Finally this work intends to create a sample lesson plan that represents the strategies. Metacognition can be defined as the learner's awareness of the knowledge they possess as well as their ability in understanding, controlling and manipulating of their own metacognitive processes.

Metacognitive skills are important both from an educational perspective and throughout the individual's life. Metacognition is a new field which has left theorists in a vague position in terms of conventional terminology. The primary factor in metacognition is the "conscious awareness" on the part of the individual in learning as to the learning taking place and their control of the learning process. I.

Metacognition: Learners with good metacognitive skills are able to establish a motivation to learn a megacognitive process as well as focusing their attention toward the applicability of the metacognitive awareness in the learning process. Self-talk is a large part of the metacognitive process and although it may arise during their interaction with others it is the self-talk that is essential. The "self-talk" in metacognitive learning enables the individual to understand as well as encode the process and it also enables them in practicing the process.

Further, self-talk enables the individual in making adjustments as to the effectiveness in use of the process and in obtaining feedback from others involved in the process. The learner is also enabled in the transfer of the process to a new application beyond the scope of the use experienced.

The individual or learner in possession of "good metacognitive skills" has the ability to both "monitor and direct their own learning processes." (Pressley, Borkowski & Schneider, 1987) There are four types of metacognitive strategies acknowledge which are termed "Spatial Strategies, Summary of Multipurpose Strategies, Chunking Strategies and Bridging Strategies." The four following are types within these four categories of strategies. Chunking: Chunking can be defined as the "rational ordering and classification of knowledge.

Three types of strategies are identified in chunking which are "Linear classification, Taxonomic Classification and Multipurpose Classification." (Barrett, 1992 Mnemonics: Mnemonics is defined as artificial aids for memorization such as first letter coding. This is the learning of material through use of some type of memory device. One example of this is through the use of rhyming words. Advance Organizers: Advance Organizers are defined as brief prose introductions prior to a new material. An example of this is the review of a table of contents.

Rehearsals: Rehearsal in metacognition is the "reviewing of, questioning of and predicting of" with learners in an active role. One example of rehearsal is for example: practicing an interview, practicing for a spelling bee, practicing exam questions in the exam format. Rehearsal and Mnemonics are both examples of "multipurpose" strategies. Multi-purpose strategies are "relatively simple tools" (Barrett, 1992 ) that many use in the learning process. Advance Organizers are of the type referred to as "Bridging Strategies" (Barrett, 1992) II.

Cognitive Skills Instruction: In application of teaching cognitive skills and strategies the teachers should: Use effective monitoring of their cognitive processes When possible avoid using simplistic or primitive routines. Develop and maintain a "knowledge base" of information, both in general and specifically as well as available strategies in the subject areas. Develop the habit of acknowledging both success and failure in their efforts as to the effectiveness realized. Assist transferring of effective strategies to new situation. III.

Sample Lesson Plan: Description of Lesson: Memorization of individual States within the U.S. Cognitive Skills Instruction Type: Mnemonics Materials needed: Chalkboard and hand-out listing U.S. Presidents in Chronological Order. Memorization skills can be enhanced as well as assisting the student in learning the subject content of this lesson through use of first letter coding. The process in this lesson is through listing and providing hand-outs of the United States Presidents in chronological order.

The teacher will instruct the students in learning through mnemonics or first letter coding in memorization by taking the first letter of the last name of each U.S. President and after having memorized all of the letters learning to recall the entire name of the President in that chronological place in learning by memorization of the entire list of U.S. Presidents in history. Another type of cognitive instruction available in this lesson plan is Linear Classification in Chunking.

This type of cognitive instruction may be applied through listing the years of the U.S. President's term served and through cross-referencing of the President and the President's years in term assist the student in the learning process. Conclusion: This paper addresses the strategy types in metacognitive learning through cognitive instruction strategy. Successful teachers enable students in metacognitive learning processes through use of cognitive instructional methods focused towards assisting the student in the acquisition and cultivation of a repertoire of metacognitive strategies for the student's application when.