Metacognition & Confidence

1. Metacognition & Confidence Strategies for Learning in a New Decade Michelle Kedzierski shellkedzi@gmail.com

2. What is Metacognition? • Strategies utilized by readers to improve their overall comprehension and self monitoring. • Self awareness of both comprehension strategies combined with the ability to know when to utilize them (Tracey & Morrow, 2006) • Interaction between text, reader’s skill, and processing of text (Snow, 2002)

3. Benefits of Strategy Instruction • Decreased classroom disruption • Enhanced Academic Skills • Enhanced Engagement • Greater Fluency • Reduced need for special education teacher support in an inclusive environment • (Boekaerts & Corno, 2005; Rock 2007; Rooney & Hallahan ,1988)

4. Who Benefits Specifically? • Younger readers have less metacognitive awareness than older students. • Poor readers utilize less metacognitive strategies than skillful ones. • Explicit strategy instruction benefits all readers; with the greatest impact on less skilled readers. • (Eilers & Pinkley, 2006; Tracey & Morrow, 2006)

5. Overview of the Study • This study took place over a 6 week time period in 7th and 8th grade classrooms. • The Study Skills program is offered as an elective in addition to regular language arts classes. • Positive gains were found in strategy awareness and self confidence. There were also positive correlations between strategy instruction and improvements in core classroom grades. • Although research was gathered for the 6 week period, strategies were taught all year long to increase comprehension in content area classes.

6. What does Metacognition look like in the classroom? • Predicting • Questioning • Summarizing • Visualizing • Self monitoring • Re-reading • Goal setting

7. Taking it to the classroom! Making Predictions • Book Bits • Speedwriting • Anticipation Guide/Opinionaire • Vocabulary Self Awareness • PAS strategy

8. Book Bits • Grade Level: All • Students receive excerpts of the literature. Students read the excerpt and make a prediction on what the story will be about. Each student can have an individual excerpt, then share findings with the group to determine a larger prediction.

9. Sample Upper Grades Looking for a hot date? The girl died on the way to the hospital. There had been no candles on the table. Nearby objects such as curtains, paper, and chairs were left untouched. She was reduced to a small pile of ashes. I regard it as the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen. The facts of the case are scary enough to make the hairs on anyone’s neck bristle. She was dressed in her nightgown, black satin slippers, and a housecoat.

10. Sample Primary Grades • Mamma lifts a listless vine and sighs. • And that’s when I see it coming. • She is nearly senseless in the sizzling heat, kneeling over the hot rump of a melon. • May I wear mine too? • It freckles our feet, glazes our toes. • Our barelegged mammas dance down the steps. • We head home purely soothed, fresh as dew turning toward the first sweet rays of the sun.

11. Speedwriting Grade Level: All • Ask students to write for one minute everything they know about a topic to be covered in a piece of literature. • After they write, share predictions and correct any misconceptions.

12. Sample Upper Grade Speedwriting • In one minute write everything you know about FULL MOON. • Student responses:

13. Sample Primary Speedwriting • In one minute write/share orally everything you know about George Washington…

14. Anticipation Guide/ Opinionaire • Grade Level: Middle and up • Students are given a series of prompts related to the text to analyze without any additional background knowledge. After reading, students analyze their answers based upon new knowledge from the text. • Grade Level: Middle and up • Students are presented with a series of questions before reading. They are asked to state their opinion, then revisit their opinion post reading to determine how the passage has shaped their opinion.

15. Sample Upper Grade Anticipation Guide The Wave: • Have you ever been so involved in a subject that you spend all of your free time immersed in it? Describe a topic that completely captures your attention. Use complete sentences. In this chapter a main character shows some obsessive behaviors, read to identify him/her.

16. Sample Primary Anticipation Guide • Completed Orally • Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse • How do you feel when you are getting ready for the school day? • Have you ever had really exciting news to share in class, but it wasn’t show and tell day? How did you share your big news?

17. Sample Upper Grade Opinionaire Answer yes or no for each question. Review your answers after reading. • It is possible to physically hurt someone you love. • When you are sleeping, you are not a threat to anyone. • It is impossible to commit a murder and be innocent. • Killers are always angry, vengeful, and mean. • Sleepwalkers never achieve sleep in a REM state.

18. Vocabulary Self Awareness Grade Level: 2 and up • Students preview vocabulary from a piece of writing based upon their ability to define it and give an example. Words that consistently come up within a class are fully defined and reinforced by the classroom teacher.

19. Sample Vocabulary Self-Awareness

20. PAS Strategy • P review the text • A ccess prior knowledge • S et the purpose for reading Students scan text for sequencing transition words or phrases while under pressure from a timer. They use their own graphic organizers to determine text structure and create a purpose for reading.

21. Taking it to the Classroom!During Reading Engagement • Text Connections • Confirming Predictions • 10 Important Words • Split Page Note-taking

22. Text Connections • Grades: All • By engaging students throughout the reading process, overall comprehension is enhanced. Making personal connections to the text helps students stay focused and on task.

25. 10 Important Words • Grades: Middle and Upper • As students are reading, they select the 10 most important words to the main ideas of the passage. • When the entire group is finished, lists are shared to find common themes and ideas.

26. Split Page Note taking • Grades 2 and up • Students fold a sheet of paper in half vertically. • On the left column, students record main concepts from the text. • On the right column, students record important details related to main concepts.

27. Taking it to the classroom!Post Reading Strategies • Text Connections • Inferencing author’s purpose • Visualization • Summarization • SDQR • GIST Strategy

28. Questioning the Author Grades: All • This activity is done as a post read to monitor comprehension. Students develop questions to ask the author related to the work. By attempting to clarify with the author, overall comprehension is monitored. This activity becomes even more meaningful if actual conversation with an author is an option (www.skypeanauthor.com) or a possible author visit. If the real person is not optional, students can investigate through the internet to check on their facts.

29. Sample Questioning the Author Upper grade: • What is the author trying to say? • What does the text mean, why does the author choose that word? • Did the author state that clearly, what do we need to figure that out?

30. Visualization Grades: All • Use visualization to encourage students to see it in their minds. Students can draw a scene summary, create an artistic project illustrating a facet of a book, take a picture walk to preview, etc.

31. Sketch to Stretch Sketch the Scene Stretch your drawing into a sentence or two.

32. Summarization Grades: All Lesson Ideas Students summarize what they have read and compare to their earlier predictions and pre-reading activities. • Write a new ending • KWL • Exit Slips • RAFT • Story Mapping

33. RAFT Sample Upper Grades On a separate piece of paper, create a written response to one of the three prompts below. Use evidence from the text to support your position. Responses will be evaluated on interpretation of character point of view, effective use of evidence from the text, and overall written competency. • Role: Laurie Saunders • Audience: Students • Format: Editorial in the school newspaper • Topic: Influence of the Wave on student behavior and social patterns

34. SDQR • Students complete the following chart post reading to summarize and make connections (Gallagher, 2006)

35. GIST Strategy • Generating Interactions Between Schemata and Text • After reading, students create a 20 word summary of a passage. To further challenge students, the word count can be reduced.

36. Parent Testimonials • “Strategy instruction provided my child with the necessary tools to succeed in high school.” • “Strategy instruction showed my child how to approach reading textbooks.” • “Because of the skills taught in Study Skills, my child is more successful as a freshman.” Post-study parent comments

37. Does Direct Strategy Instruction influence ISAT performance? • In the study conducted, 74% of seventh graders increased ISAT scores from 2008-2009. • 78% of eighth grade study participants increased ISAT scores from 2008-2009. • None of the participating students scored below state standards for the 2008-2009 tests.

38. Links to find more information • https://sites.google.com/site/metacogstrat/ • http://www.fcrr.org/ • http://www.readwritethink.org/ • http://www.projectcriss.com/ • http://www.readingrockets.org/article/21160