Help students learn to pace themselves by setting a timer in the classroom and having no pressure-inducing timed assessments. Give students reading passages or math tests that are challenging but achievable. Have students surpass their own time to give them a better understanding of their specific learning pace. This will also teach students to become more self-regulated and self-directed learners.
Have students rehearse information you wish them to learn through visual study, games, visual means or oral repetition. You might also have students expand on the subject to give them greater depth and clarity. For instance, students might create a visual presentation for the class as a group or individual project. Have them write down the series of steps they are taking and hand in a portion in specific increments to ensure they are self monitoring.
Teach students to use an organizational tool, such as word lists, to help them to recall lessons. Incorporate the usage of mnemonics in the classroom when trying to teach students hard to remember information. They can either make up their own phrase or you can use a standard for a topic you are trying to teach. A mnemonic is a cue word, phrase or sentence that stands for something else. Students can also use acronyms or letters that stand for words, for remembering necessary information. Have students make connections to information. For instance, if there is a dog in a story they are reading, ask if they have any pets at home and call on a few students to give pet names. These connections will activate prior knowledge and make the learning experience more memorable.
Model learning strategies in the classroom. Encourage active discussion in the classroom to stimulate cognitive process. Use teachable moments that often occur throughout the day to help students gain insight into their own metacognitive process. For instance, if you are discussing passage comprehension and a particular student has fully absorbed the information, discuss with the student and the class the thought processes that occurred for the learning to take place.
Encourage self-questioning to increase metacognitive ability. Self-questioning is a comprehension monitoring strategy that students can use as they are reading or performing any type of learning activity. You can even have them talk to themselves out loud so you can determine if they are on the right track. Have students work in groups and pairs to bounce ideas off each other and increase metacognitive awareness.