Metacognition and Strength-Based Strategies
Welcome to 2025! Have you made your New Year’s resolutions? Believe it or not, we haven’t – and don’t intend to. Why? Because years of experience making well-intentioned resolutions which are then forgotten, broken or otherwise unmet hasn’t done us any good. So let’s switch it up. Let’s start off the new year with a plan for success based on metacognition and strength-based strategies.
Metacognition
If you’re not familiar with the term, the Merriam-Webster dictionary definition of metacognition is “awareness or analysis of one’s own learning or thinking processes.” But if you’re living with ADHD or Executive Dysfunction, you’ve probably heard the term many times before, particularly since understanding your learning and thought processes is not always something that comes naturally to those who have difficulty in the Executive Function realm.
There are four types of learning preferences: visual, auditory, reading/writing, and kinesthetic. An Executive Function coach can help you with inventories and tools to understand your own study preference, but you can also start with a free online quiz called the VARK questionnaire, available at this link: https://vark-learn.com/the-vark-questionnaire/the-vark-questionnaire-for-younger-people/
Taking Inventory/Self-Awareness
Identifying your personal learning preference is only one step in self-awareness. The new year is a great time to use this knowledge as an opportunity for self-reflection. Think about assignments that haven’t been successful, as well as those that have. Layering on your new awareness of your preferred study style, how has this impacted your assignments and study skills?
Here’s a concrete example: Anna studied diligently for her last exam. She was sure that all the hours she put in would mean that she would get an A, or at the very least a B. So when she received a D, Anna was confused and distraught. She didn’t understand how she could have studied any harder. You already know that our motto at EEG is “ReWrite Smart” – so here’s how we would rewrite this scenario.
Anna took a deeper look into how she prepared for the exam. She spent hours reading, re-reading and highlighting the information in her textbook and notes. Why didn’t it stick? Anna then thought about what she recently discovered about her learning preferences. She does best when the information is presented orally. Is it any wonder that reading and highlighting the information was not helpful as a study strategy?
Using Strength-Based Strategies
Rather than broad, meaningless new year’s resolutions to study harder or get better grades, self-reflection and using study strategies based on your strong suits is a surer means for success moving forward. How can Anna study for future exams using this knowledge? For students who prefer an auditory approach, one idea is to prepare flash cards with facts, and have a parent or friend verbally quiz you. Another idea would be to study with a group of friends so that you are discussing the topics with one another and quizzing each other verbally on the information. These are just two examples. A conversation with your teacher can spark many more ideas and strategies tailored to your particular preference.
Essig Education Group wishes you a happy and successful New Year. Even if it’s resolution-free!