Teacher Metacognition: Teacher as Curriculum Maker with Metacognition at the Centre of the Classroom - Research report

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Bulrr

Teacher Metacognition studies teacher awareness and the use of metacognitive practices in Manitoba, Canada, addressing a research gap where most literature focuses on student metacognition. Four urban and rural participants, trained through Reading Apprenticeship, were interviewed in a narrative inquiry and analyzed via transcripts. The Metacognitive Awareness Inventory supported participants’ thinking, revealing trends in metacognitive vocabulary and reflective stories, and identifying six practice threads that strengthened perceived student achievement.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time20 min

AccessFree to download

Teacher Metacognition: Teacher Awareness and Classroom Practice

Research Design and Participants

Metacognitive Awareness Inventory and Data Analysis

Core Research Question

Weaving the Tapestry of Six Threads

Readiness to Learn via Schema Activation

Explicit Learning Goals and Formative Assessment

Impactful Questioning and Equity

Gradual Release of Learning

RESEARCH REPORT Teacher Metacognition: Teacher as Curriculum Maker with Metacognition at the Centre of the Classroom Barbara Engel This study examined teacher awareness and teacher use of metacognitive practices in Canadian schools within Manitoba. The literature on teacher metacognition was limited because the majority of the literature centred on student metacognition and there was a call for more research regarding teacher metacognition. Four participants from urban and rural Manitoban schools, who had taken Reading Apprenticeship (RA) training, were interviewed in this narrative inquiry. This research created reflective stories through an analysis of transcripts of interviews. The Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI) tool activated the participants’ thinking, which helped to tune their reflections and the qualitative transcripts of the interviews, revealing trends in metacognitive vocabulary and reflective story. The primary research question was as follows: How does a teacher’s understanding of metacognition influence the development of metacognitive skills and metacognitive conversations in classroom practices and routines? The participants’ reflections highlighted six threads of teacher practices, employing metacognitive strategies and metacognitive conversations in the classroom that helped to increase their perceptions of student achievement. The analysis wove together the three main ways teachers influence their students’metacognition, as found in the literature review, with the six threads of teacher metacognitive practices that were found in the current research. This created four unique tapestries revealing evidence that the teachers’ understanding of metacognition can influence the development of metacognitive skills in their practices and routines. The conclusion is that a teacher’s awareness around metacognitive strategies did influence the participants’ decision making within planning, classroom set up, and daily routines. Therefore, a teacher’s understanding of metacognition can influence the development of metacognitive skills and metacognitive conversations in classroom practices and routines. This research suggests that collaborative work around improving metacognitive strategies and conversations within the classroom would greatly benefit teachers’ personal practical knowledge. Therefore, more training is recommended to help to solidify and improve the use of metacognitive strategies and conversations, increasing the personal practical knowledge of teachers. It is recommended that secondary institutions' courses and professional development opportunities within the school divisions of Manitoba build collaborative efficacy around implementing metacognitive strategies. This study's results have reinforced the fact that metacognitive strategies and conversations can be successful agents in helping students achieve higher quality standards from the teachers' perspectives. However, further research is recommended that includes teachers who have not taken RA training; more extensive studies are required to seek teachers’ understanding of metacognitive practices. Weaving the Tapestry Six threads weave a tapestry of how metacognitive strategies and conversations support deep learning, helping to increase teachers’ perceptions of student achievement. Teachers are readying students for learning which activates existing schema in students. Teachers are more explicit regarding student learning goals. Teachers are checking for understanding as formative assessment. Teachers are asking more impactful questions. Teachers are creating equality. Teachers are increasing their awareness and ability to employ gradual release of learning. First Thread: Teachers are readying students for learning by activating existing schema. The participants’ reflection revealed their perspective that the importance of readiness to learn had a direct correlation to student achievement. They each spoke of how they hel

FAQs

What was the purpose of the study on teacher metacognition?

The study examined teacher awareness and how teachers use metacognitive practices in classroom routines in Manitoba, addressing the limited literature on teacher metacognition.

How were the participants and data collected?

Four teachers from urban and rural Manitoba who completed Reading Apprenticeship training were interviewed, and reflective stories were created through analysis of interview transcripts.

What six threads of teacher practice were identified?

The study reports six threads: activating existing schema, being explicit about learning goals, checking understanding as formative assessment, asking impactful questions, creating equality, and increasing awareness for gradual release of learning.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Bulrr