Csaba Csíkos: A metacognition-based training program in grade 4 in mathematics and reading

The aim of the present investigation is to test the hypothesis whether the explicit teaching of metacognitive strategies yields better achievement on various types of mathematical and reading tasks. The use of the term ‘metacognitive’ is here restricted to conscious and deliberate mental processes and the expression ‘metacognitive strategy’ is used in accordance with the psychological definitions of procedural metacognitive knowledge. 4th graders from 8 different schools participated in the experiment reported. The schools were selected from a larger number of schools involved in the project Differential treatment and evaluation of low SES students. Four schools were labelled as ’experimental’ and one class from each served as experimental group. The other four schools were labelled as ’control’ and all of their 4th grade classes were control groups. There were two pre-tests: a mathematical achievement test and a reading test (with document texts), and four post-test: the two pre-tests re-administered, a mathematical word problem test (10 parallel tasks from Verschaffel et al. 1994), and a reading test with various types of texts. The metacognition-based training intervention consisted of 15 mathematics and 15 reading lessons integrated into regular subject content. The training aimed at developing student achievement on both strategy-level and drill-like tasks by means of developing declarative and procedural metacognitive knowledge. The results suggest that the training had a significant positive effect on student achievement. These findings may point to the importance of the use of metacognitive strategies in basic skill instruction.

MAGYAR PEDAGÓGIA 105. Number 2. 127-152. (2005)

Levelezési cím / Address for correspondence: Csíkos Csaba , SZTE Neveléstudományi Tanszék, H-6722 Szeged, Petőfi S. sgt. 30-34.

 
PDF