Newsletter

As a school and learning community, we are developing our students to become more confident and independent as learners by strengthening their metacognition alongside self-regulation. The creation of an understanding of how the learn and knowing the ways to plan as well as reflect upon their learning is critical.

Around our classrooms, the teachers of St Aloysius support the development of metacognition by modelling concepts, explicitly teaching strategies that support learning and creating purposeful classroom discussion that helps students explain their ideas as well as thinking critically. Lessons are designed with the appropriate levels of challenge through quality differentiation and scaffolding for students to enhance their independence throughout all year groups. Students specifically and explicitly practice the skills of organisation, time management and using feedback effectively through Coaching & Mentoring and Success Advisor Sessions. Ultimately, metacognitive thinking becomes a natural part of learning due to multiple exposures and a shared language.

Students are exposed to evidence-informed strategies that help them learn more efficiently, and these strategies are equally supported with high quality professional learning for our staff. Amongst the many strategies and evidence from the various sciences of learning, retrieval practice is a component of the beginning of every lesson, spaced practice, interleaving, dual coding and elaboration are all implemented, where appropriate, to build deeper understandings, stronger connections and the retention of information. As we now begin to move through the year, building upon metacognitions becomes of greater importance for the consistency of study, learning and assessment to avoid the habits of hurried preparation. The embodiment of the correct strategies for each student will result in confidence in learning ability and success in the classroom.

Chris Needle
Assistant Principal, Professional Development