The Influence Of Training On The Metacognition Development Of Junior Middle School Students

Metacognition had great influence on students' academic achievements. The research was to explore the development differences in metacognitive knowledge and skills between high-achieved students and low-achieved students in order to draw teachers' attention on the differences in the development of metacognitive skills of both high-achieved and low-achieved students, thus they could effectively help them improve their mathematical performance.Eight mathematics high-achieved students and eight mathematics low-achieved students were chosen as subjects in this experiment from the eight-grade students in Beijing No.166 Middle School. After the pre-test, they were given a three-week skill training on mathematics metacognitive skills, which involved asking and answering questions among peer learners, training students to do exercises by means of 5 steps and teaching students to get a habit of turning over to think after working out the problems. Post- test were given three months after the training. The results suggested that: (1) There were significant difference between mathematically gifted and disabled student on metacognitive knowledge and metacognitive skills before training. (2) Both groups had improved greatly in the kills and knowledge of metacognition after training. There was significant difference between the high-level students and the low-level ones in terms of the skills of predicting, planning and evaluation. Both groups had showed development in metacognitive knowledge, yet their metacognitive skills decrease after the training, the higher group less effected. (3) After three months, both groups showed great decline in metacognitive skills and knowledge by comparing pre-training with post-training period. However, distinct difference still existed between the two groups.The results of the present study implied that metacognitive knowledge and metacognitive skills could be promoted via proper training, however, to maintain the development in skills and knowledge, we needed to provide the students with exercises of proper difficulty, and also be prepared of a long-term monitoring.