In this five-article series, Helen Webb explains the metacognition-inspired teaching and learning model at Orchard Mead Academy and how it translates to classroom practice. In part four, she considers two core strategies for checking for understanding


Metacognition and self-regulation are rated by Education Endowment Foundation’s Teaching and Learning Toolkit as “high impact for very low cost, based on extensive evidence” (EEF, 2021).

It is a golden thread that can be weaved into all aspects of our classroom practice. In this series of articles, I describe the rationale behind our whole-school teaching and learning model at Orchard Mead Academy, our behaviour for learning model, our recent professional learning, and how this offers an integrated metacognitive approach in the classroom.

Learning at Orchard Mead is underpinned by the philosophy that teachers and students should know explicitly “why” they are doing “what” they are doing and “how” they can do it more effectively.

This supports both teachers and students to plan for, monitor and evaluate their learning more effectively. It also allows our staff to have greater certainty, clarity and confidence in the choices they make in the classroom and how they articulate these decisions and model their thinking to students and colleagues.

This fourth article focuses on how we check for understanding looking especially at two strategies: cold-calling and the effective use of mini-whiteboards, which was a previous focus of our whole-school professional learning. To support the embedding of these approaches, we were all provided with a personal copy of Tom Sherrington and Oliver Caviglioli’s book Teaching WalkThrus (2020), which we refer to frequently.


Metacognition: A teaching and learning model

Article 1: An integrated approach to metacognition: Models for teaching, learning and behaviour: Published January 11, 2023.
Article 2: Memory, attention and FAST behaviours for learning. Published, January 17, 2023.
Article 3: Learning more: I do, we do, you do. Published, January 25, 2023.
Article 4: Checking for understanding: Cold calling and mini-whiteboards. This article.
Article 5: Challenge, reviewing and reflecting on learning. Published February 7, 2023.


Checking for understanding

The main reason that we have employed these approaches is to make all of our students think and keep the whole class involved rather than relying on the contribution of the few who are brave enough to put their hand up. From a metacognitive viewpoint, regular questioning focuses students’ attention on what they should be learning and, together with some effective feedback, this also allows both the teacher and students to monitor how well they are understanding what they have been taught.

Again, both teachers and students are taught explicitly the rationale behind whichever teaching and learning strategy we are focusing on in our professional learning cycle to ensure that these strategies are embedded successfully across the school. The effectiveness of our questioning approaches was also monitored via frequent lesson drop-ins and staff were able to access support through one-to-one instructional coaching as needed.


Cold-calling

To support the effectiveness of this questioning approach, we followed the guidance described in the Teaching WalkThrus (2020): Cold-calling involves the teacher posing a question aimed at everyone in the room. Students are allowed thinking time in silence. Then, using your knowledge of the students, you select a student by name to respond. It is important at this stage that students feel emotionally supported and that there is a safe environment in which errors, doubts and misconceptions can surface. For example, you might say:

  • “This is a really tricky topic. I am not expecting all of you to know all of the answers yet.”
  • “We’ve not been learning this for very long, I am really keen to gauge what you do know and what you don’t understand yet so I can decide how quickly to move through the topic.”
  • “Your errors are really useful to me – it tells me when I need to explain things differently or if we need to do more practice on this activity.”

The teacher then responds to their answer. If a good answer is given the teacher may respond with an affirmation and follow-up probing question or process question. For example:

  • “Well done, that’s correct – how did you know it was correct?”
  • “How did you work it out?”
  • “What might another viewpoint be?”
  • “How sure are you that this is the correct answer?”
  • “Spot on – can you give me another example?”

If the student is struggling to answer, gently nudge them towards the correct response. You might try:

  • “That’s a good try, but it’s not quite correct – can you say it again better? This time include “X” in your answer.”
  • If they are simply not feeling confident, ask: “What could the answer be?” or “If you had to make a guess, what might your best guess be?”
  • You may even offer a selection of answers to choose from: “Do you think the answer might be (offer a list of sensible options)?”

Repeat the process with different students around the room until you feel that you have received enough feedback to decide how to proceed.

As part of our FAST behaviours for learning strategy (already discussed in this series), our students are explicitly taught how to “answer questions well”. In addition to being encouraged to answer in full sentences, speaking clearly using standard English, and using subject-specific vocabulary, students are also given specific training on how to avoid uttering the dreaded: “I don’t know.” Instead they are encouraged to use phrases such as:

  • “I am not sure, but I think the answer might be…”
  • “I understand the term ‘X’, but I am still confused by ‘Y’.”

Students are also encouraged to ask questions, for example:

  • “Please could you explain what the word ‘Y’ means?”
  • “I understand the first three steps – but I don’t understand how to do step 4. Please can you explain that bit again?”

This approach places the emphasis back onto students, getting them to monitor their own learning and reflect on what specifically it is they do or don’t understand rather relying on a lazy “I don’t get it” response!


Show-me boards

The second strategy that we focused on in order to “check for understanding” was the use of mini-whiteboards or “show-me” boards. These are a brilliant way to sample responses from the whole class.

First, each student must have a mini-whiteboard, pen and eraser to hand. In my own lessons I have sets in plastic zip-lock bags to speed up distribution or for students to collect on arrival.

Again, we followed the guidance described in Teaching WalkThrus: The teacher begins by posing a question and describes the particular type of response they want. For example: “I want the correct key word/phrase/a diagram/a word equation not a symbol equation/the solution to a problem that includes your working out, etc.”

Before students are allowed to share their answers, adequate thinking time must be provided. At Orchard Mead, we instruct students to hover their boards upside down (like they are posting a letter) to show they are ready. We also reiterate the importance of not shouting out their answer or flashing their boards, so others have the opportunity to think.

The teacher then signals “3-2-1 show me” and the students raise their boards in unison. After very obviously scanning the boards for correct, incorrect, interesting answers, common errors or misconceptions, the teacher then engages with a sample of students to discuss their responses, either to consolidate or correct as needed.

A couple of small yet effective tweaks to this strategy include:

  • When reviewing more complex responses as a class, say “wobble your board if you have included the word ‘X’ in your sentence or included this label on your diagram”. This focuses students’ attention on the key details that you are looking for and also eases your ability to scan for errors and gaps.
  • You can adjust the challenge by posing a question on the main class whiteboard and invite students to write their responses. Pause and scan to see who is writing and which boards remain blank. Then display some possible responses (perhaps in a multiple-choice question style). This layer of scaffolding allows students to review and edit their responses as needed and also gives other students an opportunity to make their best guess and reduces the number of blank boards, “I don’t knows”, or sad emoji face drawings!


Next time

The final article in this series will further consider how we can get the challenge right to maximise our students’ learning and will reflect on how students’ prior learning can have an impact on the perceived challenge of the lesson.

It will also consider how we can use assessment and feedback to reflect more critically on learning so that students are more accurate in monitoring how well they are doing but can also make informed decisions about their next steps in the learning process and ultimately improve their outcomes.


Further information & resources

  • EEF: Metacognition & self-regulation, Teaching and Learning Toolkit, last updated July 2021: https://bit.ly/3zJ5ruN
  • Quigley, Muijs & Stringer: Metacognition & self-regulation: Guidance report, EEF, first published April 2018: https://bit.ly/3zKVE7w
  • Sherrington & Caviglioli: Teaching WalkThrus: Five step guides to instructional coaching, John Catt Educational, 2020.

Further listening from the SecEd Podcast