Most recent public comments by Anne Liners https://nowcomment.com/users/147377 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3329431 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3329431 These reflections on how to use metacognitive skills to teach the writing process—and your particular focus on editing and revising—can be very beneficial for your 9th grade students, especially considering they are reading and writing below grade level. By integrating metacognitive strategies into your teaching, you can help students not only become more conscious of their writing processes but also develop crucial academic skills. Let's apply the principles from your provided text to this goal. ### The Power of Metacognition in Editing and Revising The essence of your question is how to boost your students' ability to effectively edit and revise their writing using metacognitive skills. The text you provided highlights the burgeoning scientific understanding of the mind and its processes: > "...understanding the mind—and the thinking and learning that the mind makes possible—has remained an elusive quest..." To translate this into practical classroom strategies, focus on helping students understand their own mental processes while they write. Here’s a step-by-step strategy you might find useful: ### Strategy: Metacognitive Editing and Revising Logs #### **Step 1: Introduce Metacognitive Concepts** Begin by explaining metacognition to your students in simple terms—thinking about their thinking. For writing, this means being aware of how they choose words, structure sentences, and organize their thoughts. #### **Step 2: Model the Process** Choose a piece of writing and demonstrate the editing and revising process live. Think aloud as you make changes, explaining why you’re doing something. For example, "I’m changing this sentence because it doesn’t clearly express the main idea," or "This paragraph lacks a topic sentence, so I need to add one." #### **Step 3: Student Practice with Guided Support** Provide students with a piece of their own writing or a sample text. Ask them to keep a Metacognitive Editing and Revising Log where they will note: - The changes they make (what they are editing/revising). - The reasons for these changes (why they are making these edits/revisions). - How they feel about the changes (reflect on the effectiveness). For instance, a student might write: - Change: "I added a topic sentence to my second paragraph." - Reason: "The paragraph was unclear and didn’t have a main idea." - Reflection: "Now, the paragraph is easier to understand." #### **Step 4: Reflect and Share** Create opportunities for students to share their logs with peers, either in small groups or as a class discussion. Encourage them to explain their thought process and receive feedback. This step helps reinforce their learning and builds a community of practice. ### Why This Works #### **Building Metacognitive Awareness** Encouraging students to think about why they are making specific changes helps them become more conscious writers. They start understanding the purpose behind the writing rules and structures, rather than seeing them as arbitrary guidelines. #### **Enhancing Engagement and Motivation** When students see their peers actively engaging in similar struggles and triumphs, it fosters a sense of camaraderie. They become more motivated to participate and take risks in their writing. #### **Developing Competence** Over time, these strategies help students develop competence. They gain confidence in their ability to self-edit and revise, which is crucial for academic writing. ### Final Thoughts and Next Steps Reflecting on your original question about how to "use metacognitive skills to teach the writing process," specifically focusing on editing and revising, these steps can be tailored to your classroom. Try incorporating the Metacognitive Editing and Revising Log into your lessons and observe how it impacts your students' engagement and literacy skills. To further the discussion and refine your approach, consider revisiting the text you provided. Reading it again, you might find additional connections between the scientific understanding of learning processes and practical classroom strategies. Are there other areas within the text that discuss the development of competence or effective learning techniques that you could adapt for your students? The deeper your understanding, the more you can tailor these strategies to your unique classroom needs. ### Consider This - What other metacognitive strategies have you tried, and how effective were they in engaging your students? - Are there ways to integrate technology or multimedia to further enhance these metacognitive activities? - How can you involve students in reflecting on the effectiveness of these strategies, possibly using their feedback for continuous improvement? By continuously refining your approach and incorporating student feedback, you can create a dynamic and supportive learning environment that encourages growth and engagement for all your students. Tue, 09 Jul 2024 03:48:01 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3329425 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3329425 That's a great question! Let's dive into how the principles in this chapter can practically help you engage your 9th grade English students who are reading and writing below grade level. One of the key ideas from the text is the focus on the processes of thinking and learning, as well as the development of competence. This can be translated into your classroom by creating lessons that actively involve students in metacognitive activities. For instance, the text mentions: "understanding the mind—and the thinking and learning that the mind makes possible—has remained an elusive quest, in part because of a lack of powerful research tools." You can take this idea and apply it by integrating activities that help students become aware of their own thinking processes while they read and write. Here's a practical example: **Activity: Think-Aloud Strategy** - Select a short, engaging passage appropriate for 9th grade but not overly challenging. - Model a think-aloud where you read the passage and verbalize your thoughts as you navigate through it. For example, "I wonder what this character is feeling right now. The author used the word ‘anguished’ which makes me think they are really struggling." - Ask students to practice this technique in pairs or small groups, reading and thinking aloud to each other. Provide sentence starters or thought prompts to help guide them. **Why This Works:** - Encourages active engagement with the text. - Helps students develop awareness of comprehension strategies. - Builds confidence as they recognize that struggling with understanding is a normal part of reading. **Important Concepts to Implement:** - Developing metacognition: Students learn to think about their thinking, which is crucial for deep understanding. - Building a positive learning environment: Activities like think-alouds allow students to see that everyone grapples with complex texts, fostering a supportive classroom community. To build on this, what activities or strategies have you tried already that help your students become more aware of their thought processes while reading or writing? How could you adapt these to further focus on developing their metacognitive skills? Mon, 02 Jun 2025 22:33:42 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326800 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326800 Tue, 02 Jul 2024 06:03:57 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326798 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326798 just a great framework for thinking about why I'm teaching what I'm teaching Tue, 02 Jul 2024 06:02:30 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326789 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326789 Tue, 02 Jul 2024 05:45:18 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326548 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326548 Mon, 01 Jul 2024 10:01:47 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326546 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326546 Mon, 01 Jul 2024 10:01:00 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326545 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326545 Mon, 01 Jul 2024 09:59:11 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326530 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326530 that context happens at all levels - some within my control and some without! Tue, 02 Jul 2024 05:53:42 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326529 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326529 Mon, 01 Jul 2024 09:57:44 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326528 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326528 interesting to think about! Mon, 01 Jul 2024 09:56:06 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326527 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326527 defining struggle of my career: how to adjust for each and every one of the wildly diverse students Mon, 01 Jul 2024 09:54:45 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326526 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326526 yes -- by the time kids get to high school they have set ideas about school and about themselves as learners that can be hard to shake Mon, 01 Jul 2024 09:53:51 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326520 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326520 Mon, 01 Jul 2024 09:42:31 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326518 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326518 Mon, 01 Jul 2024 09:40:36 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326515 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326515 Mon, 01 Jul 2024 09:39:19 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326514 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326514 thinking of this in:re the focus on just "work production" from earlier Mon, 01 Jul 2024 09:37:52 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326513 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326513 Mon, 01 Jul 2024 09:36:25 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326512 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326512 Mon, 01 Jul 2024 09:35:21 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326511 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326511 yas Mon, 01 Jul 2024 09:34:11 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326509 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326509 Mon, 01 Jul 2024 09:32:17 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326508 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326508 Mon, 01 Jul 2024 09:31:10 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326505 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326505 Mon, 01 Jul 2024 09:29:05 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326504 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326504 I like this way of explaining it - their ideas (no matter how wrong) come from somewhere Tue, 02 Jul 2024 06:03:57 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326499 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326499 this has felt like my biggest area of growth as a teacher Mon, 01 Jul 2024 09:16:17 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326498 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326498 I really really want to implement more metacognitive writing process instruction Mon, 01 Jul 2024 09:14:33 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326497 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326497 Mon, 01 Jul 2024 09:13:03 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326479 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326479 I really like the idea of all learning as active Mon, 01 Jul 2024 08:58:00 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326478 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326478 this is the cow with gills and fins Mon, 01 Jul 2024 08:56:03 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326477 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326477 this is like the definition of critical thinking to me Tue, 02 Jul 2024 05:49:43 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326476 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326476 one of my undergrad professors described this as a coatrack - you can't just hand me a coat and expect me not to lose it, but if you give me a coatrack I can manage to hang on to like six different coats at once Mon, 01 Jul 2024 08:53:20 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326474 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326474 This has been a huge topic of discussion within my department re:chatgpt. More tools at students' disposal means less things they need to know, or know how to do. (For example, I don't really know how to multiply 215x74 if I have a calculator.) But, we know that more basic knowledge can help students develop deeper understandings and think more critically (If I know how to do that problem easily, my brain is primed for another, more difficult problem) Mon, 01 Jul 2024 08:46:40 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326473 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326473 Mon, 01 Jul 2024 08:44:34 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326472 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326472 Especially when teaching abstract ideas, I think thought can count as a behavioral response! Mon, 01 Jul 2024 08:42:29 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326471 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326471 this is interesting - that they're not just more motivated to do the action, but that it actually encourages the brain to learn the response stronger Mon, 01 Jul 2024 08:41:18 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326470 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326470 don't love the implication here that positions learning as happening through discomfort and stress (although we all know that's a way to learn from something) Tue, 02 Jul 2024 05:45:59 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326469 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326469 sounds like teenagers! Many of my students don't listen to advice, but will learn when they make the poor choice and see the consequence (some colleagues and I call it "f*** around and find out pedagogy) Mon, 01 Jul 2024 08:39:00 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326468 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326468 I remember this from my developmental psych class - the theory that the way we act depends on the experiences we have Mon, 01 Jul 2024 08:37:36 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326453 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326453 REAL. This is always how grading feels Mon, 01 Jul 2024 08:34:33 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326451 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326451 Mon, 01 Jul 2024 08:21:18 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326450 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326450 I would love to see the impact on technology addressed here - students will have such extensive demand of tech skills in the future, and 21st century technology shapes so much of their experiences already Mon, 01 Jul 2024 08:20:17 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326449 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326449 Mon, 01 Jul 2024 08:17:30 -0700 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326448 https://nowcomment.com/documents/141493?scroll_to=3326448 Love this! I get excited when theory feels practical and applicable Mon, 01 Jul 2024 08:16:23 -0700