20 Metacognitive Questions That Will Get Students Thinking

Unfortunately, there are no quick fixes or silver bullets in education.  That being said, the research on metacognition is promising.  Studies call metacognition a “powerful predictor of learning”.  Metacognition boosts achievement regardless of age, learning preferences, or cognitive ability.  Metacognitive questions encourage students to plan and monitor their learning progress, thereby helping students take control of their learning. 

In my own Social Studies classroom, I saw significant improvement — notably with deeper thinking and shifting the control of the learning to the students — simply by mixing in metacognitive questions.  If you’re looking to give your students a stronger foundation to manage their own learning, metacognition might be the answer.

Through routine practice, metacognition can be taught.

What is metacognition?

Metacognition means “thinking about your thinking”.  Put another way, metacognition is thinking about what you know and what you don’t know.  This type of thinking is a natural part of growth and learning.  

In an academic context, metacognition is the process by which students plan, monitor, evaluate, and track their learning. These are powerful ideas.  When students become adept with metacognitive questions, they assume greater control over their learning.

A University of Glasgow literature review of 50 metacognition studies revealed a “very positive effect on pupil outcomes” when metacognition was taught to students. Another study connected metacognition to increased grit, a growth mindset, and ultimately academic success.  The good news is that with routine practice, metacognition can be taught.

20 Metacognitive Questions to Ask Your Students

Metacognitive questions to encourage self-awareness:

• What is one idea from today’s lesson you fully understand and one idea you don’t yet understand?
• How do the ideas from the lesson today connect to what you already knew?
• What was the most helpful part of today’s lesson for you?

Metacognitive questions to encourage planning:

• What is the most challenging part of this class for you? What might help you overcome this challenge?
• Write a brief SMART goal for the next semester.
• What are your stress indicators? How do you know it’s time for a breather?  What is your action plan for when you need to take a step back?

Metacognitive questions open up the lines of communication between students and teachers.  Improved class climate and formative assessment all in one.

Metacognitive questions to encourage problem-solving:

• What is one puzzle or challenge that emerged because of the ideas presented today? 
• What steps might you take to find the solution?
• What is your biggest obstacle to learning?  What could you do to overcome it?

Metacognitive questions to encourage time management:

• Give your group a grade on how well you used class time today.  Explain the grade.
• When school gets busy, what are some strategies you use?
• Reflect on your experience with academic stress.  How do you handle it?

Metacognitive questions to encourage critical thinking:

• If your friend was absent today and called you about class, what are the two or three most important ideas from today’s lesson?
• If you had to design a paragraph or essay-style question based on today’s topic, what would your question be? 
• Based on today’s lesson, what do you predict tomorrow’s lesson will be about? 

Metacognitive questions to encourage self-control:

• On a scale of 1-5, rate your participation during today’s lesson.  What steps could you take to improve next time?
• What seems to help you stay on task in class?  What seems to get you off task in class?
• What did you learn about yourself as a student today?

Metacognitive questions to encourage motivation:

• What is one connection you can make between class today and your life?
• Give yourself a rating (one star to five) based on how much effort you put into today’s class.
• What can the teacher do to make the content more accessible to you?

Tips for getting started with metacognition:

1. Be clear with your learning goals.  Help students with strategies for monitoring their progress relative to the learning goals.

2. Model the thinking involved with metacognition so students can see it in action.

3. Provide consistent opportunities for students to practice metacognitive strategies, including the use of mid- and long-range goal setting.

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Brad has taught history at the middle and high school levels for 19 years, almost exclusively in American public schools.  He has a master’s in educational technology and is passionate about elevating the status of professional educators.