The Curriculum Content of a Metacognition-Based Program for Reducing Learning Disorders Among Elementary School Students
Keywords:
curriculum content, learning disorders, metacognition, elementary schoolAbstract
Learning disorders during elementary school are among the important issues in the educational system, as they can negatively affect students’ academic performance, self-confidence, and social adjustment. In recent years, metacognition-based approaches have attracted attention as an effective strategy for reducing these disorders because of their emphasis on self-awareness, self-regulation, and control of the learning process. However, designing a coherent and purposeful metacognition-based curriculum for reducing learning disorders among elementary school students remains one of the essential needs in the field of elementary education. The purpose of the present study was to identify the curriculum content of a metacognition-based program for reducing learning disorders among elementary school students. This study was conducted using a qualitative approach and thematic analysis with an exploratory inductive approach. Data were collected through the study of documents, scientific texts, and relevant research literature. The research domain included documents available in reputable databases and websites from 2007 to 2025 in the field of learning disorders and metacognition, as well as English-language documents published between 1991 and 2025. The data collection technique was an exploratory inductive approach, the data collection tool was note-taking, and the data analysis method was three-stage coding. The findings showed that, in the curriculum content dimension, the curriculum had an integrative and multilevel nature, and the implementation methods emphasized direct instruction, active strategies, multisensory approaches, metacognition-oriented strategies, and collaborative methods. The conclusion of the study indicated that curriculum content should be organized in accordance with the developmental characteristics and individual differences of elementary school students and should include practical and play-based activities, short and gradual exercises, feasible home assignments, and formative assessment tools so that it can sustainably reduce learning difficulties, increase learners’ self-awareness, and improve academic performance.
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