Seventh International Conference on Immersion and Dual Language Education

Strand I: Pedagogy & Assessment

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Metacognition is a concept increasingly used to explain and support bilingual learning. Learning in two languages requires complex cognitive processes. These are supported through scaffolding strategies such as dual coding and concept mapping, as well as explicit teaching of metacognitive strategies for students, such as self-explanation. Using data from classroom observations, this paper presents some examples of scaffolding strategies observed in various bilingual contexts. The paper will offer a framework for bilingual teachers on major metacognitive classroom strategies across languages. These include the articulation the goals and purposes of tasks across two or three languages, a focus on collaboratively constructed arguments and reasoning for concept attainment and insights into knowledge transfer.  The paper concludes that education in more than one language offers different sense-making opportunities that can be fostered by the explicit use of metacognitive strategies.