ABSTRACT
The metacognitive strategies column on the outcomes chart is a distinct category: practical techniques one can teach pupils that allow them to help themselves and that underpin the other mindsets and habits on the flowchart. The way that children think about themselves and their ability is enormously important in the classroom: if positive, it can underpin a range of other positive outcomes. The EEF literature review states that 'children's perception of their ability, their expectations of future success, and the extent to which they value an activity influence their motivation and persistence leading to improved academic outcomes, especially for low-attaining pupils'. Self-esteem, another dimension of confidence and self-perception, is quite consciously absent from our chart of outcomes. The potential advantages of a growth mindset are manifold: optimism, improved self-perception, a willingness to seek help, a belief in the power of practice, among other things. This mindset unlocks many other beliefs and actions.
