Learning to Learn: Why Does Teaching Thinking Matter So Much?

Hattie's Visible Learning Effect Size Series – #16 Meta-Cognitive Strategies – Effect Size 0.69

To note: John Hattie’s Visible Learning research brings together over 1,500 meta-analyses, covering more than 90,000 studies and millions of students. Its aim is to identify what works best in education by measuring impact using 'effect size'. In this context, an effect size of 0.4 is considered average progress over a year. Anything above 0.6 is seen as highly impactful. This blog is part of a 20-post series exploring the top-ranked influences in Hattie’s Visible Learning research, with a focus on practical strategies teachers can use to make a meaningful difference.

What if students knew not just what to learn, but how to learn it?

Meta-cognitive strategies give students the tools to plan, monitor, and evaluate their thinking, and research shows they can have a significant impact on progress. Hattie places Meta-Cognitive Strategies at an effect size of 0.69, recognising their role in helping learners become more independent, more reflective, and more resilient.

Teaching for meta-cognition is not a separate subject. It is something we can weave into everyday routines, modelling and prompting students to think about their thinking as they engage with content.

What Do We Mean by Meta-Cognitive Strategies?

Meta-cognition is often described as “thinking about thinking.” It refers to students’ awareness of how they learn, and their ability to regulate that process.

Meta-cognitive strategies include:

• Planning: setting goals, identifying steps, and choosing methods

• Monitoring: checking progress, noticing confusion, and adjusting

• Evaluating: reviewing success, learning from mistakes, and adapting next time

They help students become active participants in learning rather than passive recipients.

Why It Matters

Students who use meta-cognitive strategies tend to:

• Approach tasks with more confidence and clarity

• Persist through difficulty by adjusting methods

• Learn from feedback and failure

• Make stronger, more purposeful choices about how to tackle work

These skills are especially valuable for students with additional needs or those who may struggle with self-direction. When we teach students how to learn, we give them a way to navigate uncertainty in school and beyond.

Meta-cognition also strengthens memory and retrieval by helping students understand why strategies work, not just how to apply them. It turns routines into reasoning.

Practical Strategies for Meta-Cognitive Development

1. Model Thinking Aloud - Use “teacher talk” to narrate your decision-making. For example, “I’m going to break this down into smaller parts because I’m not sure where to start.”

2. Use Planning Prompts Before Tasks - Ask students to complete sentences like:
   “I already know…”
   “My first step will be…”
   “If I get stuck, I could…”

3. Build in Checkpoints Mid-Task - Encourage students to pause and ask themselves:
   “What am I finding tricky?”
   “Is my strategy working?”
   “Do I need to change my approach?”

4. Reflect After Tasks with a Focus on Process - Ask students to write or talk about what went well, what was challenging, and what they would do differently next time.

5. Create Strategy Walls or Visual Aids - Display thinking stems, planning frames, and reflection questions to normalise meta-cognitive routines.

Quick Wins for This Week

• Narrate your thinking in one lesson, even for just 60 seconds

• Add one planning or reflection prompt to your next written task

• Ask students to swap strategies before starting independent work

• Use the question “What helped you succeed in this?” during feedback

Try This

In your next lesson, introduce the phrase:
“What’s your plan for learning this?”

Let students stop and think, not about the content, but about their strategy. Then, at the end, return to the question:
“Did your plan work?”

The more we ask, the more planning becomes routine.

Challenges and Considerations

Not all students have the language to talk about their thinking, especially EAL learners. Sentence stems and modelling are key.

Meta-cognitive reflection cannot be rushed. It works best when embedded into consistent routines, not added as an afterthought.

We also need to avoid teaching meta-cognition in a vacuum. The strategies work best when directly tied to meaningful learning tasks.

Reflections for Teachers

• Do your students know how to approach a task, not just what it requires?

• How often do you model your own thinking or decision-making?

• Are reflection moments structured and regular in your teaching?

Reflections for Leaders

• Do staff have time and training to embed meta-cognitive practices?

• Are your feedback and assessment systems supporting strategy reflection, not just accuracy?

• Are students seen as learners, not just performers?

Further Reading and Resources

• Metacognition and Self-Regulated Learning – EEF - https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/teaching-learning-toolkit/metacognition-and-self-regulation
  A comprehensive guide on what meta-cognition looks like in practice and how to embed it across subjects.

• Metacognition – Cambridge International Education - https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/Images/272307-metacognition.pdf
  This guide explores the distinction between metacognitive knowledge and regulation, and offers subject-specific examples of how teachers can embed metacognitive reflection and planning in everyday instruction.

Research Connections

• Hattie, J. (2009) – Visible Learning - Places meta-cognitive strategies among the most impactful influences on student achievement.

• EEF Guidance Report (2018) – Metacognition and Self-Regulated Learning - Highlights the importance of explicit instruction, modelling, and student reflection.

• Zimmerman, B. (2002) – Becoming a Self-Regulated Learner - Explores the link between strategy use, learner motivation, and academic success.

Visible Learning Blog Series

1. Stronger Together: How Collective Teacher Efficacy Unlocks Student Potential (1.57)

2. Students Knowing Themselves: How Self-Reported Grades Support Progress (1.33)

3. Judging Potential: The Power of Teacher Estimates of Achievement (1.29)

4. Supporting Every Learner: How Response to Intervention Changes Trajectories (1.29)

5. Teaching for Thinking: Why Piagetian Programs Make a Difference (1.28)

6. From Misconception to Mastery: How Conceptual Change Programs Support Deep Learning (0.99)

7. Knowing Where to Start: Why Understanding Prior Knowledge Enables Effective Teaching (0.94)

8. Making It Stick: Why Connecting New Learning to What Students Already Know Matters (0.93)

9. Belief Before Progress: Why Self-Efficacy Is a Game-Changer for Learning (0.92)

10. The Trust to Teach: Why Teacher Credibility Drives Student Engagement (0.90)

11. Micro-Teaching: How Short Reflections Make a Big Difference (0.88)

12. Classroom Discussion: Dialogue as a Driver of Thinking (0.82)

13. Targeted Support: What Works for Learners with Additional Needs (0.77)

14. Relationships That Matter: How Teacher–Student Connection Fuels Learning (0.72)

15. Revisiting and Remembering: Why Spaced Practice Outperforms Cramming (0.71)

16. Learning to Learn: Why Does Teaching Thinking Matter So Much? (0.69) — You are here

17. Stretching Forward: What Acceleration Means in Practice

18. Calm and Clear: How Classroom Management Enables Progress

19. Word Power: Why Vocabulary Programs Widen Access

20. Read It Again: How Repeated Reading Builds Fluency and Confidence

Next up: Stretching Forward — exploring what acceleration really means in practice and how we can use it to raise challenge without raising anxiety.