ABSTRACT
Metacognition relates to an individual's ability to monitor their own learning. John Flavell, an American psychologist, first used the term metacognition in 1979 to describe the process of thinking about thinking. When pupils use metacognitive strategies, they will examine the ways in which they plan, monitor and assess their performance. Thinking about their thinking will enable pupils to adapt and improve their learning, helping them to realise that they have control over their performance in school and beyond. In recent years, there has been a shift of emphasis towards an inclusive and integrated approach to the teaching of thinking skills with the realisation that, if all pupils are to be given the opportunity to develop metacognition, opportunities for development and practice must be embedded in the mainstream curriculum. When metacognition is promoted across all subjects, pupils will be more inclined to incorporate it into their everyday learning.
