The Role of Motivation and Pedagogy on the Generalization of Cognitive Strategy Training

Abstract

Cognitive and metacognitive strategy training is becoming an increasingly popular trend in the field of Learning Disabilities. Most strategy training is designed to increase students' skills in order to enable independent learning and performance in academic and social settings. To be effective, students must generalize the training. Some common teaching practices appear to interfere with goals of independence of action and generalization. This paper examines these teaching practices in relation to theories of motivation, showing how and why they may inadvertently impede trainee's strategy generalization. Ways for teachers to counteract such practices as well as implications on research needs are discussed.