What activity would best foster metacognition in students?

• A. Reading quietly
• B. Group discussions
• C. Read aloud/think aloud
• D. Writing summaries

Answer: (C)

The activity of read aloud/think aloud effectively fosters metacognition in students by encouraging them to articulate their thought processes as they engage with the text. This practice allows students to become aware of how they comprehend information, recognize their understanding or misunderstandings, and actively monitor their thinking as they read. By verbalizing their thoughts, they can reflect on strategies they use to decode text, make predictions, and draw connections to prior knowledge.

This reflective process is crucial for developing metacognitive skills, as it helps students not only to understand the content better but also to become conscious of their learning strategies. Through think-alouds, students gain insights into how to approach problem-solving and critical thinking in various contexts, ultimately leading to greater self-regulation in their learning efforts.

While other activities such as reading quietly, group discussions, and writing summaries can contribute to learning, they don’t inherently require the same level of self-reflection and awareness about one's thinking processes as the read aloud/think aloud strategy does.