NADE Conference 2015 February 27, 2015

Metacognition in Reading and Writing The Conscious Learner

Presenter: Sharon May Faculty, Reading/English Developmental Studies Department mays@midlandstech.edu

English 032 Students learn the writing process to produce full-length essays. In the first half of the semester, essays are based on personal experience. In the second half, essays are argumentative using one outside source. Students learn to edit their own writing to eliminate grammar, usage, and mechanics errors.

Reading 032 The reading level is between 6th and 9th grade with potentially weaker students than that. Students learn that reading is a process. We use Reading with USA Today and at least one longer work; we are currently using Ben Carson’s Gifted Hands.

Reading 100 The reading level is between 9th and 12th grade. Reading is taught as a process. Students read a variety of types and lengths of texts, including textbook chapters.

What Is Metacognition? The simple definition of metacognition is thinking about thinking. For educational purposes, it is the process that the mind goes through when it thinks or learns. This process has two aspects, according to John Flavell: first is metacognitive knowledge or the knowledge about cognitive processes, second is the metacognitive regulation, or the processes or strategies that one uses to ensure that a cognitive goal has been met (Livingston).

Understanding Metacognition: “Activities such as planning how to approach a given learning task, monitoring comprehension, and evaluating progress toward the completion of a task are metacognitive in nature” (Livingston).

Concerns about Teaching Metacognition How will I have time to cover more in the classroom? I only have so much time. What will I have to cut out of content if I add metacognition?

No Need to Fear Metacognition Time devoted to teaching metacognition early in the semester translates into students who learn more quickly and efficiently with better results. Content will be covered adequately because students will be better learners as the semester goes along.

Why Teach Metacognition? Students who are taught metacognitive strategies are “intentional learners,” which creates a learner-centered classroom. Students become more confident as learners despite their challenges. They take more responsibility for their own learning. They become life-long learners because they have an awareness of learning and have a process for continuing to learn.

Metacognition in Reading and Writing Instruction Writing and reading are both processes, and we assume that students work through the process step by step. One would think that students would have a process for both since they have been taught as processes for over 40 years.

Metacognition in Reading and Writing Instruction Cont’d Developmental students do have some notion of a writing process and can usually articulate the basic steps of their own process. However, very few developmental students have a reading process at all; generally, they open the book, read word for word, and hope to remember what they read for a test, which is often the only reason they are reading.

In-class Activities to Teach Metacognition -- Modeling Demonstrate your reading and writing processes. What do you think about when you are learning or demonstrating your skills? Discuss your problem-solving process when you have a difficult reading or writing task. How did you know you had a problem, and what did you do to solve it? Provide tips for knowing when to compress the process or expand the process. When can you speed up a step, or when should you slow down?

Bloom’s Taxonomy

Questions for Building Metacognitive Awareness What is your current reading or writing process? How well does this process work for you? What are the strengths of your process? What are the weaknesses of your process. What are your strengths as a writer or reader? What are your weaknesses as a writer or reader?

Metacognitive Questions for a Writing or Reading Task Before Beginning a Task: What is my purpose for the task? How long will it take to complete the task? What steps should I take to complete the task? What knowledge do I need to complete the task? What do I expect to learn by completing the task?

Metacognitive Questions for a Writing or Reading Task During a Task: How effective is my plan? Do I have enough time to complete the task? What am I learning? What am I struggling with? What do I do to deal with the obstacles?

Metacognitive Questions for a Writing or Reading Task After the Task: Did I learn what I expected to learn? How effective were my plan and strategies? What could I have done differently? How will I use what I learned in the future? Should I do now to be successful with this task?

In-Class Activities -- Questioning What is your prior knowledge of the subject being introduced? What learning goals do you have for today? What did you learn today? How would you evaluate your study methods used for the test? Do this before they see the grade.

Assignments Used in Teaching Metacognition Goal Setting Activities or Essay Assignment Literacy Essay: An Inquiry of Reading and Writing History and Attitude Self-evaluation for Projects and Tests Midterm Evaluation Letter to the Instructor Final Exam Evaluation Letter (Reading) or Portfolio Cover Letter Evaluation (Writing)

Goal Setting Assignment You are to write a paper in which you discuss your academic goals for this reading class and any concerns you have about being successful in this class or problems that might occur to keep you from being successful. After you identify concerns or possible problems, you need to determine a specific plan of action for dealing with them. Goal Setting Assignment

Goal Setting Assignment Cont’d The paper should include an introduction in which you 1) discuss the importance of success in college for you, and 2) write a clear thesis in which you introduce at least three goals for this class. In the body of your paper, you should have a paragraph for each learning goal. In the body paragraphs, you should discuss the goal you have set, the concern or problem in detail, and the specific plan of action you will take to meet each goal. You should finish the paper with a conclusion in which you summarize your main points. Goal Setting Assignment Cont’d

Literacy History Discuss your memories of your literacy, specifically focusing on how you learned to read and how you learned to write papers. Be sure to be specific in discussing the steps you took to learn these tasks as well as what you were thinking and feeling while you learned. If your attitudes toward reading and writing essays have changed over time, be sure to trace your changing attitude.  

Self-Evaluation of Group Project Each individual of the group will write a 1-2 page word processed paper to evaluate the group and project by responding to the following: In a few paragraphs, explain what skills you learned about working with others on a major project.

In a few paragraphs, explain how well your group worked together In a few paragraphs, explain how well your group worked together. What were the strengths of the group? What were the weaknesses of the group? Be honest; no one will see your answer to this and it will not affect my evaluation of the individual as I will determine each person’s grade according to my own observations. In a paragraph, explain what grade you would give yourself on the group portion of the project. Choose A, B, C, or F, and explain how did grade best defines the quality of your work and your participation.   Self-Evaluation of Group Project Cont’d

Write a letter to your instructor, telling her about your experiences in RDG 100 so far this semester. Letters, just like essays, have an introduction, a body paragraph for each main idea, and a conclusion, so be sure to use this format.   Paragraph 1: The introduction should establish why you are writing the letter and the main point you are trying to convey (i.e. the thesis); for example, you may state as your thesis how you believe you are doing in the course and why. Paragraph 2: In what ways have your reading skills begun to improve this semester? Midterm Evaluation

Paragraph 3: In what ways has your reading process begun to change this semester? Paragraph 4: What activities have we done that have helped you the most thus far?   Paragraph 5: What areas do you still need to improve your reading? What do you think I can do to help you improve? Paragraph 6: What steps have you taken this semester to help you be a successful student in RDG 100? Paragraph 7: What do you need to do the rest of the semester to finish the course successfully?  Midterm Evaluation Cont’d

Paragraph 8: What grade would you give yourself for your performance thus far? Choose one specific grade (A, B, C, F), and explain how this grade is appropriate for the quality of your work; don’t focus on how hard you have worked or the quantity of your work. Be sure you are not simply stating that you worked hard so you deserve the grade.   Paragraph 9: The conclusion should summarize your main points and thank me for my time in reading your letter. You may include any other comments you want about the course, the textbook, the readings, or teaching methods. Be honest, but understand the point is to convey to me what we can do to help you succeed in the rest of the course. Midterm Evaluation Cont’d

Portfolio Cover Letter Once you have gathered all the work you have done for the class and revised the three papers for the portfolio grade, you need to write a letter to your instructor.   Paragraph 1: Introduction: Why are you writing the letter? What are the most important ideas to convey to the instructor? Paragraph 2: Discuss the Quality of Your Revised Papers Why are you selecting these three papers for your portfolio? What does each paper show about your success in dealing with this particular assignment and about the skills you acquired?

Paragraph 3: Discuss How Your Writing Process Has Changed This Semester What steps do you take to write an essay now that you have had this course? What steps of the writing process are easier for you? What steps do you still struggle with? Paragraph 4: Discuss Your Growth or Improvement as a Writer Explain to your instructor what changes you have experienced in your practice of the process of writing. What more do you need, in your judgment, to be a more successful writer? What is your perception of what you still need to learn? Paragraph 5: Discuss the Steps You Have Taken This Semester to Be Successful in ENG 032 Explain to your instructor what you have done so that you will be successful in the course. You may also discuss what you would like to have done or wish you had done to be more successful in this course. Portfolio Cover Letter Cont’d

Portfolio Cover Letter Cont’d Paragraph 6: Discuss Your Grade for the Course What grade do you deserve for this course? Why? You should discuss the improvement in writing, not how hard you worked. Paragraph 7: The Course If you were to describe this course to another student, what would you say? What should these students know to succeed in the course? What other advice would you give these students? Paragraph 8: Conclusion: Summarize your points and discuss anything else you would like about the course.

Examples of Student Comments “Before I would just skim through the topic or article and say ‘I read it.’ Now I might skim through the article before actually reading it. I split the article in sections. I can comprehend it more clearly instead of trying to cram a bunch of sentences or paragraphs in my head at once.” “I still need to make more time for school.” “Honestly I’ve been a lazy student all semester so I haven’t taken any steps to improve anything. I’m going to start doing a lot better and actually do my work.”

Examples of Student Comments Cont’d “The activity that has helped me the most thus far is most likely the group project because I usually have huge arguments over my opinions but I have been able to keep my cool and respect people’s opinions.” “I am able to analyze sentences better and faster than I have before.” “So far this semester my reading process has changed from reading the whole passage straight through to stopping after every main point the author makes to evaluate them. I focus on the words the author uses and the tone of the passage to help me understand the readings.”

Bibliography Israel, Susan E., et al. eds. Metacognition in Literacy Learning: Theory, Assessment, Instruction, and Professional Development. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2005. Livingston, Jennifer A. “Metacognition: An Overview.” 1997. January 27, 2015. Online. http://gse.buffalo.edu/ fas/shuell/cep564/metacog.htm.