Adolescence and Cognitive Strategies

1. Adolescence and Cognitive Strategies • Cognitive Principles • Learning Strategy Instruction • Self-regulated Learning • Study Skills • memory and test-taking • Notetaking • Transition

2. Cognitive Principles • Metacognition • awareness and control of our own thinking and learning • Metamemory (how we control our memory) • awareness of memory strategies as well as the ability to use and monitor strategies to aid memory short-term memory -store and retain up to 20 seconds passive storage • sensory register-holds material for a few seconds (input) • working memory- active storage for mental calculations Working Memory Sensory Register STM & Stimuli LTM

3. Aiding Long-term Memory • LTM- Permanent storage of unlimited information • Episodic memory- visual personal experiences • Semantic memory- facts, concepts and generalizations. Retrieval aided by visual or verbal associations • Multiple Rehearsal or repetition- easy but often inefficient • Elaboration- meaningful enhancements, additions, or why questions are much more efficient. • Capacity of working memory is determined by one’s basic skills.

4. Features Content Design Usefulness lead to a specific outcome; sequenced in an efficient manner; cues students to metacognition; cues student to appropriate skills; requires only limited time use a remembering system; simple and brief wording; action words; seven or fewer steps; uses words familiar to students addresses a common but important problem; addresses frequently encountered demands; can be applied across settings, situations and contexts Learning Strategies features For more information go to http://coe.jmu.edu/learningtoolbox/

5. Stages of Implementing a StrategyDeshler, Ellis, and Lenz • Pretest and make commitment • Describe the strategy • Model the strategy • Student describes and rehearses verbally • Controlled practice and feedback • Practice real demands in safe environment • Commit to generalization • Generalization with outside feedback

6. Self-regulated learning • Students with disabilities typically have difficulty with self-regulation (Rooney & Hallahan, 1985). • Self-regulation is important in self-control and independence. (Mercer & Mercer, 2001) • Self-recording is counting and recording your own behavior on the assumption it will influence you. • Self-evaluation teaches the student to judge what he / she is doing • Self-reinforcement involves the student reviewing his/her own work to determine if reinforcement is earned. • How? What do you do to foster independence?

7. Notetaking • Encoding • External storage • Limitations • Handout on guided notes (follow along with pros and cons)

8. Assignment Completion • Set schedules for • assignment completion • daily effort on homework and • in-class assignments • Give calendars • Time charts for student work completion

9. Transition • Transition services are a coordinated set of activities for a student with a disability which promotes movement from school to post-school activities, is based on the student’s needs while considering student interests, and sets post-school objectives in functional living skills and vocational training. • How can we prepare students for postsecondary settings? http://www.ldonline.org/ld_indepth/adult/dale_brown_ada.html • First mention in an IEP begins at age ____. • First reflection in goals begin at age ____.

10. Planning for the Future • http://www.education.ky.gov/NR/rdonlyres/09CC9828-67D3-4ABC-81A7-3B9C8025507B/0/TransitionPlanningforStudentswithSevereDisabilities.pdf • PostSecondary Goals and Options • What should we do to help • Jane? • John? • Phil?

11. More on transitions http://www.transitionmap.org/newIEP.htm • Stoehr (2005) on IDEIA 2004 changes to section IV (trans) • The new IDEIA requires the IEP team to use person-centered planning and to look at the ABILITY of the student, not the disability. • Students must be invited to participate in the IEP meeting. Best practice is to instruct the student about the IEP process prior to the meeting so he/she is prepared to participate in the meeting as much as is possible, with support as needed. • Members of the IEP team who cannot attend the meeting must submit a written progress report. Parents must agree to hold the meeting without that member being in attendance. • And more…

12. Sum it up • What is the purpose of a learning strategy? • How can you help students remember each strategy? • Why is self-regulation important to all students? • Do you know which ones may work in your classroom?