The Seven-Step Model for Metacognition in the Classroom

In 2011, the EEF Teaching and Learning Toolkit was launched to bridge the gap between educational research and classroom practice. Since then, the term "metacognition and self-regulation" has become a buzzword in education, popping up in discussions about effective teaching strategies. It's consistently ranked as one of the most popular topics in the Toolkit, having been accessed over 120,000 times.

The Toolkit rates metacognition and self-regulation as having a very high impact on student progress—equivalent to an additional seven months' worth of progress when used effectively. What’s more, it’s a low-cost strategy backed by extensive evidence, making it particularly beneficial for disadvantaged students. However, while the potential impact is significant, there’s still a lot of uncertainty about how to apply these strategies effectively in the classroom. Although learners naturally develop some level of metacognition, and many teachers support it intuitively in their teaching, there’s no one-size-fits-all method for implementing it. It can be challenging to pinpoint exactly what metacognitive knowledge and skills look like in practice.

In 2018, the EEF published a guidance report on metacognition and self-regulated learning. This report reviews the best available research and provides practical advice for teachers and school leaders on how to cultivate metacognitive skills in their students while also addressing common misconceptions about metacognition.

What Exactly is Metacognition and Self-Regulation?

Metacognition is often described simply as "thinking about thinking," but this definition doesn’t fully capture its complexity in the classroom. At its core, metacognition involves students' ability to monitor, direct, and review their learning. Effective metacognitive strategies encourage students to reflect more deeply on how they learn. Self-regulation, on the other hand, refers to how aware students are of their strengths and weaknesses and the strategies they use to learn. It’s about how they motivate themselves to engage in learning and develop strategies to improve their learning process.

Psychologist Barry Zimmerman provides a helpful description of a self-regulated learner:

“These learners are proactive in their efforts to learn because they are aware of their strengths and limitations and because they are guided by personally set goals and task-related strategies, such as using an arithmetic addition strategy to check the accuracy of solutions to subtraction problems. These learners monitor their behaviour in terms of their goals and self-reflect on their increasing effectiveness. This enhances their self-satisfaction and motivation to continue to improve their methods of learning.”

Breaking Down Self-Regulated Learning

Self-regulated learning can be divided into three key components: cognition, metacognition, and motivation.

1. Cognition involves the mental processes used in understanding, learning, and remembering. Cognitive strategies are specific techniques that help students acquire knowledge and complete tasks—such as using mnemonic devices for memorisation or applying problem-solving methods in maths.

2. Metacognition is about how students think about and manage these strategies. It involves planning, monitoring, and evaluating their learning process.

3. Motivation is the drive that compels students to engage their cognitive and metacognitive skills in the first place. Without motivation, even the best strategies won’t be effectively applied.

It’s important to note that while metacognition often gets the spotlight, it’s no more or less important than cognition or motivation. You can’t be metacognitive without the cognitive strategies, and those strategies won’t be used effectively without motivation.

A Model for Metacognitive Thinking

The EEF offers a useful model to illustrate what metacognition looks like. It starts with metacognitive knowledge, which includes understanding the task at hand, knowing the strategies to complete it, and being aware of one’s own strengths and weaknesses. Metacognitive regulation then involves using this knowledge to plan, monitor, and evaluate. For example, do you understand the task well enough to plan it effectively? Are you monitoring your progress and adjusting strategies as needed? At the end of the task, are you evaluating how successful you were and considering what you might do differently next time?

Most teachers naturally engage in this type of thinking daily, but it doesn’t have to be left to chance with students. We can explicitly teach them to be metacognitive by making these thought processes clear and encouraging them to think in this way.

How to Incorporate Metacognition in the Classroom

There are many strategies for embedding metacognition into classroom practice, and these will vary depending on the student, subject, and task. Research suggests that metacognitive strategies are most effective when they’re woven into the curriculum and taught through subject content, rather than as standalone lessons.

The EEF recommends a seven-step model for explicitly teaching metacognitive strategies, which can be applied across subjects and age groups:

1. Activating prior knowledge

2. Explicit strategy instruction

3. Modelling of learned strategy

4. Memorisation of strategy

5. Guided practice

6. Independent practice

7. Structured reflection

This approach helps students build solid subject knowledge and understanding, forming the basis for independent practice followed by structured reflection on the learning process. For metacognitive thinking to become ingrained, it must be practiced consistently and applied to real learning contexts. Let's have a closer look at what each one entails...

Activating prior knowledge involves helping students connect new information to what they already know. This step is crucial because it allows students to anchor new learning in familiar concepts, making it easier to understand and retain new material. For instance, in a science lesson on ecosystems, a teacher might begin by asking students what they already know about food chains or animals’ roles within an ecosystem. This discussion prompts students to recall and share their existing knowledge, setting the stage for new information to be integrated. Another example could be in a history class, where a teacher is about to introduce the topic of World War II. The teacher might first ask students to discuss what they remember about the causes and effects of World War I. By revisiting previous lessons, students can build a bridge between the two wars, making it easier for them to grasp the complexities of the new topic.

Explicit strategy instruction involves directly teaching students specific strategies that can help them tackle learning tasks. This step requires the teacher to clearly explain and demonstrate how to use these strategies. For example, in a maths lesson on solving word problems, the teacher might teach a strategy like the “CUBES” method, which stands for Circle the numbers, Underline the question, Box the keywords, Eliminate unnecessary information, and Solve the problem. The teacher would explain each step, show how to apply it, and then have students practice it on their own. In a reading comprehension lesson, a teacher might introduce the strategy of summarising, where students are taught to identify the main ideas and key details of a passage. The teacher could model this by reading a paragraph aloud and then summarising it in a few sentences, explaining their thought process along the way. Students would then practice summarising other paragraphs, gradually developing their ability to distill information.

Modelling involves the teacher demonstrating how to apply the strategies that have been taught. This step helps students see how to use the strategies in action and provides a clear example for them to follow. In a writing lesson, for instance, a teacher might model how to plan an essay. The teacher could think aloud while outlining the main points, deciding on the structure, and choosing evidence to support their arguments. This demonstration gives students a concrete example of how to approach their own essay writing. In a science class, the teacher might model how to design an experiment. They could walk students through the process of forming a hypothesis, identifying variables, and planning the steps of the experiment. By showing each step and explaining their reasoning, the teacher helps students understand how to approach their own experimental designs.

Memorisation of strategy is about ensuring that students internalise the strategies they’ve learned so that they can recall and use them independently. This might involve repetitive practice or the use of memory aids. For example, in a language class, students might be encouraged to memorise a set of steps for conjugating verbs in a new tense. The teacher might use flashcards or mnemonic devices to help students remember the steps and then have them practice applying the strategy until it becomes second nature. In a maths class, after learning a strategy for solving quadratic equations, students might engage in repeated practice sessions where they apply the same steps to various problems. Over time, this repetition helps them internalise the process, so they can solve similar problems without needing to refer to their notes.

Guided practice is the stage where students begin to apply the strategies on their own, but with the support and guidance of the teacher. This might involve working through problems together as a class or in small groups, with the teacher providing feedback and corrections as needed. For example, in a geography lesson, after teaching the strategy of analysing maps, the teacher might work with the class to interpret a specific map. The teacher would guide students through the process, asking questions and prompting them to apply the strategy step by step. In an art class, after demonstrating a technique for shading, the teacher might have students start their own shading exercises while circulating the room to offer individual feedback. This guided practice allows students to begin developing their skills with the safety net of teacher support.

Independent practice is when students use the strategies they’ve learned on their own, without direct teacher assistance. This step is critical for developing students’ confidence and competence. For instance, after several guided practice sessions, students in a maths class might be asked to complete a set of problems on their own. Here, they must rely on their understanding of the strategy and apply it independently, solidifying their learning. In a literature class, students might be tasked with writing an essay on a novel they’ve studied, using the planning and drafting strategies they’ve learned. The teacher would step back, allowing students to work independently, but would be available for questions or clarification if needed.

Structured reflection involves encouraging students to think about their learning process, evaluate their use of strategies, and consider how they can improve. This step is essential for metacognitive development as it helps students become more aware of their own thinking and learning processes. For example, after completing a project in a history class, students might be asked to write a reflection on what strategies they used, what worked well, and what they would do differently next time. This reflection helps them internalise the lessons learned and apply them to future tasks. In a physical education class, after a series of basketball drills, students might be asked to reflect on their performance. They could consider which strategies helped them improve their shooting accuracy and what areas they still need to work on. This reflection helps them set goals for their next practice session and become more mindful of their progress.

By following these seven steps, teachers can effectively embed metacognitive strategies into their teaching, helping students not only learn content but also develop the skills to manage and direct their own learning. This approach fosters independent, self-regulated learners who are better equipped to tackle challenges both inside and outside the classroom.

Making the Implicit Explicit

As teachers, we often keep our thinking processes hidden from students. By thinking out loud while completing tasks, we can model metacognitive thought processes and make our thinking visible. This lets students see what expert thinking looks like in action. Teachers should do this regularly, providing various examples, naming steps, and giving students opportunities to reflect on and critique the decisions made during tasks. Encouraging students to think out loud, both with teachers and peers, can further deepen their metacognitive skills.

Worked examples can also serve as scaffolding during the learning process. The “I, we, you” model is a sequence of tasks that gradually increases student responsibility, reducing the need for worked steps as they gain proficiency. Initially, direct modelling and support are necessary, but as students grow more confident, they take on more of the task themselves. This gradual release of responsibility allows students to develop their metacognitive and cognitive skills without overwhelming their working memory.

Effective questioning during task modelling can also promote metacognitive reflection. Instead of simply explaining why you made certain decisions, ask students questions that focus on planning, monitoring, and evaluating. For example, “What resources do I need for this task?” or “What strategies could I use, and how will I know if they’re working?” Posing these questions helps students think explicitly about the stages of a learning task, and with practice, they’ll start asking these questions themselves during independent work.

Incorporating metacognition and self-regulation into classroom practice can have a profound impact on students’ learning. By making thinking processes explicit, providing consistent practice, and encouraging reflection, teachers can help students develop the skills they need to become independent, self-regulated learners.