Thinking about Thinking: The Impact of Metacognitive Instructional Practices on Academic Achievement Inequity

This research examines the impact of Metacognitive Instructional Practices on achievement equity in Canadian urban middle school environments. It aims to provide insight into how instructional practices can address achievement gaps for students who have historically experienced systemic and individual barriers that negatively impact academic achievement. The research focuses on students with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder as an example of individuals who do not meet their full potential academically due to attention, executive functioning, and self-regulation barriers. The research shows that Metacognitive Instructional Practices (MIPs) have a positive impact on academic achievement for students with and without ADHD diagnoses. MIPs give all students the opportunity to develop learning strategies that fit with how they think and what they need to effectively learn. The research finds that MIPs are an impactful teaching methodology that all middle school teachers should utilize.