Metacognition ....

is thinking about thinking, knowing "what we know" and "what we don't know." Just as an executive's job is management of an organization, a thinker's job is management of thinking. The basic metacognitive strategies are:

• Connecting new information to former knowledge.
• Selecting thinking strategies deliberately.
• Planning, monitoring, and evaluating thinking processes. (Dirkes, 1985)

A thinking person is in charge of her behavior. She determines when it is necessary to use metacognitive strategies. She selects strategies to define a problem situation and researches alternative solutions. She tailors this search for information to constraints of time and energy. She monitors, controls and judges her thinking. She evaluates and decides when a problem is solved to a satisfactory degree or when the demands of daily living take a temporary or permanent higher priority.

Studies show that increases in learning have followed direct instruction in metacognitive strategies. These results suggest that direct teaching of these thinking strategies may be useful, and that independent use develops gradually (Scruggs, 1985).

Learning how to learn, developing a repertoire of thinking processes which can be applied to solve problems, is a major goal of education. The school library media center, as the hub of the school, is an ideal place to integrate these types of skills into subject areas or students' own areas of interest.

When life presents situations that cannot be solved by learned responses, metacognitive behavior is brought into play. Metacognitive skills are needed when habitual responses are not successful. Guidance in recognizing, and practice in applying, metacognitive strategies, will help students successfully solve problems throughout their lives.

METACOGNITION-Definition
Metacognition-Learing about Learning


J. H. Flavell first used the word "metacognition".He describes it in these words:

Metacognition refers to one’s knowledge concerning one’s own cognitive processes or anything related to them, e.g., the learning-relevant properties of information or data. For example, I am engaging in metacognition if I notice that I am having more trouble learning A than B; if it strikes me that I should double check C before accepting it as fact.

Metacognition Homework

Automaticity and Cognitive load

1.       What is automaticity?

Automaticity is the ability to do something without thinking in the process needed or required to develop.

2.       How do we develop automaticity?

We develop automaticity by learning, repetition and practice.

3.       Create an example of how teachers can change the amount of “extraneous cognitive load” on an assignment?

Using visual split-attention, to process the information to get a meaningful learning.

Visual split attention integrate text and diagrams to reduce cognitive load and facilitate learning.

4.When have you felt that you had a "full" cognitive load?

I felt that I had a full cognitive load when university deeds , work obligation and daily routine put me in a situation of overloading. When I plan too much things for the same week and I cannot fulfill my own aims, then I feel dissapointed and at the same time frustrated.

CATEDRA I

SIOP LESSON PLAN

Open the link above to see A Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol which includes
the following components:


• Preparation. • Building background. • Comprehensible input. • Strategies. • Interaction. • Practice and application. • Lesson delivery. • Review and assessment.

Students in classrooms implementing the SIOP model understand what is being taught and have experienced success in learning grade-level content while developing their ability in English language skills.

Pairwork  with Bárbara Valenzuela

In our consideration the textbook Move ahead is a very good instrument for English Teaching. During the evaluation we found out that it contains a very authentic teenager language and material. However there is a huge lack of locally culture adapted material. The four learning skills are covered, especially reading and writing. In our opinion the grammar part covers the objectives very well because in each unit special grammar exercises are offered and at the end of the book we can find a grammar summary for doubts and enforcement. The book has a very easy structure with a lot of visuals which we think it is very useful to get students attention. We have to point out that the book would be difficult to buy as we couldn’t find it available in local book stores. As conclusion we think as future English teachers that this student’s book is a very good option to work with. Furthermore we should add other teaching material and use the book as a complement.

PAIRWORK
Textbook Evaluation "Move Ahaed"
with Bárbara Valenzuela

pp	Objectives explicitly laid out in and introduction and implemented in the material
X X	Approach educationally and socially acceptable to target community
pp	Clear attractive layout; print easy to read
pp	Appropriate visual materials available
pp	Interesting topics and tasks
p	Varied topics and tasks, so as to provide for different learner levels, learning styles, interests, etc.
p	Clear instructions
?	Systematic coverage of syllabus
p	Content clearly organized and graded ( sequenced by difficulty)
X	Periodic review and test sections
p	Plenty of authentic language
pp	Good pronunciation explanation and practice
p	Good vocabulary explanation and practice
pp	Good grammar presentation and practice
p	Fluency practice in all four skills
pp	Encourages learners to develop own learning strategies and to become independent in their learning
?	Adequate guidance for the teacher; not too heavy  Preparation load
pp	Audio cassettes
X	Readily available locally