Topic: Teacher Education | Metacognition in Teacher Education
Presenter: María Eugenia Ianiro
Presentation details
In a rapidly changing educational landscape, teachers are expected to adapt to new pedagogies, diverse learner needs, evolving technologies, and increasingly complex classroom realities. In this context, knowing how to teach is no longer enough; teachers must also know how to learn. Metacognition—the awareness and regulation of one’s own thinking and learning processes—offers a powerful framework for preparing teachers to become reflective, adaptive, and self-directed professionals.
This session explores the role of metacognition in teacher education and argues that it should be considered a core component of teacher preparation and professional growth. Drawing on research and practical experiences from teacher education programmes, the session will examine how metacognitive practices can help future and practising teachers become more aware of their decision-making processes, monitor their professional learning, and make informed adjustments to their teaching.
Participants will experience practical metacognitive strategies that can be embedded into teacher education programmes to foster deeper reflection, greater autonomy, and continuous professional learning. The session will also explore how explicitly modelling metacognitive processes in teacher education can help teachers transfer these practices to their own classrooms, ultimately supporting learners in becoming more independent and effective learners themselves.
By placing teachers in the role of learners, this session highlights the importance of creating opportunities for educators to develop the habits of mind required for lifelong learning. As the demands placed on teachers continue to evolve, metacognition can serve as a bridge between learning and teaching, helping educators navigate uncertainty, respond to change, and take ownership of their professional development.
Participants will leave with practical ideas and tools to integrate metacognition into teacher education and professional development contexts, preparing teachers not only for today’s classrooms but also for the challenges and opportunities of the future.
About the presenter
María Eugenia Ianiro is a teacher educator, educational consultant, and conference speaker from Argentina. She holds an MA in Professional Development for Language Education from the University of Chichester (UK) and has over 20 years of experience in English language teaching and teacher education.
She currently serves as National Coordinator of the English Language Teaching Strengthening Programme and Supervisor of Higher Education in Buenos Aires Province. Her professional interests include metacognition, teacher development, reflective practice, socio-emotional learning, and inclusive education. She is also a member of the IATEFL Teacher Development SIG Committee.