Cognitive strategies are tools that we all can use to acquire, retain, and apply information. Students who struggle with executive functioning skills like processing, remembering, recalling, and organizing information and materials can benefit from explicit instruction of cognitive strategies as they are learning. The use of cognitive strategies structures the learning of complex tasks for students. Rosenshine (1997) called cognitive strategies procedural prompts because they support learners as they develop internal procedures that enable them to complete complex tasks. As students become independent they can begin to develop their own strategies. There are many types of strategies teachers can use. (e.g. orienting strategies, mnemonics, visualization, rehearsal strategies). Jennifer Sowers, a middle school teacher in Charleston County, shares implementation tips for the classroom.
