ABSTRACT
Modeling refers to the extent to which a teacher models metacognition by his/her behavior, but also (principally) to abstract representations of the real world used to aid metacognition and understanding. So far as the first is concerned, it is clear that teachers rarely use explicit instruction regarding modeling, but when they do, there are very positive results. So far as the second is concerned, a definition would be: Models are systematically constructed conceptual or abstract representations or analogies of physical systems in the real world, used to describe, represent and explain the mechanisms underlying physical phenomena. Studies show effective use of models in this sense, particularly in science and mathematics, but also in reading.
