FACTFILE: LEARNING TO LEARN by Dr Roxana Herescu
Dr. Roxana Herescu is a Research Manager at Cambridge University Press where she researches key issues in ELT such as mixed-ability classrooms, critical thinking, and learner autonomy. One other important project she is working on is the Cambridge Framework for Life Competencies. Dr. Herescu was previously a postdoctoral researcher at the Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge, working on a project researching a national professional development course on CLIL.
H
ow can we prepare our students to succeed in a world that is rapidly changing? We see the need to help students develop transferrable skills, to work with people from around the world, to think creatively, analyse sources critically and communicate their views effectively. How can we balance the development of these skills with the demands of the language curriculum? In response to these questions, Cambridge have developed the Cambridge Framework for Life Competencies. In this article, our Secondary Research Manager, Dr Roxana Herescu, discusses the Learning to Learn strand of the Cambridge Framework, how learning to learn benefits learner
autonomy and what teachers can do to help students develop these critical skills.
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Why is learning to learn important? Helping students become more aware of how they actually acquire language is the first step to making them more efficient learners. This awareness adds a metacognitive dimension to learning as students are encouraged to think and speak about their own learning (including in English). This helps them discover what learning strategies work best for them, thereby improving their language learning. Once students have established the strategies that work for them, they are able to learn more independently, which prepares them to continue learning throughout their school career and beyond. Teaching and supporting students to become autonomous learners allows them to be immersed in their own learning, to understand their weaknesses and to build on their strengths. They are able to make informed choices and take ownership of their learning, which encourages them to become more motivated and responsible. As students are increasingly able to manage their own learning in the classroom, teachers save time on managing their students’ learning and can focus on a more personalised style of teaching to cater for the typical mixed-ability classroom.
2 What kinds of skills are included in
the Learn to Learn strand of the Cambridge Framework? The Cambridge Framework for Life Competencies introduces three key competencies which support students in becoming autonomous learners. The first one refers to students use of practical skills for participating in learning. These begin to develop at the pre-primary level when learners develop hand-eye coordination and learn to manage basic tools like pencils. They then learn to recognise and produce letters and numbers, and develop their language skills, which become increasingly sophisticated as they
THE CAMBRIDGE FRAMEWORK FOR LIFE COMPETENCIES
Creative Thinking
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Critical Thinking
Learning to Learn
Communication
Collaboration
Social Responsibilities
