Learning to learn: improving attainment, closing the gap at Key Stage 3

Abstract

In 2010, a comprehensive secondary school in the South of England implemented a wholeschool approach to 'Learning to Learn' (L2L). Drawing on a range of evidence-based practices, a team of teachers worked collaboratively to design and deliver a taught L2L curriculum to all students throughout Key Stage 3. In total, the first cohort of students (n=118) received more than 400 taught lessons throughout years 7, 8 and 9. The impact of L2L on student attainment at Sea View was evaluated over those 3 years, using the pre-L2L cohort as a matched control group (n=148). By the end of year 9, a significantly higher proportion of L2L students were either hitting or exceeding their target grades, compared with the control group. There was also a significant closing of the attainment gap between students eligible for the Pupil Premium and their peers (2%, vs 25% in the control group). Key features of the L2L approach at Sea View are considered in terms of similarities and differences with other L2L approaches.Conclusions are drawn that the success of this approach lies in the combination of multiple effective practices. Recommendations for further research and development of the field are proposed.

Metacognition in schools: what does the literature suggest about the effectiveness of teaching metacognition in schools?

“…His most recent work indicates that metacognitive strategies have an effect size of 0.53, which is broadly in line with both the EEF and Dignath et al However, he also indicates that other strategies which can be broadly considered to be in line with metacognitive methodologies also have significantly positive effect sizes, such as 'Self-Questioning' (0.64 effect size) and 'Problem solving' (0.63 effect size). The Visible Learning project also examines research about different forms of assessment which link with metacognition, as will be discussed below.The positive effects of teaching pupils metacognitive strategies are echoed by other classroom-based studies in differing contexts (e.g Veenman, Hout-Wolters, and Afflerbach 2006, Stel and Veenman 2008a, Baas et al 2015, Mannion and Mercer 2016…”

“…When academics turn their attention to the teaching of science, similar outcomes are observed (Zohar and Barzilai 2013), leading some to the conclusion that metacognition is most effective when used with mathematics or science. However, when research is conducted to specifically explore the cross-curricular impact of metacognition (Perry, Albeg, andTung 2012, Mannion andMercer 2016) the data suggests that metacognition has a much wider applicability. Indeed, it is fair to say that the evidence suggests that teaching and learning metacognitive skills and knowledge can add value across the whole curriculum.…”

“…Another key element of successfully teaching metacognition is the successful utilisation of group work in schools. This makes sense, as many elements of metacognition involve social-cognitive theories Langfeldt 2008b, Mannion andMercer 2016). This has implications for classroom practice, as Dignath et al note; to work successfully in groups, children must first learn how to work successfully in groups.…”

The Impact of Adding Written Discourse to Six Year Olds’ Mathematics Explanations within a Problem-Based Learning Unit

“…He found a noticeable shift in the children's language, confirming the importance of explicitly teaching children how to effectively use language. More recently, Mannion and Mercer (2016) worked with older children (grades 7-9) in a Learning to Learn (L2L) project that embedded 'exploratory talk' and 'reflective journals' as two components in a project aimed at developing children as learners across disciplines. Although L2L had several other components and enhanced subject attainment cannot be attributed solely to these two components, the model as a whole helped older students to speak, listen, and reason more effectively.…”

Coaching Games: Comparisons and Contrasts

“…Writing from the perspective of education, Flavell (1979) proposes four classes of metacognition (knowledge, experience, goals and strategies), which Robinson (1983) later suggests act as a taxonomy for future research in this area. However, definitions of metacognition remain "fuzzy" (Perry, Lunder, & Golder, 2018), despite recent empirical studies indicating positive effects on pupil outcomes for metacognitive strategies used in school, and across curriculum (Mannion & Mercer, 2016). Cross-Coaching Games: Comparisons and Contrasts curricular evidence is significant given that sport and games operate within distinctly different boundaries to typical classroom subjects, such as math and science.…”