ABSTRACT
Setting the learning in context and showing how learning takes place is the sort of argument that must have particular appeal for the teacher. This chapter focuses on simple generalisations about age and development and to take into account other factors of the learning context. It considers how it might be possible to improve the level and character of children's metacognitive understanding and their use of strategies to control their learning. Children are often expected to learn in a situation of competition or conflict, either with their peers or their teacher or simply with the task materials. There may be a value in this approach for children who are able to resolve this challenge in clearer insights into the nature of the problem and better understanding of their own methods of working. Several studies report attempts to use modelling techniques deliberately in order to improve the learning behaviours of different groups of children.
